Newbie Requires advice on Le Mans 2011

[dakarman99]

Hi All

I'm after some advice, I'm fancy going to Le Mans for the first time and was at the Auto Sport show this weekend and saw a few companies offering packages.

I liked the look of what the Le Mans Experience were offering but having read through their blurb have a few concerns and would like to get some opinions from members.

Having lost a wadge of my hard earned cash when Gold Trail went bust last year and had to wait months to get it back, I get a bit cautious with handing my cash over unless companies are bonded in the current climate.

What I noticed is that the Le Mans Experience shows as being ATOL registered which when I checked only covers Airline travel which is confusing, would I be covered? and I also see that the bond is with a different company.

Am I being too cautious, be interested in your views

Thanks

Ray

[Doctor Houx]

Hi Dakarman,

To get to Le Mans all you need is the following:

1 x campsite pass per vehicle
1 x General admission ticket per person
1 x ferry crossing covering vehicles / people

Then there's the obvious stuff for a weekend away such as fuel & camping gear, passports, cash etc etc

1st Tickets or Just tickets sell tickets/passes individually, allowing you to choose and keep costs down and you can even buy general admission tickets at the circuit.

Don't worry too much about what campsite to go for at this stage - use 2011 as a "recon" visit to help you decide how you'll do 2012.

Problem is that campsite tickets go early, so you may have to resort to canellations / ebay by now.

Just make sure you get there - you'll have a ball.

ps. camping is the only way to truly enjoy Le Mans, and make sure you get there in time to enjoy the Friday fun before the race.

[froglet]

Is it these guys? http://www.lemansexperience.co.uk/index.php

Never heard of them before myself but expect others will be along soon who have experience of them. By the look of the photos on their gallery they appear to have shared the same "private area" as travel destinations. You can see their tents pitched in the bottom left corner of the area on the overhead shot on this page http://www.lemansrace.com/deptcontent/travel-desti...

[Rs2oo]

Most people who really know what they are talking about will agree with Doctor Houx.
Try 1st Tickets foe example (other companies are available) ring them they know their stuff and are race fans.

[D34NO87]

Rs2oo said:

Most people who really know what they are talking about will agree with Doctor Houx.
Try 1st Tickets foe example (other companies are available) ring them they know their stuff and are race fans.

I agree with doctor houx, thats the way we did it in 2009 and last year, 4 of us went in 2 cars, we got 2 camping pitches and 4 admission tickets from 1st tickets then booked our ferry crossing. We did it for less than £400 each including fuel and tolls.

[DS240]

I think the packages are a bit of a waste of money.

1. Head to le mans website and buy necessary tickets

2. Pack car, get on boat, drive down france

3. Arrive at Le Mans

4. Erect tent prior to consuming first case of 1664

5. Lots of noise, walk for miles, beer, dodgy food, some motor race

6. 6pm sunday ...... 'I'm knackered, but this is brilliant' (this means you have become infected with the 'N138-LM24' virus... move to step 7)

7. Planning begins for next year!


The great thing about the first year is you don't know exactly what to expect and you just shape the weekend to what you enjoy. And then it goes from there, year after year!

[Nick M]

Indeed - just re-checked the Le Mans.org website as the ticket bit seemed to be off-line at the weekend, but now back up and running.

You can get Beausejour, Dairon or Pincenardiere camping passes at the moment - but they all involve a bit of a trot to the start / finish straight area - general entry tickets and some grandstand seats.

Package can offer convenience (at a premium) of getting plots in the better sites, as well as a cluster of plots all in the same place, but if you're going solo then you can think about going for the cheaper options.

[SEE YA]

Maybe go with a club, have a look on the beermountain web site very useful.

[lost in espace]

Dakarman I am going solo this year if you want to team up give me a shout, going from Herts. Have to do it cheaply this year so going over on a crossing Thurs early back Sunday late. I was planning on getting a ticket for the camping late off ebay and buying the admission ticket when I arrive. Thursday setting up camp and into Le Mans.

[boolay]

Hi Craig off to Le Mans again?

Dakarman... As said above it really is a piece of cake to get over to Le Mans by sorting it out yourself.
I have used Just Tickets for the last 7 years, and always been very good.

However, if you do fancy worry free travel, there is always the Pistonheads/1st Tickets arrangement http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

Edited by boolay on Monday 17th January 20:12

[zippyprorider]

dont need any of that rubbish £850 is a joke of a price for a bit of food, http://www.justticketsandmotoring.co.uk/ken_jtmpri... pick a good one houx annex is ace and a party, houx is good to be a little bit quieter! Honestly that company you mentions is having a chuckle with the prices unless you want to pay around 600 quid for someone else to pitch your tent and cook you 2 bbq's (if you do i will only charge 50quid to pitch your tent and will throw in a free beer lol)

[lost in espace]

Yes Matt you got me addicted to it, went in 2010 too!

[GAZA62]

As above dont pay those crazy prices you can do it all yourself we used to book the camping permits direct with the ACO pay on the gate for your general admission and book your tunnel/ferry direct and i even slept in the car for two years just bought a parking permit bottle of water and baby wipes for washing then check into a hotel for Sunday night hot shower clean cloths and Le Mans city for dinner beers and the GP spot on.

Still do the same now only i prefer a hotel so its a gamble never know if i can get a room till around 6 weeks before the race but my tunnel is booked so fingers crossed if i get really stuck i know of loads of back roads and lanes where i could rough it.

Edited by GAZA62 on Wednesday 19th January 17:06

[gt6]

Plenty of agents still have tickets and some might have the ones you want, try the tourist office in Le Mans, speak to Nadine, you will pay ticket price only.

If not wait and pick up a spare one on here or club arnarge or ten-tenths or beermountain again you will not be ripped off

Book travel yourself you will save a fortune that way, and when you arrive in a campsite say hello to people they will then offer you a beer and in no time you will be part of the experience,

[TubbyNorman]

For what it's worth I no longer buy a grandstand ticket, consider it to be well overpriced for the amount of time actually spent in it and get a better /nearer campsite with the money saved.

BTW, agreed that 1st tickets give good service. They are also on the Pistonheads site at Le Mans, think they run the bar !?

At least said they would be there...............

[boolay]

lost in espace said:

Yes Matt you got me addicted to it, went in 2010 too!

Good man. Bailing out this year as baby due in April and sisters wedding in Cyprus in june. Back in next year come hell or high water!