Houx what to expect
Discussion
It's the hot steamy showers / squatter combo i look forward to the most. You get to the point where the need for personal hygeine overcomes the reluctance to brave the amenities block. Shuffle in. Avoid eye contact with everone else, who collectively look even more tired / hungover / upset at being there than you do. There is n way you can look that bad.
Wait for what seems like an age. Try mouthbreathing to lessen the smell. Remember you don't work in Currys, and close your mouth again. A man has to have standards.
Eventually, it is your turn in the shower. Try to get naked without letting anything touch the floor, walls or ceiling (which is dripping with sweat). Fail, try to forget it by end of shower.
Wrap up in a towel, and march back to your campsite. Get scanted by a mate becaus it's original, hilarious and hecessary in equal amounts. Overcome the shame by resorting to a windmill. Get dresed, grab un bierre, une saucicon rouge et moutarde and start all over again
Wait for what seems like an age. Try mouthbreathing to lessen the smell. Remember you don't work in Currys, and close your mouth again. A man has to have standards.
Eventually, it is your turn in the shower. Try to get naked without letting anything touch the floor, walls or ceiling (which is dripping with sweat). Fail, try to forget it by end of shower.
Wrap up in a towel, and march back to your campsite. Get scanted by a mate becaus it's original, hilarious and hecessary in equal amounts. Overcome the shame by resorting to a windmill. Get dresed, grab un bierre, une saucicon rouge et moutarde and start all over again
The portable loos are quite OK, avoid the yellow concrete building in the middle of Houx like the plaque!
Houx has electricity points scattered around at the site, some have the 3-pin blue camping connection, some the normal 220V euro connection, so cater for both options, and bring plenty of lead, as the powerpoints may be far away from your camping pitch.
One of the downsides of the electricity is that 'music lovers' use them too!
All in all, Houx is an excellent site regarding location, powerpoints and campers, so enjoy!
Houx has electricity points scattered around at the site, some have the 3-pin blue camping connection, some the normal 220V euro connection, so cater for both options, and bring plenty of lead, as the powerpoints may be far away from your camping pitch.
One of the downsides of the electricity is that 'music lovers' use them too!
All in all, Houx is an excellent site regarding location, powerpoints and campers, so enjoy!
James_N said:
//j17 said:
I camped on Houx for years and never used a squat/drop toilet once. There's plenty of proper toilets too in the portacabin on wheels units.
I never realised this the first time I camped on Houx! I always used to jump in the car and head off to McDonalds for a proper crap 
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(The toilets of the swimming pool, you perv!)
A Gentleman's Reading Room Guide To Le Mans
The Good:
1. Campsite temporary toilets.
2. ACO Museum.
3. Centre Sud.
4. McDonalds.
5. The first bar you reach in the old town after holding it since morning because you knew you'd be going to the Driver's Parade.
6. The ones not far from the Champagne tent in the village (in fact the ones in the 'new' village aren't too bad but do get busy).
The Bad:
1. Campsite perminent toilets.
The Ugly:
1. The perminent toilet block urinal behind the grandstands on the outside of the circuit. Ughghghgh.
The Good:
1. Campsite temporary toilets.
2. ACO Museum.
3. Centre Sud.
4. McDonalds.
5. The first bar you reach in the old town after holding it since morning because you knew you'd be going to the Driver's Parade.
6. The ones not far from the Champagne tent in the village (in fact the ones in the 'new' village aren't too bad but do get busy).
The Bad:
1. Campsite perminent toilets.
The Ugly:
1. The perminent toilet block urinal behind the grandstands on the outside of the circuit. Ughghghgh.
Toilets are a disgrace. Last year I was trying to unload into a hole no bigger than a golf course hole, leaning back balancing with my left arm against the back wall while holding my trousers up off the floor and away from the drop zone with my right arm. The lock on the door was broken so my left leg was up keeping the door closed from the never-ending attempts by other campers to enter the infested cubicle. It was like playing Twister on my own.
Overall, a good site but beware of thieving scum-bags
It really depends where your pitch is.
If its dry the sandy road becomes a dust swirl and cars parked along side the road end up being covered in thick dust. the ground in some places is very uneven, particularly in the wooded areas and tree roots play a part. I've stayed on this site a few times, but the last time was not a great experience getting stuff nicked from the tent by (we suspected some French campers) staying next door to us.
The Location of the site is Good. The old Brick shower and toilet block is just about bearable, but you will now find porter cabins with extra showers and toilets.
There is power on this site at various points but many people put plug adaptor on top plug adaptor to tap into the power! So if you do intend to hook up, make sure you have all the correct adaptors.
Its a big site and there is a French café in the middle near the old brick shower block, food is very basic, chips and coffee.
Get to know your neighbours so you can keep an eye out for each others things.
If its dry the sandy road becomes a dust swirl and cars parked along side the road end up being covered in thick dust. the ground in some places is very uneven, particularly in the wooded areas and tree roots play a part. I've stayed on this site a few times, but the last time was not a great experience getting stuff nicked from the tent by (we suspected some French campers) staying next door to us.
The Location of the site is Good. The old Brick shower and toilet block is just about bearable, but you will now find porter cabins with extra showers and toilets.
There is power on this site at various points but many people put plug adaptor on top plug adaptor to tap into the power! So if you do intend to hook up, make sure you have all the correct adaptors.
Its a big site and there is a French café in the middle near the old brick shower block, food is very basic, chips and coffee.
Get to know your neighbours so you can keep an eye out for each others things.
To put crime on Houx (or any other 'public' ACO camp site for that matter) in perspective if you're sensible you probably won't have any problems, but put 200,000 people together and a percentage are going to be low-lifes.
Make yourself a harder target:
- Lock valuables in your car.
- Tuck your car keys out of the way in your tent.
- Get to know your neighbours so you know a face that doesn't fit near their tents and they know one that doesn't fit near yours.
Most is just petty crime and if they can't see anything of value they will move on rather than risk hanging around too long. Maybe we were lucky but all we lost in ~6 years on Houx was a box or 2 of beer left out in full view while we went to the Drivers Parade for 7hrs.
Make yourself a harder target:
- Lock valuables in your car.
- Tuck your car keys out of the way in your tent.
- Get to know your neighbours so you know a face that doesn't fit near their tents and they know one that doesn't fit near yours.
Most is just petty crime and if they can't see anything of value they will move on rather than risk hanging around too long. Maybe we were lucky but all we lost in ~6 years on Houx was a box or 2 of beer left out in full view while we went to the Drivers Parade for 7hrs.
Rs2oo said:
Toilets are a disgrace. Last year I was trying to unload into a hole no bigger than a golf course hole, leaning back balancing with my left arm against the back wall while holding my trousers up off the floor and away from the drop zone with my right arm. The lock on the door was broken so my left leg was up keeping the door closed from the never-ending attempts by other campers to enter the infested cubicle. It was like playing Twister on my own.
Overall, a good site but beware of thieving scum-bags
Thinking about long drop loos.Overall, a good site but beware of thieving scum-bags
How long before the in-famous red sausage post gets it first airing 2014?
dw
David W. said:
Rs2oo said:
Toilets are a disgrace. Last year I was trying to unload into a hole no bigger than a golf course hole, leaning back balancing with my left arm against the back wall while holding my trousers up off the floor and away from the drop zone with my right arm. The lock on the door was broken so my left leg was up keeping the door closed from the never-ending attempts by other campers to enter the infested cubicle. It was like playing Twister on my own.
Overall, a good site but beware of thieving scum-bags
Thinking about long drop loos.Overall, a good site but beware of thieving scum-bags
How long before the in-famous red sausage post gets it first airing 2014?
dw
Gassing Station | Le Mans | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff