Grandstands...Sommer or Maison Blanch
Discussion
I guess it would be good to be able to view a screen, especially if the weather turns, and Sommer would be good to see people hammering down the straight, especially from the start.
How exciting is Maison Blanch to watch from? From the map it kind of looks like the complex at the start of the Silverstone pit straight.
I would also like somewhere I could get some good photos, although I guess I can do that when wandering the circuit.
Your thoughts please?
How exciting is Maison Blanch to watch from? From the map it kind of looks like the complex at the start of the Silverstone pit straight.
I would also like somewhere I could get some good photos, although I guess I can do that when wandering the circuit.
Your thoughts please?
Hi Ed.
I've been going to Le Mans since 1996 and have always booked Maison Blanche. For me I think it is the best grandstand. It's beside the Ford Chicane so you get all the action after the Porsche Curves, it's opposite the start of the entrance to the pit lane so you can see cars entering the pits, and because the grandstand is angled to the track you get a great view all the way up the pit straight. There's a circuit entrance nearby, useful if you park in Parking Blanc. There's also food outlets, the all important beer outlets, shops etc. There's also latrines nearby if you can face them!
I don't know about Sommer. I see it's opposite the pits. I used Lagache (near Sommer) the two times I went to the Le Mans Classic. Great view of the pits and what's going on, and all the start finish action, but little else in my view as it's just cars going fast at speed. It's noisy too (pit straight is canyon like) but that may be OK with you.
If you really want to be in a grandstand with pits action do not make the error of booking pit grandstand and expecting to see into the pits. The grandstand shape is such that you cannot see into the pits at all unless you're in the front row. You get a good view of the track and that's it.
By the way, you may be too late now to have a choice of grandstand. I've heard just about all sold out.
I don't care for the big screens. I find relying on Radio Le Mans on a personal pocket radio with headphones is excellent, in fact indispensible, to keep up to date with all that's happening over the five days.
Good luck!
R
I've been going to Le Mans since 1996 and have always booked Maison Blanche. For me I think it is the best grandstand. It's beside the Ford Chicane so you get all the action after the Porsche Curves, it's opposite the start of the entrance to the pit lane so you can see cars entering the pits, and because the grandstand is angled to the track you get a great view all the way up the pit straight. There's a circuit entrance nearby, useful if you park in Parking Blanc. There's also food outlets, the all important beer outlets, shops etc. There's also latrines nearby if you can face them!
I don't know about Sommer. I see it's opposite the pits. I used Lagache (near Sommer) the two times I went to the Le Mans Classic. Great view of the pits and what's going on, and all the start finish action, but little else in my view as it's just cars going fast at speed. It's noisy too (pit straight is canyon like) but that may be OK with you.
If you really want to be in a grandstand with pits action do not make the error of booking pit grandstand and expecting to see into the pits. The grandstand shape is such that you cannot see into the pits at all unless you're in the front row. You get a good view of the track and that's it.
By the way, you may be too late now to have a choice of grandstand. I've heard just about all sold out.
I don't care for the big screens. I find relying on Radio Le Mans on a personal pocket radio with headphones is excellent, in fact indispensible, to keep up to date with all that's happening over the five days.
Good luck!
R
Just a note about the pit grandstand, we were in there the first year and although we were not in the first row, and thus cant see down into the pits, this was only the case at the start and end of the race. Any other time, and it is possible to walk right down to the front and lean over the barrier since the stands were almost empty!
Ive stayed in this grandstand, and a selection of others opposite the pits (including ACO) and must say it was my favourite! Being able to get a close up view of the teams working away was great. Sitting in any of the other grandstands didnt offer much over sitting by the side of the track on a chair that I would pay for (other than the busy times at start and end)!
Cheers.
Ps, cant comment on many of the others, sorry!
Ive stayed in this grandstand, and a selection of others opposite the pits (including ACO) and must say it was my favourite! Being able to get a close up view of the teams working away was great. Sitting in any of the other grandstands didnt offer much over sitting by the side of the track on a chair that I would pay for (other than the busy times at start and end)!
Cheers.
Ps, cant comment on many of the others, sorry!
Edited by chrisbr68 on Monday 12th February 17:24
Yeah, sorry about that. Just depends what you want really!
I'm not booking a grandstand this year, but in future, think I would try out the MB one based on the comments above ^^^^
Cheers.
Ps, something else I forgot to mention is that it really is worth going around the track and seeing different parts as I found it a bit tiring sitting in the grandstand watching the same part of the track the whole time. However it is good for comfy kicking back with a beer and radio LM on
I'm not booking a grandstand this year, but in future, think I would try out the MB one based on the comments above ^^^^
Cheers.
Ps, something else I forgot to mention is that it really is worth going around the track and seeing different parts as I found it a bit tiring sitting in the grandstand watching the same part of the track the whole time. However it is good for comfy kicking back with a beer and radio LM on
Edited by chrisbr68 on Monday 12th February 17:28
Ed, you will have a general entrance ticket anyway (grandstands require an extra ticket for the specific grandstand) and with a general entrance ticket you can easily get access to the area in the pit straight opposite the pits where there's plenty of standing room in front of the grandstands on that side (outside) of the track. Standing there you can then see right into the pits opposite, binoculars being helpful. Note that this standing area is extremely popular with afficianados for the start and finish of the race, so if you want to stand there for this, get there early! Any other time should be no problem. The standing area is terraced but made of old concrete and it's dusty too, in fact it really needs a good makeover.
A general entrance ticket gets you access to the area from the middle of the Porsche Curves all the way up to Tetre Rouge, mostly on both track sides too, except the inside pit area. If you fancy it you can get the dedicated coach service out to Arnage, Mulsane etc, although this can be a long round trip due to the traffic.
Don't rely on a just a general entrance ticket enabling you to bum your way into a grandstand as they are marshalled well. You may be able to sneak into a grandstand in the quiet early hours of Sunday morning when the marshalls are less evident.
Hope this helps.
R.
A general entrance ticket gets you access to the area from the middle of the Porsche Curves all the way up to Tetre Rouge, mostly on both track sides too, except the inside pit area. If you fancy it you can get the dedicated coach service out to Arnage, Mulsane etc, although this can be a long round trip due to the traffic.
Don't rely on a just a general entrance ticket enabling you to bum your way into a grandstand as they are marshalled well. You may be able to sneak into a grandstand in the quiet early hours of Sunday morning when the marshalls are less evident.
Hope this helps.
R.
I've done Sommer three times now and MB once, and am torn as which is best really
I'd always advise Sommer for newbies as it's opposite the screen and you can see the start finish, hence the reason I've used it for our regional visits year on year, but MB offered something different, some curves and excitement, the chance to see the cars crawling back to the pits when damaged (saw the TVR in the first hour of 2004 as well as the two Audis after the big smashes).
But, next time I'll be going without, as you can end up using it too much if you're feeling lazy as you know its there - I'd rather watch the race from all around the track, Tetre Rouge, Porsche curves, Indy/Arnage being favourites of course.
But, you could consider the grandstands as weather protection, if you've got a roofed one and it's especially hot or wet, you'd be counting your blessings.
I'd always advise Sommer for newbies as it's opposite the screen and you can see the start finish, hence the reason I've used it for our regional visits year on year, but MB offered something different, some curves and excitement, the chance to see the cars crawling back to the pits when damaged (saw the TVR in the first hour of 2004 as well as the two Audis after the big smashes).
But, next time I'll be going without, as you can end up using it too much if you're feeling lazy as you know its there - I'd rather watch the race from all around the track, Tetre Rouge, Porsche curves, Indy/Arnage being favourites of course.
But, you could consider the grandstands as weather protection, if you've got a roofed one and it's especially hot or wet, you'd be counting your blessings.
Chris, As you're going "sans tribune" ticket this year but thinking about MB for a later year, you could try sneaking in to MB as per my note above ^^^^ and seeing what all my enthusiasm for the place is about.
Ed, I've booked MB this year too. Don't know seat yet. Maybe we could link up over a beer when there. Something to fix later maybe.
R
Ed, I've booked MB this year too. Don't know seat yet. Maybe we could link up over a beer when there. Something to fix later maybe.
R
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