Arnage at night - when & how

[Coupe_bloke]

I'm going to my 3rd consecutive Le Mans this year and hoping to get out to Arnage at night. I made it there using the bus around midday on Sunday first time around, but never at night. It sounds like I have so far missed out on something of a rite of passage, although part of the reason last year was that I spent a good few hours on a successful night ops mission to Mulsanne. This was incredible, and I wouldn't mind doing it again, but should I put getting out to Arnage higher on the list?

And then how...? There are two options for when, I reckon - Thursday night quali or Saturday night during the race. We are arriving late afternoon Thursday so will just have time to put up the tent, get a BBQ out the way and enjoy a few well earned beers before the quali sessions... so I don't think that is a great option unless I can bring myself to hold off the beers for a while longer and drive out there for 10pm. Is quali as good as the race there?

Saturday night would obviously be less frenetic, but again I can't see myself holding off the beers all day and driving down there, we won't have any bikes (no practical cars in our group) and the bus takes forever and I understand it is very hard to get back as they stop running and/or are packed. I also want to make use of my grandstand ticket to see some night pit action (missed this both previous years), so don't want to be stuck out at Arnage all night.

So I can't decide quite what to do - anyone got any thoughts!?

Cheers

Ben

[webby74]

Arnage at night is a must do, plenty of overtaking as they dive up the inside of each other, glowing brake discs, flaming exhausts etc. I have only been there during the race and its brilliant. Saying this i have the advantage of having a mate who lives not far from mulsanne so knows the back routes there. We usually leave our car by the pub opposite the level crossing on the main road and walk down. Quite a trek but so worth it.
Where are you staying?

[Coupe_bloke]

staying in Houx, so a bit of a trek!

[FLAT 6]

There is absolutely nothing to compare with Arnage in the dark. Get there just before dawn and, if the weather is good, you'll get the cars coming out of the sunrise through the mist coming off the grass and trees...amazing!!!

There's no option but either to make friends with someone who doesn't drink or persuade someone to back off mid-evening and drive you over there at about 5am or so.

Mind you, we did set off to walk one year and got a lift with some local guy so anything's possible at Le Mans!

[ellroy]

I've done it a few times, but have driven down myself from Houx, the not drinking piece is a small price to pay for the magic of those corners in the pitch black.

[Nick M]

Thursday night qualifying, IMO, is your best bet for getting down there without having to endure quite the same amount of traffic / people, but the downside is that it's all over by midnight.

Now there are spotlights down there it's not *quite* the same spooky feeling of being in the utter pitch blackness like it was when I first went down there, with just the cars headlights and brakes glowing bright red. But it's still worth being down there in the wee small hours when most people have settled in for a kip.

It's also one of the parts of the circuit where you get a real sense of the speed, braking and cornering abilities of current cars, both LMP and GT. And to hear the Corvettes rumbling off into the distance is great.

[Dyl]

I think I keep misunderstanding the scale of the circuit - what are the distances involved in, say, travelling from the pit straight to Arnage corner? Walkable or too far to even consider?

[Nick M]

Dyl said:

I think I keep misunderstanding the scale of the circuit - what are the distances involved in, say, travelling from the pit straight to Arnage corner? Walkable or too far to even consider?

1 lap = 13 Km, and the pit straight to Arnage, given you can't follow the circuit, is probably getting on for 5 Km. So technically walkable, but at night the road is very dark so be careful and wear something bright (was bad enough on our bikes at the Classic last year, and we had lights !)

[Dyl]

Nick M said:

Dyl said:

I think I keep misunderstanding the scale of the circuit - what are the distances involved in, say, travelling from the pit straight to Arnage corner? Walkable or too far to even consider?

1 lap = 13 Km, and the pit straight to Arnage, given you can't follow the circuit, is probably getting on for 5 Km. So technically walkable, but at night the road is very dark so be careful and wear something bright (was bad enough on our bikes at the Classic last year, and we had lights !)

Was kind of hoping to park up when we arrive and not need to drive again - maybe squeezing the bikes into the car should be reconsidered...

Can easily wear the hi-vis vest/jackets that we will have in the car to make ourselves visible.

Cheers for the advice

[NormanD]

Dyl said:

I think I keep misunderstanding the scale of the circuit - what are the distances involved in, say, travelling from the pit straight to Arnage corner? Walkable or too far to even consider?

With the road shut when the race is on it's 3.5 miles, so yes walkable
Would take about an hour normally but with all the people and traffic not an easy walk so would allow at least half as much again, thats each way

[s2driveruk]

yep...walking from start/finish to Arnage is a bit of a walk (especially when you've had a few too) but easy to do. You can stop off at the Porsche Curves for a bit which is good but getting some time at Arnage is worth the miles!

[SB24]

It gets horribly busy with traffic during Saturday evening and you could sit in the road for quite while not seeing anything! Also there a lot of spectators so it can be a bit of a squeeze to get next to the track.

So, trek down on foot or wait until just before dawn, forego a few late beers and drive or nip down Thursday evening.

Or night ops.. again..

[Dr Houx]

A few years ago we had one sober person and tried the drive from Bleu Sud to Arnage. It took forever and we might have been quicker walking.

Since then (the last three years) we've managed to cycle through the night from Houx to Arnage, then down to the viewing area at the end of the Mulsanne straight and then a long trek back on the road east of the Mulsanne back to Houx. The stretch down to Arnage is normally a long queue of cars that can be passed with care. After that the roads get darker with fewer cars so the bikes are now lit up like Christmas trees to give the overtaking motorists plenty to see.

We're at Houx again this year and if you have a bike and wish to join us, please do.

Good luck!

[GD47]

Anyone walked from Beausejour? On the map, the campsite looks equi-distance from the village and Arnage?

Ta ta.

G

[Coupe_bloke]

Thanks for all the reponses guys. I might consider a late walk down (2-3am ish) from the pits with a stop at Porsche curves on the way. Is it relatively easy not to get lost?!...

As you obviously can't follow the track, I recall being told to go (EDIT) SouthWEST-ish from near Porsche curves, I think down Route de Ruaudin (presumably then turning left down Route de Mulsanne), first year when trying to do this very same thing by officals, saying it was a very long way round to get to Arnage that way, so I gave up. But now I know a bit better I could give it a go - is that the right route?

Cheers!

Edited by Coupe_bloke on Wednesday 25th May 08:32

[Dr Houx]

Though I've not done it sober, I think the route is:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

You pass the porsche curves on the way so it's an easy stop going there or coming back.

[A Curtis]

It's possible to get to Indianapolis from the back of BJ, possible to get to the inside of Arnage maybe?

[Great Dane]

I tried that last year on a bike and it was fine... will certainly do it again...

[Coupe_bloke]

Yep - Dr Houx - that's the route I was thinking... :-)

[Bondy1]

Dr Houx said:

A few years ago we had one sober person and tried the drive from Bleu Sud to Arnage. It took forever and we might have been quicker walking.

Since then (the last three years) we've managed to cycle through the night from Houx to Arnage, then down to the viewing area at the end of the Mulsanne straight and then a long trek back on the road east of the Mulsanne back to Houx. The stretch down to Arnage is normally a long queue of cars that can be passed with care. After that the roads get darker with fewer cars so the bikes are now lit up like Christmas trees to give the overtaking motorists plenty to see.

We're at Houx again this year and if you have a bike and wish to join us, please do.

Good luck!

Dr Houx Im very interested in your comments about cycling to arnarge but as it's our first time at Le Mans we are a bit green about where to go and watch and how to get there so if you dont mind would like to meet up on houx as we are staying on there and have a chat and a few beers and try and pick your brains for any info which will help us on our first trip.

Thanks