Le Mans Virgins!

[GTD1000]

What are the facilities like in BSJ/public sites? Im expecting the worst but also hoping they aren't music festival level of unusable

[gt6]

They vary, but in general they are pretty good these days. As always the more expensive the sites the better the facilities.

[Tyre Smoke]

GTD1000 said:

What are the facilities like in BSJ/public sites? Im expecting the worst but also hoping they aren't music festival level of unusable

As good as you dig it mate.

[Printertosh]

Facilities were ok / fine when I first went in 2005 (apart from old woman giving you 2 sheets of toilet paper per visit ) but they're now much better (toilet roll dispenser in each toilet and restocked regularly). Also now, hot showers running on bottled gas, then, showers (sometimes with nozzle) with trickling water.

Toilets around the track have improved but only near the Bugatti circuit so a bit dodgy if you're heading away from the main pit straight, so before Ford chicanes and after the Dunlop bridge the facilities are more 'au naturel'

[Tyre Smoke]

Printertosh said:

Also now, hot showers running on bottled gas,

Christ! Glad I've never camped at Belsen Se Jour then!

[GTD1000]

Tyre Smoke said:

As good as you dig it mate.

Hahah i thought as much! Shovel added to the list of necessities then Cheers boys, if you dare venture into the depths of BSJ there's a warm can of cheap french lager with your name on it!

[Tyre Smoke]

Not a chance! Going to be sitting on Houx with cold beer.

But thanks all the same.

[RL17]

CBW worth it if go early and your car gets in as pretty good selection of cars - food pretty good there.

Loads of the cars also do Mulsanne later.

Trip to Hotel de France if you have time - great drive down there and lots of the great drivers stay there.

Pit lane walk also open Friday

Ear defenders with a digitally tuned FM radio are good for knowing what’s going on in race if walking around track a lot.

Most tribunes/stands are a long way from BSJ and expensive for (probably just a few hours of ) start and finish of race. Stands by middle/end of pits also have deafening noise levels.

Le Pub in village has late euro pop disco if the cars you are following have crashed and burned

Supermarkets don’t open very early and shut all Sunday

Lots of queues for expensive weak beer and food and even longer queues for the the few toilets near start finish straight main spectator areas.

Race ends Sunday and a couple of gates eventually open for fans to get to podium. By the the time that’s done whole of circuit bars all shut.

[GTD1000]

Ive seen people mention karting, does this have to be pre-booked or is it first come first serve? Throughout 4 years of uni we've argued who's the better driver...

[2 GKC]

Expect a big crowd. Last time I went couldn’t see a bloody thing til about an hour into the race

[StevieBee]

From whenever you get there to around 4.30pm on the Sunday, there is absolutely nowhere else in the world that you would rather be. Nowhere else matters and nobody else matters other than those you are with. It's almost spiritual.

At some point between 4.30pm and 6.00pm on the Sunday, someone in ACO head office switches a switch that says 'Le Mans - OFF'. At which point it is the last place you want to be. It's odd - it's like the life has been sucked out of the place.

Last year, we headed up to Honflour for the Sunday night. Ibis Hotel - decent shower - met up with and drank beer with others and rounded the week off perfectly.

The year before we spent the Sunday night on Blu Nord dodging nuckle-draggers doing donuts and the local travelling community on operation clean up.

[anonymous-user]

We sat right here on the Friday, cold beer, sunshine and all types of cars driving through.

About a 20 min walk from Porsche Curves -
https://www.google.com/maps/@47.9291299,0.185628,3...

[Tyre Smoke]

Not like that on Houx at all. We cook a roast beef dinner, all the veg and Yorkshire puddings and finish the week on a good old high. Then an early night for the run to the ferry in the morning.

[wsn03]

My list (5th yr)

Radio Le Mans
Museum
Shops in Granstand Village
Grandstand opposite pits for qualifying
Arnage Village (big atmosphere, bars, restaurants, fans, flags etc)
Mulsanne straight
Hotel somewhere south of there that has nuclear contaminated waste in its grounds (err not sure what to say so im silent on this - here there be monsters (( look at Mulsanne straight on google maps and follow it down towards Mulsanne)))

Enjoy

Edited by wsn03 on Sunday 19th January 08:55

[jonnyfox]

I'm enjoying these threads for us newbies, really very helpful. I'm MEGA looking forward to it. Friday evening after a long journey watching the world go by with a cold beer in anticipation of the big event is going to be a proper moment. Thanks for the Google maps link, anyone more recommendations a short walk from PH Premier Vert site?

I've got grandstand tickets opposite the pits, ear defenders CHECK (although I was in no doubt) :-)

[L500]

If it hasn't been mentioned already, take the tram into the town for the drivers parade. You can get on at the MM Arena or near Tetre Rouge (stop is called Guetteloup) and get off at Republique. Take a walk around the Old Town and Cathedral if that's your thing. Worth a visit, some nice restaurants there also. Enjoy.