How busy is LeMans during the race? (Not the track)
Discussion
First time at LeMans this year. How busy does LeMans (and the area around the track) be during the race?
I’m not talking about the track itself or the campsites, more the roads, shops, restaurants etc in the surrounding area and LeMans town.
During the Saturday and Sunday is it possible to leave the car park and drive to a shop, restaurant or viewing location and get parked or are you destined to sit in grid lock traffic as soon as you leave the car park?
I’ve done the N24 and Spa 24 before but always tried to get in early and stay around the track for most of it, only leaving late at night - relatively free of traffic. Is LeMans similar or no?
I’m not talking about the track itself or the campsites, more the roads, shops, restaurants etc in the surrounding area and LeMans town.
During the Saturday and Sunday is it possible to leave the car park and drive to a shop, restaurant or viewing location and get parked or are you destined to sit in grid lock traffic as soon as you leave the car park?
I’ve done the N24 and Spa 24 before but always tried to get in early and stay around the track for most of it, only leaving late at night - relatively free of traffic. Is LeMans similar or no?
The roads around the circuit tend, rather unsurprisingly, to be busy when people are trying to get in/out of the circuit:
- Wed/Thurs PM with a mix of day visitors turning up for qualifying and campers fighting the efficiency of French traffic and campsite access control.
- Friday PM with probably 50% of campers arriving.
- Sat in run-up to start and then early evening when day trippers head home.
- Sun in run-up to finish, then for 1-2hrs after the end of the race when 90% of people are trying to leave.
Outside of that things aren't generally too bad, so a shopping trip Wed/Thurs isn't too bad, nor is a morning drive out to the Classic British Welcome or supermarket on Friday morning. Likewise driving (or catching the free bus) out to Arnage/Mulsanne Sat evening through to Sun morning is usually reasonably easy.
Le Mans town is actually nice and quiet most of the time. The one exception is Friday afternoon/evening when the Driver's Parade is on at which point I wouldn't bother driving unless you're camping way out (off circuit of Arnage/Mulsanne). Even then I wouldn't drive to the centre of town but to the North and get the tram back in to the centre. Trams between the circuit and town centre get busy leading up to/after the parade. Not an issue if you've parked to the north, or walk north from the centre to catch the tram and get a seat.
- Wed/Thurs PM with a mix of day visitors turning up for qualifying and campers fighting the efficiency of French traffic and campsite access control.
- Friday PM with probably 50% of campers arriving.
- Sat in run-up to start and then early evening when day trippers head home.
- Sun in run-up to finish, then for 1-2hrs after the end of the race when 90% of people are trying to leave.
Outside of that things aren't generally too bad, so a shopping trip Wed/Thurs isn't too bad, nor is a morning drive out to the Classic British Welcome or supermarket on Friday morning. Likewise driving (or catching the free bus) out to Arnage/Mulsanne Sat evening through to Sun morning is usually reasonably easy.
Le Mans town is actually nice and quiet most of the time. The one exception is Friday afternoon/evening when the Driver's Parade is on at which point I wouldn't bother driving unless you're camping way out (off circuit of Arnage/Mulsanne). Even then I wouldn't drive to the centre of town but to the North and get the tram back in to the centre. Trams between the circuit and town centre get busy leading up to/after the parade. Not an issue if you've parked to the north, or walk north from the centre to catch the tram and get a seat.
cdon said:
First time at LeMans this year. How busy does LeMans (and the area around the track) be during the race?
I’m not talking about the track itself or the campsites, more the roads, shops, restaurants etc in the surrounding area and LeMans town.
During the Saturday and Sunday is it possible to leave the car park and drive to a shop, restaurant or viewing location and get parked or are you destined to sit in grid lock traffic as soon as you leave the car park?
I’ve done the N24 and Spa 24 before but always tried to get in early and stay around the track for most of it, only leaving late at night - relatively free of traffic. Is LeMans similar or no?
No need to get your car out of the car park, just walk out to the Tetre Rouge gate and get a tram in to the town.I’m not talking about the track itself or the campsites, more the roads, shops, restaurants etc in the surrounding area and LeMans town.
During the Saturday and Sunday is it possible to leave the car park and drive to a shop, restaurant or viewing location and get parked or are you destined to sit in grid lock traffic as soon as you leave the car park?
I’ve done the N24 and Spa 24 before but always tried to get in early and stay around the track for most of it, only leaving late at night - relatively free of traffic. Is LeMans similar or no?
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