Discussion
I might be, been 5 times in the past. MEGA weekend. About 10 of my Sylva-marque owning mates are definately going (Fury's, Phoenix ect). We book it all ourselves rather than use CCC though, traditionally we could do it straight euro v pound so we saved quite a bit, but with the exchange rates as they are the CCC price is more compettitive this year.
A pal and myself are booked to go through Travel destinations as we've used them before. Risking it in a 1974 Saab. we're adding the Nurburgring , Senhiem museum, Schlumph museum and a vinyard, should be a grin. As there is no L.M. Classic thought it would make a change, though we know very little about the event, so any clues would be good.
Lee we must have passed each other when in Laon especialy if you were anywhere near Kent KCC or stopped you stopped in the Champion (we're usually in the Campanile)
We go with Continenral Cars Tours reasonable priced, range of hotels and very hands off style see http://www.continentalcartours.co.uk/documents/f-l...
And no I'm not on commision but Jonathan is in our club
We go with Continenral Cars Tours reasonable priced, range of hotels and very hands off style see http://www.continentalcartours.co.uk/documents/f-l...
And no I'm not on commision but Jonathan is in our club
Hi Nigel, yes we must have crossed paths, I have been ging since 2003. First in a black Fury Fireblade, the a full Martini-liveried white Fury Fireblade, then a bright yellow GTM Libra. Normally with a bunch of Sylva's including a pink one!
For anyone who does know what this event is, i will be brief. the Laon Historique is one of the best weeknds you can have in your car!
Normally arrive in Laon (160 miles from Calais) friday afternoon / evening after lunch in Arras. Eat and drink heavily in the old town. Saturday morning, sign on by 9.00am at the top of the hill by the Cathederal with 500+ Calssic / sportscars / kitcars. Bugatti's to McLaren Mercedes been taking part in the past. Travel 100 miles through French countryside on MOSTLY closed roads where the police marshall it but are, ahem, blind to speed limits within reason. Pass other cars, straight line corners ect. as MOSTLY no oncoming traffic (obvious where there is). There is nowhere else where you can do this on public roads to my knowledge without needing a compettition licence or the 'ring.
Saturday night party hard in the towns resturants, bars and clubs.
Sunday, 11am drivers breefing at town hall. closed street "parade" with 1,000's of spectators lining the streets THIS IS NOT A RACE, but again, roads are closed and basically it is a 1-mile hillclimb to the top, drive through the Medieveil Cathederal town waving to spectators then 1-mile descent to the bottom. Repeat as meny taimes as you can get away with, the more / bigger French Tricolours and Union Flags you have help here... General rule is only go fast on the up and down bits and do not crash...
Check YouTube " chasing a Bugatti Laon Historique" to get a flavour of the parade.
All for about £300 between two of you!
For anyone who does know what this event is, i will be brief. the Laon Historique is one of the best weeknds you can have in your car!
Normally arrive in Laon (160 miles from Calais) friday afternoon / evening after lunch in Arras. Eat and drink heavily in the old town. Saturday morning, sign on by 9.00am at the top of the hill by the Cathederal with 500+ Calssic / sportscars / kitcars. Bugatti's to McLaren Mercedes been taking part in the past. Travel 100 miles through French countryside on MOSTLY closed roads where the police marshall it but are, ahem, blind to speed limits within reason. Pass other cars, straight line corners ect. as MOSTLY no oncoming traffic (obvious where there is). There is nowhere else where you can do this on public roads to my knowledge without needing a compettition licence or the 'ring.
Saturday night party hard in the towns resturants, bars and clubs.
Sunday, 11am drivers breefing at town hall. closed street "parade" with 1,000's of spectators lining the streets THIS IS NOT A RACE, but again, roads are closed and basically it is a 1-mile hillclimb to the top, drive through the Medieveil Cathederal town waving to spectators then 1-mile descent to the bottom. Repeat as meny taimes as you can get away with, the more / bigger French Tricolours and Union Flags you have help here... General rule is only go fast on the up and down bits and do not crash...
Check YouTube " chasing a Bugatti Laon Historique" to get a flavour of the parade.
All for about £300 between two of you!
Last year in my Midget on the uphill bends I checkily overtook a Sylva as it slowed down with its stricken mate but the others in my group just wouldn't believe I'd overtaken two Sylvas going thro' the bends uphill! 
There are a few vids on the net of Circuit Historique de Laon, we actual appear on the one from last year for a few seconds
Last year on the Saturday tour in one of the villages as we had just turned a sharp corner we had someone jump out in front of our car to stop us, we were in the village's small square and it became apparant that each car was stopped so that a guy with a mic and PA could tell the rest of the assembled villagers about the car and then wanted the engines revved and and wheel spinning off - imagine that happening in a village in England
Even tho' the weather wasn't the best on the Saturday tour last year still a lot of the villages had people out waving and cheering the tour car thro' their streets, again imagine that happening in England
The battery in our group's Supra was at the end of its life so my Midget jump started it all day on Sunday, we didn't bother taking a photo as who wouldn't think it was the other was round - must say the Supra was left parked up with the engine running continuously for three hours and never missed a beat, Nev just gave it a rev every half hour or so to keep the oil pumping whilst he drank at the nearby cafe
On the Sunday morning we start at the low town, last year we were late (jumping the Supra every time the engine was turned off) so ended up waiting a long time at the railway station park and had to walk the steps as after waiting for La Pomme to be told it had broken down then it passed us as we were halfway up the steps
I've been 2002,3,4 in the red TVR Griff, 2005 in the grey Honda S2000 and last year in the maroon Midget
We've stayed in the Marmotte (very memorable), Ibis which was more modern and our favourite the Campanile but unfortunately never managed to see the accomondation offered in Formula 1/Champion which was the "low rent" hotel but had some great cars in the car park
Yeah Laon Historique well worth a visit
There are a few vids on the net of Circuit Historique de Laon, we actual appear on the one from last year for a few seconds
Last year on the Saturday tour in one of the villages as we had just turned a sharp corner we had someone jump out in front of our car to stop us, we were in the village's small square and it became apparant that each car was stopped so that a guy with a mic and PA could tell the rest of the assembled villagers about the car and then wanted the engines revved and and wheel spinning off - imagine that happening in a village in England
Even tho' the weather wasn't the best on the Saturday tour last year still a lot of the villages had people out waving and cheering the tour car thro' their streets, again imagine that happening in England
The battery in our group's Supra was at the end of its life so my Midget jump started it all day on Sunday, we didn't bother taking a photo as who wouldn't think it was the other was round - must say the Supra was left parked up with the engine running continuously for three hours and never missed a beat, Nev just gave it a rev every half hour or so to keep the oil pumping whilst he drank at the nearby cafe
On the Sunday morning we start at the low town, last year we were late (jumping the Supra every time the engine was turned off) so ended up waiting a long time at the railway station park and had to walk the steps as after waiting for La Pomme to be told it had broken down then it passed us as we were halfway up the steps
I've been 2002,3,4 in the red TVR Griff, 2005 in the grey Honda S2000 and last year in the maroon Midget
We've stayed in the Marmotte (very memorable), Ibis which was more modern and our favourite the Campanile but unfortunately never managed to see the accomondation offered in Formula 1/Champion which was the "low rent" hotel but had some great cars in the car park
Yeah Laon Historique well worth a visit
Edited by SB - Nigel on Friday 9th January 22:46
Furyblade_Lee said:
Thats us in the Formula1 / Premierclasse, Pikeys! If we are not asleep, we are driving or partying so hotel is just somewhere to crash!
I think some of the older boned Sylva drivers were with us in CampNeil'sForumla1 was Champion before ? (or other way round)
All our group had a night cap in Supra's CampNeil's room facing the Formula1 car park (?) and his room was infested with ants (many returned to Blighty in his luggage) Supra didn't worry
ETA: old age, just remembered hearing your car several times (recognised by engine noise, exhaust note) going to the roundabout and beyond - some of you had to go around the roundabout more than once to find the exit you wanted
Edited by SB - Nigel on Saturday 10th January 00:56
Yep. . me and Gulf-LS7 are booked into the Campanile (but waiting for rooms in the Mercure, where we stayed last year) through Continental Car Tours, we're going on the Thursday (train) taking in villages on the way down (don't just want to blat down on the motorway this time) maybe visit the Somme/Arras as well. We went on the Saturday tour last year and some of the roads were a bit, iffy, shall we say for the Ultimas to navigate, so this year we are thinking about signing on then when the going gets a bit rough, parking up at a cafe and people/car watch, then make for the Hippodrome. . . .just hope it doesn't rain like last year
Sunday was a real ball, you couldn't wish for nicer people and it was well organised!!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Sunday was a real ball, you couldn't wish for nicer people and it was well organised!!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Edited by Graham-P on Saturday 10th January 15:49
All sounds good. Only prob I can see is that we are booked into the Mercure which I understand is some 8 kms from the town, has anyone else stayed here, does the hotel run a bus or is there a taxi service ? I guess the sensible thing would be to contact the hotel, but I was wondering, as I don't want to miss out on the evening atmosphere in the town.
Taxi's can be a bit scarce in Laon, but we Always manage to get one somehow. We use bobtaxi, 7 seaters and ask for return journey. The hotel can book them for you. If they have no bookings they go to bed at about midnight! We bowled out of a club there at 4am this summer and flagged down a taxi!
ETA; don't forget to visit the low town as well as the old town
The Mercure - the posh hotel!
My mate was thinking of booking into the Center Parcs near the Merure but if I was going this year I'd prefer to stop at least within walking distance of the low and old towns again
Us old farts don't do night clubs but even us being in a resturaunt beyond 11 and the owners give us the impression they want their beds
I would strongly recommend booking your taxis as soon as you arrive at the hotel as we've found they can be very difficult to get hold of especialy if there's more than 3 of you
Another thing to note is that the country areas even some of the very small towns have better things to do than work on a Saturday afternoon (we should learn from them) and again on the Mondays many are shut
Graham-P - we went to a fantastic WW1 museum not far from Laon on one Monday, there was just a party of young French children there so after lunch we got an English speaking guide all to ourselves which made the visit even more moving as he was able to answer all of our questions - I'll see if I can find it on our road atlas
The Mercure - the posh hotel!
My mate was thinking of booking into the Center Parcs near the Merure but if I was going this year I'd prefer to stop at least within walking distance of the low and old towns again
Us old farts don't do night clubs but even us being in a resturaunt beyond 11 and the owners give us the impression they want their beds
I would strongly recommend booking your taxis as soon as you arrive at the hotel as we've found they can be very difficult to get hold of especialy if there's more than 3 of you
Another thing to note is that the country areas even some of the very small towns have better things to do than work on a Saturday afternoon (we should learn from them) and again on the Mondays many are shut
Graham-P - we went to a fantastic WW1 museum not far from Laon on one Monday, there was just a party of young French children there so after lunch we got an English speaking guide all to ourselves which made the visit even more moving as he was able to answer all of our questions - I'll see if I can find it on our road atlas
Edited by SB - Nigel on Monday 12th January 00:12
Molestrangler,
Did you book with Continental Car Tours, if so we are looking for 3 rooms at the Mercure, wanna swap with our rooms at the Campanile?
ETA: just re-read your post, not with CCT. . . . . .The rooms in the Mercure are very good, we were over looking the lake last year, it has a good resturaunt and bar and car parking is plentyful. The staff are helpful, they even washed and dryed my car towels for me.
SB-Nigel, any info would be appreicated.
Has the Campanile secure car parking? Wife won't be too happy about sharing a room with ants though!!!
Pic of the Mercure car park
Town Square parked up.
Did you book with Continental Car Tours, if so we are looking for 3 rooms at the Mercure, wanna swap with our rooms at the Campanile?
ETA: just re-read your post, not with CCT. . . . . .The rooms in the Mercure are very good, we were over looking the lake last year, it has a good resturaunt and bar and car parking is plentyful. The staff are helpful, they even washed and dryed my car towels for me.
SB-Nigel, any info would be appreicated.
Has the Campanile secure car parking? Wife won't be too happy about sharing a room with ants though!!!
Pic of the Mercure car park
Town Square parked up.
Edited by Graham-P on Monday 12th January 09:28
Edited by Graham-P on Monday 12th January 15:52
Graham-P said:
SB-Nigel, any info would be appreicated.
Has the Campanile secure car parking?
The car park has a gate that is locked some time during the night after the resturant is closed I'd guess I've never worried about getting any of my cars stolen so I don't take much noticeHas the Campanile secure car parking?
Graham-P said:
Wife won't be too happy about sharing a room with ants though!!!
that was only one room once - rooms are clean and tidy, again I don't take too much notice as long as the bed is ok - it's a 2 star hotel but more than reasonable for that, food is reasonable, I'm sure it wouldn't be as good as the Mercure but unless you're used to a lot better then the Campanile wont spoil your holidayIt's easy to get from the Campanile to low or old town (altho' we always take a wrong turning)
Behind the Campanile is the low-rent Formula1 with usually very interesting cars in its car park and just across the roundabout is the St Vincent so it's easy to meet up with other people
Gassing Station | Events & Meetings | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff