Le Mans virgins - How long should we go for?
Discussion
We're going to do Le Mans this year with the PH/WRR group, but we're unsure how long to go for before and how long to stay after. Ideally we want a few days before the madness begins to soak in the atmosphere,look around etc and after the race have a few days to recover and drive back to calais when the roads are quieter!? Maybe stop along the way overnight to really extend the trip!
What would be a good day to go to Le Mans in the first place, would the tue or wed before be good, can we get into the camping areas then or would we need to get a hotel? And would leaving Le Mans on the tue or wed be a good idea, roads would be a lot quieter, i assume after the race we can't use the camp site anymore, so it would be hotels? Are the ferry tickets quite open or do you have a specific time to travel there/back?
Do many people do this?
cheers for any advice
What would be a good day to go to Le Mans in the first place, would the tue or wed before be good, can we get into the camping areas then or would we need to get a hotel? And would leaving Le Mans on the tue or wed be a good idea, roads would be a lot quieter, i assume after the race we can't use the camp site anymore, so it would be hotels? Are the ferry tickets quite open or do you have a specific time to travel there/back?
Do many people do this?
cheers for any advice
Last year we went down on the Tuesday, which I thoroughly reccomend, as you say, it gives you a chance to get yourself settled and work out where things are. Last year was my first year also.
Originally we were going to stay Sunday night and come back Monday morning, but what with the weather along with other things we decided to pack up straight after the race had finished and make a run for it. I then phoned my dad and got him to look up a travelodge type place about an hour or so north of Le Mans. So for €50 we had a nice hot shower, bed and breakfast then continued home Monday morning. Which imo was the best idea we had all week!
I'm planning on doing the same thing this year. Have a good one!
Originally we were going to stay Sunday night and come back Monday morning, but what with the weather along with other things we decided to pack up straight after the race had finished and make a run for it. I then phoned my dad and got him to look up a travelodge type place about an hour or so north of Le Mans. So for €50 we had a nice hot shower, bed and breakfast then continued home Monday morning. Which imo was the best idea we had all week!
I'm planning on doing the same thing this year. Have a good one!
If you have the available time to spare, get down there as early as possible! There are loads of practice/qualifying sessions on the days before Friday plus it'll give you time to find out where everything is before the main event. And it's well worth being around all day Friday for the open pitlane/driver parade/ houx roundabout hooliganism!
Looking forward to receiving you on the WRR/PH site. There will be lots of us there who can point you in the right direction. I'll be there from Monday setting up I imagine.
Looking forward to receiving you on the WRR/PH site. There will be lots of us there who can point you in the right direction. I'll be there from Monday setting up I imagine.
We tend to arrive on Wednesday/head back Monday as it gives you long-enough to really settle in and relax pre-race and you get to laugh at people heading back Sunday night.
IF you want to go back Sunday you really need to be leaving around 4PM - or to put it another way an hour BEFORE the end of the race. Some people do this but I really can't understand it my self.
The other option is to watch the end of the race, then leave... along with a couple of hundred thousand other people. Let's put it this way, last year the people camping next to us in Houx went for this option and set of at about 5PM. By 6PM they had made it 3 car-lengths. We lost site of them (from our chairs, drinking beer around the BBQ - so they had gone more than 200yds) at 7/7:30PM...
Linked to this are related piece of advice...
DON'T 'just pop to the supermarket' on Saturday morning - even at 7AM as you will be lucky to get back in to the camp site in time for the race start at 5PM (and if you're trying this in a TVR with the roof off you WON'T get any sympathy from your friends when you get back after that sudden downpour).
IF you want to go back Sunday you really need to be leaving around 4PM - or to put it another way an hour BEFORE the end of the race. Some people do this but I really can't understand it my self.
The other option is to watch the end of the race, then leave... along with a couple of hundred thousand other people. Let's put it this way, last year the people camping next to us in Houx went for this option and set of at about 5PM. By 6PM they had made it 3 car-lengths. We lost site of them (from our chairs, drinking beer around the BBQ - so they had gone more than 200yds) at 7/7:30PM...
Linked to this are related piece of advice...
DON'T 'just pop to the supermarket' on Saturday morning - even at 7AM as you will be lucky to get back in to the camp site in time for the race start at 5PM (and if you're trying this in a TVR with the roof off you WON'T get any sympathy from your friends when you get back after that sudden downpour).
Our camp will be open on Tuesday Dank. You're welcome to come and hang out with the staff team that will be there early and it'll give you time to learn the layout of the area before the crowds arrive. If you've got the time available then I'd say definately take advantage of that!
and you can help put up the fencing!
and you can help put up the fencing!
Managed to have tickets to the Maison Blanche campsite the last 2 years, and what a fantastic atmosphere it has, lots of Exotica. went down on the Tuesday in 05' and the Thursday in 06'. is always tricky finding a pitch if you arrive late and there's lots of stuff going on throughout the week. will be there again this year if the temptation of the TT doesn't drag me away...
Much better to come home on the Monday, IMHO. The camaraderie of all the exoticars coming home is great, and the BiBs can't catch everybody if they are all hooning at the same time! Seriously though, if you keep to 140KPH-ish you should be fine, but don't drink and drive as they DO do random breath tests. The ferry/tunnel terminal on the way home is a joy to behold, stuffed full of nice motors. 
After much fettling, we found that traveling down on Wednesday works well, always a good crowd. Allows tent erection in daylight hours provided there are no delays of course. We then took the relaxed route back on Monday morning, taking it easy on Sunday.
Didn't go 07 due to work and being overseas, hoping to catch this years though, hoping my mates going to score some Audi tickets..............fingers crossed.
Didn't go 07 due to work and being overseas, hoping to catch this years though, hoping my mates going to score some Audi tickets..............fingers crossed.
if you want to make a week of it you can see the cars being checked in the main square in le mans town centre on monday and tuesday and ten there two practice days on the wednesday with two practice sesons on each day one ithe day and one at night which are always good fun . travelling back i always stay till monday gives you time to relax and have a party
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