Going to Le Mans without accomodation. Am I crazy....
Discussion
I'm planning on going to Le Mans this year (3rd time) and have not booked any camping / accomodation for the weekend (planning on going Friday, back late on Sunday night).
Was thinking that I could sleep in the car and basically just live like a pig for the weekend. Has anyone else done this before or plan on doing this? Or am I just mad????
Was thinking that I could sleep in the car and basically just live like a pig for the weekend. Has anyone else done this before or plan on doing this? Or am I just mad????
Hi Wongy,
I've been going to Le Mans since 1996 mostly with my son. On three occasions I have gone entirely solo, so I've not bothered with any accommodation, just slept in the car. I always prebook general entrance, a seat in La Sarthe grandstand, and a spot for the car in Parking Blanc.
I leave home in Surrey late on Friday evening, use Eurotunnel, drive to Le Mans, arrive maybe 4:00am at the circuit, and then sleep for as long as possible, maybe for 4-5 hours. Then it's on with the usual Saturday, early Sunday, back for a kip from maybe 1:30am to 7:00am and then spending the rest of Sunday watching the racing, walking the circuit etc.
I leave either 30 minutes before the end of the race for a quick getaway and dash to Calais, or wait two hours then set off for Calais, to get home sometime late Sunday. Good bath and then a good sleep!
A grandstand seat is essential for this schedule as you'll get tired at times and want to be out of the sun/rain, and have a nap or something.
By the way, if you travel overnight be aware that there are hardly any petrol stations open, and at those that are you'll need to use a credit card to operate the pump. This does not always work. So I always take a jerry can with 5 gallons of petrol on the overnight journey. There is a 24 hour garage at Le Mans right alongside the aerodrome..they do a good crepe too!
R.
I've been going to Le Mans since 1996 mostly with my son. On three occasions I have gone entirely solo, so I've not bothered with any accommodation, just slept in the car. I always prebook general entrance, a seat in La Sarthe grandstand, and a spot for the car in Parking Blanc.
I leave home in Surrey late on Friday evening, use Eurotunnel, drive to Le Mans, arrive maybe 4:00am at the circuit, and then sleep for as long as possible, maybe for 4-5 hours. Then it's on with the usual Saturday, early Sunday, back for a kip from maybe 1:30am to 7:00am and then spending the rest of Sunday watching the racing, walking the circuit etc.
I leave either 30 minutes before the end of the race for a quick getaway and dash to Calais, or wait two hours then set off for Calais, to get home sometime late Sunday. Good bath and then a good sleep!
A grandstand seat is essential for this schedule as you'll get tired at times and want to be out of the sun/rain, and have a nap or something.
By the way, if you travel overnight be aware that there are hardly any petrol stations open, and at those that are you'll need to use a credit card to operate the pump. This does not always work. So I always take a jerry can with 5 gallons of petrol on the overnight journey. There is a 24 hour garage at Le Mans right alongside the aerodrome..they do a good crepe too!
R.
The Leaper said:
By the way, if you travel overnight be aware that there are hardly any petrol stations open, and at those that are you'll need to use a credit card to operate the pump. This does not always work. So I always take a jerry can with 5 gallons of petrol on the overnight journey. There is a 24 hour garage at Le Mans right alongside the aerodrome..they do a good crepe too!
If you go via the old roads, then this is probably true, but IME the services on the autoroute (and there are at least 4 I can think of) are open 24 hours so fuel isn't an issue.Used to do this a few years ago would arrive Friday around 3pm park up in Parking Bleu and sleep in the car for 2 nights then check into a hotel for Sunday night good shower go out for a meal and a few beers then a good kip and drive home monday morning.
Was thinking of sleeping in the car for Sat night this year as Parking Bleu is nice and close to the circuit but not much chance of sleeping in a two seater
Was thinking of sleeping in the car for Sat night this year as Parking Bleu is nice and close to the circuit but not much chance of sleeping in a two seater
Is Parking Blue open this year ? It was closed last year, and was told it was this year too, I've had to use Parking Blanc for both years now.
Must admit I was thinking of this sort of arrangement for the Classic event, where I would be travelling alone and have to do it as a mad dash w/end. For the main 24hr event we have a gite about 45 mins away, but one year when camping just outside Le Mans, we did spent the Sat night in the car at Arnage car park. With one person in the car and a set of ear plugs, I can't think it would be too bad, depends on the motor. The suggestion of the g/stand seat for during the race sounds very sensible too.
Just watch how tired you are on the route home, get home safely so you can come back next year.
Must admit I was thinking of this sort of arrangement for the Classic event, where I would be travelling alone and have to do it as a mad dash w/end. For the main 24hr event we have a gite about 45 mins away, but one year when camping just outside Le Mans, we did spent the Sat night in the car at Arnage car park. With one person in the car and a set of ear plugs, I can't think it would be too bad, depends on the motor. The suggestion of the g/stand seat for during the race sounds very sensible too.
Just watch how tired you are on the route home, get home safely so you can come back next year.
icepop said:
Just watch how tired you are on the route home, get home safely so you can come back next year.
I have slept in the car before, I was a bit yonger thenI agree with e being tired bit, one year drove to StMarlo Sunday after the race
Had a job to keep my eyes open the last part of the joiney, how I didn't kill myself I don't know.
I've done this a few times, last time back in 2008.
We never had too many problems, certainly on the Saturday night, but when we used to arrive on the Friday we were usually asked to pay a 'bivouac' surcharge. Seems they get a lot of camper vans and people pitching small tents between the rows. It was only 15Euro, and I can't remember ever actually paying for it, but it did lead to a few heated discussions with the Marshalls.
Incidentally, there are quite a few showers dotted about the circuit, some not too grim, which kept my girlfriend happy. Least said about the showers by the parking bleu entrance the better...
We never had too many problems, certainly on the Saturday night, but when we used to arrive on the Friday we were usually asked to pay a 'bivouac' surcharge. Seems they get a lot of camper vans and people pitching small tents between the rows. It was only 15Euro, and I can't remember ever actually paying for it, but it did lead to a few heated discussions with the Marshalls.
Incidentally, there are quite a few showers dotted about the circuit, some not too grim, which kept my girlfriend happy. Least said about the showers by the parking bleu entrance the better...
Have posted elsewhere on this - we usually 6 night it in a motorhome on Houx but for various tedious work reasons are going overnight Friday and coming back late on Sunday. We're planning to kip in the car but have a small tent with us in case we get a chance to chuck it up somewhere. You'll see a lot of French around on the roads within walking distance of the circuit putting up small tents just for the ight.
We'll eat at the circuit and cut down (a little bit) on our usual boozing to make sure the drive back is OK. We weren't going to bother but in the end figured it was better to be there for the race than not there at all.
Definitely aiming for this to be a one off though.
We'll eat at the circuit and cut down (a little bit) on our usual boozing to make sure the drive back is OK. We weren't going to bother but in the end figured it was better to be there for the race than not there at all.
Definitely aiming for this to be a one off though.
FOR F***S SAKE if anyone is struggling to pitch a tent bring your sleeping bag and crash with us on maison b maybe even room for a small tent keep in contact with us you only need a track side pass to get on the camp site i,ll even throw in a coffee and breakfast or if you want to park on blue and join us just chip in towards the cost of food and b eer
Noble reply Daz, but be careful what you wish for as 87 people arrive at your camp ("Daz said it would be fine!") 
If you are solo or duo in one tent and unless you are total social misfits (in a bad way)without the grace to offer to chip in a beer or two there aren't too many PH'ers who would turn down a polite request to nick a spare corner. Especially if you are one of the more regular posters who people will feel they 'know' a little more.
Chances are you'll end up with company for a few hours and getting fed and watered as well.
If you are solo or duo in one tent and unless you are total social misfits (in a bad way)without the grace to offer to chip in a beer or two there aren't too many PH'ers who would turn down a polite request to nick a spare corner. Especially if you are one of the more regular posters who people will feel they 'know' a little more.
Chances are you'll end up with company for a few hours and getting fed and watered as well.
For those who are completely out of date...................
Virtually all supermarkets now accept any credit card; they even, to the surprise of friends, sometimes recognize the card and show instructions in english. It is only garages, as opposed to supermarkets, where you might have a problem.
Virtually all supermarkets now accept any credit card; they even, to the surprise of friends, sometimes recognize the card and show instructions in english. It is only garages, as opposed to supermarkets, where you might have a problem.
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