Camping advice please
Discussion
Hi, I've not been to Le Mans for a few years and suddenly find myself in a position to go this year. This is of course dependant on finding a decent camping spot. A few questions if you please;
1. My last experiences of camping (2007 & 8) were at Houx Annex, where despite arriving with the correct tickets on the Thursday we were turned away as management of the camp site (chiefly people cordonning off stupidly large piches) was non-existant and we ended up at bloody Beausejour. Some on-track sites like Maison Blanche are now advertised as having 'numbered pitches'- in reality are thse numbered pitches respected or managed,or is it a free for all?
2. Anyone got a recommendation for a good affordable off circuit site?
3. I've emailed Travel Destinations, 1st for Tickets and Speedchills to see what they can offer at this late date - any other company worth checking out
Many thanks
1. My last experiences of camping (2007 & 8) were at Houx Annex, where despite arriving with the correct tickets on the Thursday we were turned away as management of the camp site (chiefly people cordonning off stupidly large piches) was non-existant and we ended up at bloody Beausejour. Some on-track sites like Maison Blanche are now advertised as having 'numbered pitches'- in reality are thse numbered pitches respected or managed,or is it a free for all?
2. Anyone got a recommendation for a good affordable off circuit site?
3. I've emailed Travel Destinations, 1st for Tickets and Speedchills to see what they can offer at this late date - any other company worth checking out
Many thanks
Most sites - now numbered pitches - no greedy beggars now.
For years greedy Tw***s were pitching off acres of land - now it is about 7x5m and it works well.
Blue south is handy for the track - and for mad friday. Been using it for years. Stayed at most of the sites though. Our team prefer here.
Try Just-tickets.
Have a look on clubarnage.com if anyone has extra due to cancellations - no profiteering rules apply.
For years greedy Tw***s were pitching off acres of land - now it is about 7x5m and it works well.
Blue south is handy for the track - and for mad friday. Been using it for years. Stayed at most of the sites though. Our team prefer here.
Try Just-tickets.
Have a look on clubarnage.com if anyone has extra due to cancellations - no profiteering rules apply.
As already stated most of the old style campsites are now numbered and you therefore have an alloted space, except the forn one part of houx and tertre rouge where you can still pick a spot, although they are 5 x 7 plots rather than whatever you can rope off. the agencies still have some good camping left but you pay a little more for them, alternatively contact nadine at the tourist office or the ACO and see what they have. If you keep a look out on this and other forums you will also find some for sale.
Even on Tertre Rouge campsite, that isn't numbered, security have started walking round checking that you're within the marker paint sprayed on the ground of each pitch and you have the correct number of pitch tickets. Whereas before with the wooden stakes you could probably get away with a 'slight' readjustment before they were pulled out and burnt!
Thanks guys for your various bits of advice, it seems that some things may have improved since I last went (frankly it was the then non-existant campsite management that was the main reason why I stopped going).
Some email replies from the companies I enquired to go through now, but it looks very much like I'm back to Le Mans this year.
Some email replies from the companies I enquired to go through now, but it looks very much like I'm back to Le Mans this year.
The other option is to pay a little more and go for one of the private camping options. You pay a little more but are inside a fenced-off area of the ACO sites with security who give a rats-rectum about who goes in/out and don't bog off the second the clock hits 4 (or 3/5/whatever the ACO are going for this year). You also get dedicated shower/toilet blocks with a less than 1 per-10000 people ratio and usually other facilities like hot food/cold beer/etc.
We were on a numbered pitch on Houx Annexe in 2010. We were shown to it by one of the people on the gate and it was marked out ok. Facilities were fine with the plumbed in portacabins with hot showers and toilets.
If you're near the stream (which is dryed up if no rain) that goes through the middle along the hedge row, make sure if it rains that you have a spade or something handy that can clear any blockages or else it can divert through the pitches nearest to it. Just bear it in mind if there's a downpour. I think once it was cleared it stayed on course for rest of week in 2010 and the Friday night was very wet!!!
If you're near the stream (which is dryed up if no rain) that goes through the middle along the hedge row, make sure if it rains that you have a spade or something handy that can clear any blockages or else it can divert through the pitches nearest to it. Just bear it in mind if there's a downpour. I think once it was cleared it stayed on course for rest of week in 2010 and the Friday night was very wet!!!
zippyprorider said:
I've stayed on Madison blanc last 2 years and the facilities are shocking and the lack of any security has done my head in, I had a tread on off side options if you search and decided on white rabbit racing which looks ace and is next to porshe curves.
I considered white rabbit as well - it looks ace, but just a bit pricey for usPrintertosh said:
We were on a numbered pitch on Houx Annexe in 2010. We were shown to it by one of the people on the gate and it was marked out ok. Facilities were fine with the plumbed in portacabins with hot showers and toilets.
If you're near the stream (which is dryed up if no rain) that goes through the middle along the hedge row, make sure if it rains that you have a spade or something handy that can clear any blockages or else it can divert through the pitches nearest to it. Just bear it in mind if there's a downpour. I think once it was cleared it stayed on course for rest of week in 2010 and the Friday night was very wet!!!
If it rains there is also a flooded area at Houx Annexe... last year we stayed at the Houx Annexe for the third time and there was a ditch taking up a third of our pitch and it was impossible to get another pitch... luckily we had great neighbours who let our tent go into their mega pitch..If you're near the stream (which is dryed up if no rain) that goes through the middle along the hedge row, make sure if it rains that you have a spade or something handy that can clear any blockages or else it can divert through the pitches nearest to it. Just bear it in mind if there's a downpour. I think once it was cleared it stayed on course for rest of week in 2010 and the Friday night was very wet!!!
this year we are at the ACO's own site ( with the hard ground I gather - so I have purchased strong pegs)
I tried another formula.
Municipal camping at Eccomoy used to be a well kept secret but numbers seem to have dropped off so now there is always space without booking now. Same faces, same cars every year and fairly chav free. Free hot showers, handy facilities in village, plenty of space and dead cheap. Its even worth booking for a week to do all the stuff south of Le Mans ie Tours, Hotel de Paris, Loire valley drive and a day at the Tank Museum at Saumur followed by a lunch etc.
Its not far up the road to Mulsanne for on-street parking on race days, and then the free bus to take you upto the top of the circuit, then Arnage and back to Mulsanne. Sometimes free parking at Arnage last time I went but sometimes a purple car park ticket was asked for.
I take a good road map which took me through the back-lanes from Laigne en Belin to come out at the back of Arnage near the corner so have never really needed to be on the circuit. Plus the fact I need my ZZZZzzzs and can't manage without sleep for the full 24 hours like some hardy souls on here.
If I go this year, that will be my plan.
Municipal camping at Eccomoy used to be a well kept secret but numbers seem to have dropped off so now there is always space without booking now. Same faces, same cars every year and fairly chav free. Free hot showers, handy facilities in village, plenty of space and dead cheap. Its even worth booking for a week to do all the stuff south of Le Mans ie Tours, Hotel de Paris, Loire valley drive and a day at the Tank Museum at Saumur followed by a lunch etc.
Its not far up the road to Mulsanne for on-street parking on race days, and then the free bus to take you upto the top of the circuit, then Arnage and back to Mulsanne. Sometimes free parking at Arnage last time I went but sometimes a purple car park ticket was asked for.
I take a good road map which took me through the back-lanes from Laigne en Belin to come out at the back of Arnage near the corner so have never really needed to be on the circuit. Plus the fact I need my ZZZZzzzs and can't manage without sleep for the full 24 hours like some hardy souls on here.
If I go this year, that will be my plan.
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