Blue Nord camping - The great unwashed and busting to go.
Discussion
This year was the worst for camping on the circuit, the organisers have seriously got the number of showers/ loos wrong this time, it was near on impossible to take a number 2 (in the correct place!) in the morning without a 20-30 min queue. And it seemed that the shower queue ran continuously for the entire weekend, close to an hour to queue. Crazy, don't think I would bother camping on the circuit next time.
The racing itself was excellent
The racing itself was excellent
We camped on maison blanche where there was 1 x toilet block and 2 x shower blocks.
30 min que for a 'lightner' and more for a shower most mornings.
You have to just time it right I suppose.
Still, pretty poor really and needs to be improved.
Great weekend though and can't wait for the next one.
30 min que for a 'lightner' and more for a shower most mornings.
You have to just time it right I suppose.
Still, pretty poor really and needs to be improved.
Great weekend though and can't wait for the next one.
Karting Nord had at least 2 setups. There was a queue first thing in the morning for the showers (most I ever saw waiting was 10 peeps) and only waited in line for the traps once, and that was a queue of 2 people (including me). I took to showering in the late morning/early afternoon, more as a way of cooling down than getting clean. And the showers/toilets were nice and clean.
I shall definitely try and book in there again next trip
I shall definitely try and book in there again next trip
Couldn't agree more, luckily we had a "shower bag" and didn't have to use the main showers, but did take a while to get use to showering in public.
For a number 2 we used either the supermarket or the toilets in the village.
For the amount the camping costs it really was a poor effort.
For a number 2 we used either the supermarket or the toilets in the village.
For the amount the camping costs it really was a poor effort.
As previously stated, toilet queues were ridiculous, so I took the opportunity when at Super-U in Arnage (early mornings) or even at the track, where they were better than onsite!
We camped on BN too. The gas for the shower boiler ran out, I think it was early Fri a.m., and wasn't replaced til the evening.
I'm taking a motorhome next year. Sod the expense!
Syd knee said:
We were in Blue Nord and it was a disaster, do the ACO know or care?
They do know, but they don't care!We camped on BN too. The gas for the shower boiler ran out, I think it was early Fri a.m., and wasn't replaced til the evening.
I'm taking a motorhome next year. Sod the expense!
I would imagine that had few thousand French arrived in UK for a sporting event, and found they were sharing 3 showers and handful of toilets, there would be an international incident and a prime spot on News at 10. The campsite conditions were jaw droppingly bad – disgusting and inadequate. They seem to have no shortage of money to spend on grandstands and the like, but nothing for the campsites. Had a posse of campers gone and cra++ed on on the floor of the ACO shop, then maybe they would have got the message and done something about it. Unfortunately I suspect that we all feel a bit impotent to know what to do and who to complain to (and lets be honest, would the Organisers actually do something about it). There were children camping in the site and by my reckoning the toilet facilities were a clear health risk. I have camped many times before and its always been a bit basic and an “in joke” , but the joke isn’t funny anymore as it ruined the weekend for me and many others I spoke to.
This thread just confirms to me why I have never camped at Le Mans in all the years I've been going there. Hotel for me, despite the cost and inconvenience of getting there and back. Some might say I'm a wimp, and that's OK by me!
It's why I had a hotel for Le Classic Le Mans this past weekend, and for €64 a night inc. breakfast I thought that was reasonable.
R.
It's why I had a hotel for Le Classic Le Mans this past weekend, and for €64 a night inc. breakfast I thought that was reasonable.
R.
We had tickets for Bleu Nord. It was very badly organised.
We moved on Friday to Beausjour, which required some negotiation in very bad French with some ACO officials. This was a thousand times better, clean showers and toilets, very quiet and you can take as much space as you want (no marked pitches and lots of shade)
Although a bit far away from Grandstands there is a bus to the circuit and watching at the Porsche Curves nearby was amazing.
I've never been so sunburnt....
We moved on Friday to Beausjour, which required some negotiation in very bad French with some ACO officials. This was a thousand times better, clean showers and toilets, very quiet and you can take as much space as you want (no marked pitches and lots of shade)
Although a bit far away from Grandstands there is a bus to the circuit and watching at the Porsche Curves nearby was amazing.
I've never been so sunburnt....
This being our first Classic but having been to the 24hr many times we always take our own 12v shower powered by a power pack. We just get clothed off on the grass and go for it, nobody usually bats an eyelid and those that do are usually just envious. As for the toilets unless you're busting for a crap you can usually go when you go to a cafe or supermarket or some such. certainly didn't spoil my weekend. be prepared!
Agree, facilities at Karting Nord where just overwhelmed by the number of people. It does seem poor given camping there isn't particularly cheap and the event must be hugely profitable with the tracklaps etc.
As usual the French were missing a trick on the catering, thousands of people on a campsite gagging for cold water or beer and the only option is to drive or walk at least 1km to the circuit in 36C temp!
As usual the French were missing a trick on the catering, thousands of people on a campsite gagging for cold water or beer and the only option is to drive or walk at least 1km to the circuit in 36C temp!
kippaxking said:
We had tickets for Bleu Nord. It was very badly organised.
We moved on Friday to Beausjour.... This was a thousand times better, clean showers and toilets, very quiet and you can take as much space as you want (no marked pitches and lots of shade)
I'm so glad we had a motorhome because, as everyone has said, Bleu Nord was grossly under-bogged and stupidly under-showered. Some of the shower gueues we saw were thirty + people long.We moved on Friday to Beausjour.... This was a thousand times better, clean showers and toilets, very quiet and you can take as much space as you want (no marked pitches and lots of shade)
We cycled past Beausejour on the Sunday morning on our way round to Tetre Rouge and it looked lovely - quiet, some shade by the trees, no queues for the facilities, etc. I'm sure it's a different story at the main event, but anyone who thought they were having to settle for a second-rate site by being in Beausejour for the Classic probably got lucky compared to those of us on Bleu Nord.
The only saving grace about Bleu Nord is its location - handy for the grandstands and paddock access, and also easy to cycle down to Arnage.
I went for the first time in 2008 and had food poisoning. The toilet facilities in Bleu Parking were good as there were far fewer people (so it seemed). This year was dreadful. The toilets in Bleu Parking blocked on Sunday morning and were overflowing - not nice. Fortunately no food poisoning so no disater!
When we arrived we were given the run around by the "officials" in the parking area as one of our cars was a late addition. After over an hour of driving to various ticket offices we were told that Bleu Parking was full - fair enough. Then when I saw them selling tickets on the door I walked (instead of driving) to the guy on the door and bought one in about 2 seconds and in we went - unbeliveable! Bloody French.
The bars were awful - they ran out of beer at 3:45 pm on the Saturday (how can you run out of beer before the race has even started!!??) and the staff were useless.
The racing was great though but seemed out of sync. The last Plateau 6 race was meant to finish at 14:00 according to the programme but finished at 13:00. How can you balls up the schedule on times races?
It seems to me that the classic is becoming far more popular and the numbers are probably 2/3 those of the 24 but the facilities are only 1/3. Its about time the ACO sorted it out.
On the other hand I have decided 100% that I won't bother with the 24 next year or for a good few years to come - the Classic is so much better - as long as they sort out the facilities!
When we arrived we were given the run around by the "officials" in the parking area as one of our cars was a late addition. After over an hour of driving to various ticket offices we were told that Bleu Parking was full - fair enough. Then when I saw them selling tickets on the door I walked (instead of driving) to the guy on the door and bought one in about 2 seconds and in we went - unbeliveable! Bloody French.
The bars were awful - they ran out of beer at 3:45 pm on the Saturday (how can you run out of beer before the race has even started!!??) and the staff were useless.
The racing was great though but seemed out of sync. The last Plateau 6 race was meant to finish at 14:00 according to the programme but finished at 13:00. How can you balls up the schedule on times races?
It seems to me that the classic is becoming far more popular and the numbers are probably 2/3 those of the 24 but the facilities are only 1/3. Its about time the ACO sorted it out.
On the other hand I have decided 100% that I won't bother with the 24 next year or for a good few years to come - the Classic is so much better - as long as they sort out the facilities!
Got back yesterday from LM Classic. We stayed with TD on Hunadaires & it was fantastic. Clean bogs & showers regularly serviced (took bog paper but there was always some there!) Short queue 2-4 peeps for showers & bigs at peak time but none otherwise. Good security apart from Sunday night when they removed most of it.
Edited by tr7v8 on Tuesday 13th July 20:58
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