LM 23

[Lovey1]

_Yeti said:

Has anybody heard back from 1st tickets? I emailed them a couple of weeks ago but haven't heard anything yet!

i had my annual "you booked with us last year do you want to rebook" advance booking e mail through on the 18th August and in that Brian states that they are now back after their (well deserved) summer break.

[Matt Harper]

//j17 said:

NNH said:

Regarding beer, the last time I went in 2018 the campsites were very uptight about bringing alcohol from the hypermarket. Is that still true? This will be a flying visit as I now live in the USA, so I'll be limited what I can manage to slip into my rucksack.

Subject to some poorly trained staff on the Mon/Tues there's no issue taking alcohol into either the campsites or circuit. There is though, thanks to some twunts at one of the 24hr motocycle races throwing bottles onto the track a ban on taking glass containers into the circuit. Some of the camsites are classed as 'inside' the circuit (if you have to show a GE ticket to get onto the campsite it's 'inside') so glass bottles are banned from those campsites too. Glass bottles are still fine for the other camsites though.

Make sure you buy your alcohol in cans from the hypermarket and you'll be fine. Cans are lighter than glass bottles too.

I recognize that there is a recurring disagreement on here, regarding the ACO's policy on taking alcohol into both the camping and/or spectator areas of the facility.

Personally, my friends and I have never had any issues bringing quite large quantities of canned beer (Guinness) and bottles of Champagne and other wines into Houx and Bleu Nord campsites. Taking it into the spectator areas became an issue.

I can only reference our personal experience. The first inkling of trouble brewing was in 2013, from Bleu through the main gate - they objected to the glass bottles - nothing else. Understandable, because during the early/mid 80's we were wading through a sea of broken glass on the tribunes.
In 2015 they wouldn't let us take our coolers in (cans only) from Houx, so we got them in trough the Annexe/Chappelle gate.
The last time I went (2018) they point-blank refused to allow any alcohol in any vessel through from the infield of the track that we tried.

I've heard from many folks, both on here and elsewhere that they had no issues - and maybe it has been the quantity that we attempted to get in (around 50 cans in two big coolers), but to arbitrarily state that taking alcohol into the spectator areas is not a problem is incorrect in my bitter experience.

[//j17]

Matt Harper said:

The first inkling of trouble brewing was in 2013, from Bleu through the main gate - they objected to the glass bottles - nothing else. Understandable, because during the early/mid 80's we were wading through a sea of broken glass on the tribunes.
In 2015 they wouldn't let us take our coolers in (cans only) from Houx, so we got them in trough the Annexe/Chappelle gate.
The last time I went (2018) they point-blank refused to allow any alcohol in any vessel through from the infield of the track that we tried.

I've heard from many folks, both on here and elsewhere that they had no issues - and maybe it has been the quantity that we attempted to get in (around 50 cans in two big coolers), but to arbitrarily state that taking alcohol into the spectator areas is not a problem is incorrect in my bitter experience.

It's mainly down to poor training on the ACO's side. At a guess the security chiefs get the official briefing from the ACO. They give their interpretation of it to their team leads, and the team leads give their interpetation fo the chiefs interpretation of the rules to the people on the gates, and as a result what the bod on one gate believes the rule to be is completely different to the one on the next gate down - plus differing degrees of common sense between individuals.

My experience is the rule interpretation gets looser and more consistent as the week goes on as the staff get their acts together.

[delta0]

_Yeti said:

Has anybody heard back from 1st tickets? I emailed them a couple of weeks ago but haven't heard anything yet!

There is a link on their website to register for interest. They aren’t launching packages until November at least.

[_Yeti]

delta0 said:

There is a link on their website to register for interest. They aren’t launching packages until November at least.

That's what I used actually. I will just hold tight until November and see what happens.

[Vette_1978]

//j17 said:

It's mainly down to poor training on the ACO's side. At a guess the security chiefs get the official briefing from the ACO. They give their interpretation of it to their team leads, and the team leads give their interpetation fo the chiefs interpretation of the rules to the people on the gates, and as a result what the bod on one gate believes the rule to be is completely different to the one on the next gate down - plus differing degrees of common sense between individuals.

My experience is the rule interpretation gets looser and more consistent as the week goes on as the staff get their acts together.

Had issue with the Classic this year getting in to one paddock using original LMC tickets for the cancelled event. Got into the paddock fine, got into all grid paddocks fine except 1, where the jobsworth on gate just flat out refused entry. Ended up getting him taken to the ACO info centre to get told that we should be allowed in and these tickets are valid. I didn't understand why they checked each grid Plateau area as they checked paddock access before getting into the paddock.

[Great Dane]

Matt Harper said:

general rule at sporting events in France... at least the glass thing


I recognize that there is a recurring disagreement on here, regarding the ACO's policy on taking alcohol into both the camping and/or spectator areas of the facility.

Personally, my friends and I have never had any issues bringing quite large quantities of canned beer (Guinness) and bottles of Champagne and other wines into Houx and Bleu Nord campsites. Taking it into the spectator areas became an issue.

I can only reference our personal experience. The first inkling of trouble brewing was in 2013, from Bleu through the main gate - they objected to the glass bottles - nothing else. Understandable, because during the early/mid 80's we were wading through a sea of broken glass on the tribunes.
In 2015 they wouldn't let us take our coolers in (cans only) from Houx, so we got them in trough the Annexe/Chappelle gate.
The last time I went (2018) they point-blank refused to allow any alcohol in any vessel through from the infield of the track that we tried.

I've heard from many folks, both on here and elsewhere that they had no issues - and maybe it has been the quantity that we attempted to get in (around 50 cans in two big coolers), but to arbitrarily state that taking alcohol into the spectator areas is not a problem is incorrect in my bitter experience.

[MrC986]

delta0 said:

There is a link on their website to register for interest. They aren’t launching packages until November at least.

I’ve had the “early” email as well & I’m mustering interest from friends who’ve been with me before to the 24hrs & also looking to try and do the Classic as well (now that a good friend has suggested to MrsC I should do the “double” again in 2023 )

[NNH]

Matt Harper said:

I can only reference our personal experience. The first inkling of trouble brewing was in 2013, from Bleu through the main gate - they objected to the glass bottles - nothing else. Understandable, because during the early/mid 80's we were wading through a sea of broken glass on the tribunes.
In 2015 they wouldn't let us take our coolers in (cans only) from Houx, so we got them in trough the Annexe/Chappelle gate.
The last time I went (2018) they point-blank refused to allow any alcohol in any vessel through from the infield of the track that we tried.

This has been exactly my experience too. In 2018 we couldn't go from the campsite to the track with cans of beer on the Saturday, which was why I was asking others' thoughts.

[HorneyMX5]

I'm assuming there'll be a PH campsite again? I really want to go in 2023.

[Ben Lowden]

HorneyMX5 said:

I'm assuming there'll be a PH campsite again? I really want to go in 2023.

Hell yes! Haven't you heard there's a big anniversary to celebrate next year? And I'm talking about PH's 25th, not the centenary

There's some basic information about what we do at Le Mans with 1st Tickets here. Official 'register your interest' articles will be going out over the coming weeks, but you can already do that here for the 24 and here for the Classic so that you don't miss out when packages go live.

See you there!

[FredericRobinson]

Is it still possible to book through the tourist office?

[badmastard]

Hi guys, may sound dumb. Never been to watch Le Mans but was wondering where is the best place to watch the event as well what's the best campsite with good facilities. Try to organise a trip for 4 guys, 2 cars as well as 2 tents. Sounds simple right but confused on some web sites.

Any help is better than none.

Thanks.

[Gregmitchell]

http://www.beermountain.com/

This is a good old school guide

[badmastard]

Gregmitchell said:

http://www.beermountain.com/

This is a good old school guide

Thank you lots

[NNH]

badmastard said:

Hi guys, may sound dumb. Never been to watch Le Mans but was wondering where is the best place to watch the event as well what's the best campsite with good facilities. Try to organise a trip for 4 guys, 2 cars as well as 2 tents. Sounds simple right but confused on some web sites.

Any help is better than none.

Thanks.

In the end, it'll work out fine! So long as you have a campsite booked, you're sorted. Some campsites are posher, some are livelier, some are nearer to the circuit, some are next to the airport runway where the teams sometimes do late night engine tests. None are terrible, and in 2024 you'll know what kind of site you like best. With two cars and four blokes, you can take turns sobering up for the next hypermarche beer run. Don't miss the opportunity to drive (some of) the circuit when the public roads are open.

[Strasse]

This might give you an idea of what is on offer on the circuit, in town and where the Supermarkets are. Also some hints of what to do and where to watch. There will be a completely new version of this guide out before the new year - Enjoy


www.le-mans-guide.co.uk

[//j17]

badmastard said:

Hi guys, may sound dumb. Never been to watch Le Mans but was wondering where is the best place to watch the event as well what's the best campsite with good facilities. Try to organise a trip for 4 guys, 2 cars as well as 2 tents. Sounds simple right but confused on some web sites.

Any help is better than none.

Thanks.

These days there aren't any really bad campsites at Le Mans - though for your first time I'd avoid Arnage/Mulsanne campsites (just to far out for your first trip when you're trying to go everywhere/do every thing) and try to avoid Beausjour (cheap but just a bit of a walk to the main action and can flood if a wet year). All have reasonable, regularly cleaned toilets and showers - though numbers are limited so be a sheep who HAS to shower at 8am and you'll be queuing but shower at 11am instead and you might walk straight in.

After that consider a grandstand seat. They aren't escential and I probably only use mine for 3hrs at the start/3hrs at the end of the race, just wandering the rest of the time - but it means you can turn up 30min before the start/end of the race and know you'll have a seat with a good view and if it's either hot or wet some shelter from the elements.

[davidd]

Just reserved our tickets etc with Brian... Sorry I felt the need to share

[badmastard]

Haha, thanks. Been told the Porsche curves campsite is one of the nicest as well as it being clean and have great showers.

Been doing a bit of research and just need to go for and convince my friends paying up.

Thanks for the advice.

NNH said:

In the end, it'll work out fine! So long as you have a campsite booked, you're sorted. Some campsites are posher, some are livelier, some are nearer to the circuit, some are next to the airport runway where the teams sometimes do late night engine tests. None are terrible, and in 2024 you'll know what kind of site you like best. With two cars and four blokes, you can take turns sobering up for the next hypermarche beer run. Don't miss the opportunity to drive (some of) the circuit when the public roads are open.