Advice for Le Mans virgins
Discussion
It would seem that one of the most frequent topics on this forum is from newbies to Le Mans, wanting to know what all the fuss is about.
So I thought it would be good if the LM old timers amongst us were to impart their wisdom on everything LM then Ted can make it a sticky and the LM virgins will need to look no further.
So I thought it would be good if the LM old timers amongst us were to impart their wisdom on everything LM then Ted can make it a sticky and the LM virgins will need to look no further.
OK here goes for starters - just the boring stuff first and then at another time we'll introduce the more colourful stuff:
When - 18/19 June 2005 (although normally 2nd weekend in June)
How to get there:
Most people drive although some fly into the circuit and some take the train.
Ferry destinations:
Depends on how far you want to drive in France - Le Havre being the shortest distance and Calais the longest and of course distance from a UK port.
Tickets (ferry, camping, general entrance, grandstand) If you don't fancy booking yourself there are tour package companies who will take care of everything eg Page & Moy, tour companies who will just arrange your tickets eg Just tickets. From our experience we can recommend Continental Car Tours. Alternatively a number of the car clubs organise tours - TVR Club & Lotus 7 Club seem to be the main protagonists. Or of course you can do it yourself.
Ferry tickets:
With the exception of Dover - Calais & Eurotunnel, other routes do get booked up early.
Camping Tickets:
If you intend to camp at the circuit these tickets are hard to come by as the tour companies take block bookings on them. However invariably numerous tickets appear on here, ebay or Club Arnage prior to the event so don't fret. Tickets are by car and cost @ £40 for as many days as you want.
General Entrance - Can be bought on the gate @ £40 covering entry on all days also valid for pre-qualifying.
Grandstand Tickets - Well worth it if you can secure - Contact ACO direct or go through tour companies @ £60.
Where to Stay:
Camping - What the vast majority of people do. There are numerous campsits, all with their own character. people tend to develop a loyalty to one or another.
Facilities are positively luxurious for those used to Glastonbury but a tad basic to regular campers.
A number of people on here will be able to direct you to campsite away from the circuit which offer better facilities.
You'll be lucky to find a hotel or a gite within 30 miles of the circuit but good luck trying.
What's on:
Not sure about this one
Scrutineering is on Tuesday
Practice Wednesday & Thursday
Friday is a free day allowing you to walk round the pits or drive the majority of the circuit with a drivers parade in the main town on Friday evening
Race Saturday / Sunday
When - 18/19 June 2005 (although normally 2nd weekend in June)
How to get there:
Most people drive although some fly into the circuit and some take the train.
Ferry destinations:
Depends on how far you want to drive in France - Le Havre being the shortest distance and Calais the longest and of course distance from a UK port.
Tickets (ferry, camping, general entrance, grandstand) If you don't fancy booking yourself there are tour package companies who will take care of everything eg Page & Moy, tour companies who will just arrange your tickets eg Just tickets. From our experience we can recommend Continental Car Tours. Alternatively a number of the car clubs organise tours - TVR Club & Lotus 7 Club seem to be the main protagonists. Or of course you can do it yourself.
Ferry tickets:
With the exception of Dover - Calais & Eurotunnel, other routes do get booked up early.
Camping Tickets:
If you intend to camp at the circuit these tickets are hard to come by as the tour companies take block bookings on them. However invariably numerous tickets appear on here, ebay or Club Arnage prior to the event so don't fret. Tickets are by car and cost @ £40 for as many days as you want.
General Entrance - Can be bought on the gate @ £40 covering entry on all days also valid for pre-qualifying.
Grandstand Tickets - Well worth it if you can secure - Contact ACO direct or go through tour companies @ £60.
Where to Stay:
Camping - What the vast majority of people do. There are numerous campsits, all with their own character. people tend to develop a loyalty to one or another.
Facilities are positively luxurious for those used to Glastonbury but a tad basic to regular campers.
A number of people on here will be able to direct you to campsite away from the circuit which offer better facilities.
You'll be lucky to find a hotel or a gite within 30 miles of the circuit but good luck trying.
What's on:
Not sure about this one
Scrutineering is on Tuesday
Practice Wednesday & Thursday
Friday is a free day allowing you to walk round the pits or drive the majority of the circuit with a drivers parade in the main town on Friday evening
Race Saturday / Sunday
What's on - Bobo W you forgot Sunday. Yes of course the race ends (and before anyone asks, 24 hours after the start!) but Sunday night is normally host to the years best party, plenty of motoring mayhem, a few luke warm kronenbourgs and a firework display, all impromtu and highly amuzing!
Bobo W said:
Scrutineering is on Tuesday
Thought it was Monday, but as I've not been that early I could well be wrong. Bobo W said:It's actually 1st and 2nd qually those nights, as I recall day qually is 6pm until 8pm, then after an hours break 9pm until 11pm, or something along those lines.
Practice Wednesday & Thursday
Bobo W said:And the Pistonheads meet at Arnage/Indy corners
Friday is a free day allowing you to walk round the pits or drive the majority of the circuit...
The one time I've stayed over on the Sunday night I found it a bit depressing. 
After we'd watched the drag racing through the blue parking area (until Les Flics turned up) and visited the bar outside the circuit entrance (which looked like one of those wild west bars - the place was thrashed and comatosed punters were draped randomly round the room
) there was nothing to do but loiter around the campsite. Everyone seemed to be leaving and the local pikies had descended on the field (Maison Blanche) picking up anything which wasn't nailed down. It just seemed an anti-climax.
Since then we've had the routine of a leisurely stroll back from the circuit area via the Porsche Curves and then break camp, by 7-8pm the roads are clear and the Gendarmes are busy with the paperwork from stopping the early leavers, so you get a decent run north. We then stop off at the F1 motel in Rouen (no need to book) and have the first decent wash in a week and a clean, soft bed, before completing the final run into Calais in the morning.
After we'd watched the drag racing through the blue parking area (until Les Flics turned up) and visited the bar outside the circuit entrance (which looked like one of those wild west bars - the place was thrashed and comatosed punters were draped randomly round the room
) there was nothing to do but loiter around the campsite. Everyone seemed to be leaving and the local pikies had descended on the field (Maison Blanche) picking up anything which wasn't nailed down. It just seemed an anti-climax. Since then we've had the routine of a leisurely stroll back from the circuit area via the Porsche Curves and then break camp, by 7-8pm the roads are clear and the Gendarmes are busy with the paperwork from stopping the early leavers, so you get a decent run north. We then stop off at the F1 motel in Rouen (no need to book) and have the first decent wash in a week and a clean, soft bed, before completing the final run into Calais in the morning.
Guy Humpage said:The two times I've been its been as you've mentioned, I've always presumed its started to get like this in recent years or perhaps when everyone looks back they recall differently...
The one time I've stayed over on the Sunday night I found it a bit depressing.
After we'd watched the drag racing through the blue parking area (until Les Flics turned up) and visited the bar outside the circuit entrance (which looked like one of those wild west bars - the place was thrashed and comatosed punters were draped randomly round the room
We've just stayed in Houx close to our campsite (and TVR parties) so we could watch over out gear, but packing everything away, going for a final wander then leaving mid evening does seem a cunning plan...
Guy Humpage said:
The one time I've stayed over on the Sunday night I found it a bit depressing.
After we'd watched the drag racing through the blue parking area (until Les Flics turned up) and visited the bar outside the circuit entrance (which looked like one of those wild west bars - the place was thrashed and comatosed punters were draped randomly round the room
Since then we've had the routine of a leisurely stroll back from the circuit area via the Porsche Curves and then break camp, by 7-8pm the roads are clear and the Gendarmes are busy with the paperwork from stopping the early leavers, so you get a decent run north. We then stop off at the F1 motel in Rouen (no need to book) and have the first decent wash in a week and a clean, soft bed, before completing the final run into Calais in the morning.
Well said Guy ....
We've done the dash home from campsite to Bucks leaving at 8pm and getting home at 3am ..... never again, b reak neck speeds, over tired..... foolishness. Reason being though that Sunday is such an anti climax I always want to get away from the circuit.
Guy's top notch suggestion is our preferred method ... the run up to Rouen after the race ... quietly .... F1 for shower and normal bed, chuck in a MacDonalds and then you get up Monday morning refreshed, clean, shaven, smelling pleasantly and are able to shop and return home feeling almost normal.
Keeps the girlfriend/wives happier as they don't think you've just lived in a dirty field for 4 days ..... although, in truth you have
johno said:
Been in Houx Annexe for the last 2 years and last year didn't leave until 8pm .... tried to hang on, but last lost the will to stay and had to go .... it was the same for all of us. Anyway, we had run out of food to burn to death !!
If you were there in 2003 follow this link and watch the fireworks, it gives an indication of the fun to be had on Houx Annexe Sunday night....
www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm
Mark,
You've arsed up the link there!
Here you go:
[url]www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm|www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm[/url]|[url]www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm|www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm[/url]
>> Edited by charlescrawley on Thursday 18th November 15:48
>> Edited by charlescrawley on Thursday 18th November 15:50
Bloody hell!! How does this work??? It really doesn't like the apostrophe!
>> Edited by charlescrawley on Thursday 18th November 15:50
You've arsed up the link there!
Here you go:
[url]www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm|www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm[/url]|[url]www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm|www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_wavey's_video.htm[/url]
>> Edited by charlescrawley on Thursday 18th November 15:48
>> Edited by charlescrawley on Thursday 18th November 15:50
Bloody hell!! How does this work??? It really doesn't like the apostrophe!
>> Edited by charlescrawley on Thursday 18th November 15:50
Try this:
www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_video.htm
And click on "Wavey's Video 2003" on the left...
www.crawleybrothers.co.uk/LeMans/le_mans_2003_video.htm
And click on "Wavey's Video 2003" on the left...
Rough timetable: -
Monday Scuteneering 1300-1600 (ish)
Tuesday Scuteneering 0900-1700 (ish)
Wednesday track sessions 1200-1400, 1500-1700, 1800-2000, 2100-2300
Thursday track sessions 1200-1400, 1500-1700, 1800-2000, 2100-2300
Friday PIT Walkabout and stuff till 1600 then drivers parade in town
Saturday Support race 60-90 minutes 1000 ish then driver parade race starts @ 1600
Monday Scuteneering 1300-1600 (ish)
Tuesday Scuteneering 0900-1700 (ish)
Wednesday track sessions 1200-1400, 1500-1700, 1800-2000, 2100-2300
Thursday track sessions 1200-1400, 1500-1700, 1800-2000, 2100-2300
Friday PIT Walkabout and stuff till 1600 then drivers parade in town
Saturday Support race 60-90 minutes 1000 ish then driver parade race starts @ 1600
we usually pick up the entrance tickets at the hyper market, saves on the mark up from the agents or the queue at teh circuit...
not sure how im going to get there this year ( 10 in a row !!!)
we always stay sunday night!!!!if you go with a good group and dont run out of lager or fireworks its a great laught...
stayed at Houx annex the first year then expo for 7 years then porsche curves last year...
not sure how im going to get there this year ( 10 in a row !!!)
we always stay sunday night!!!!if you go with a good group and dont run out of lager or fireworks its a great laught...
stayed at Houx annex the first year then expo for 7 years then porsche curves last year...
1n awsome going again wid TVR though, only advise is book time off afer race and loadsa pro plus and lots and lots and lots of larger/vodka/anything alcoholic!!! Tripps said:
What's it like over at the Porsche curves?
I guess Our Friend means the Beausejour campsite, which is the otherside of the track from the Porsche Curves viewing enclosure. It's not a bad site as you get plenty of room marked out for you rather than the free for all on the other sites (unless that's changed in the last couple of years) but it's a bit of a trek from the main village so you can't pop in and out like you would if staying at MB or Bleu.
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