Le Mans 2016?

inkey$

inkey$

Lifer
 Sevenoaks & Suffolk
So every year I say I want to go, and to date I still haven't and always leave it until it's too late.

Any tips on booking tickets, where, when, camping (with your car?) vs hotel options, routes down from Northern France, best camoing options, best race watching options, when to leave etc - gratefully received!
 
I have been a few times, but in recent years I haven't got my act together and this year left it too late. I will be going in 2016, hopefully with my son.

I recommend that you book it all yourself - I have heard that some of the travel companies' campsites are really good, but you pay a big premium for them.

So get the Le Mans app:
http://www.24h-lemans.com/en/live/official-application_2_2_2581.html

When the tickets go on sale book entrance tickets, grandstand ticket and camping all with the Automobile Club D'Louest (ACO). In my opinion covered grandstand tickets are essential. It either pours down all weekend, so you want somewhere dry to go, or it's boiling hot and sunny and you need somewhere to get out of the sun.

The best grandstands are on the start finish straight. I always get seats in the ones on the outside of the track overlooking the pits. Grandstands ("tribunes") 16 to 19 are my favourites.

Despite all of this alleged knowledge I have never actually camped onsite. Most of the times I have been I have slept in the car - when I had cars a lot bigger than the Zed! So I cannot recommend a campsite.

A friend of mine did manage to book a hotel room a couple of years ago. I think it was at Alencon, possibly Hotel Formule 1?

I have always got the ferry on the Friday morning and have had a relatively leisurely drive down there. The autoroute is quickest, but not a lot of fun. The "N" roads are the classic way and have a lot more atmosphere. In the past I have always driven back on the Sunday evening, leaving after the race has finished. Next year I will stay the Sunday night and have a leisurely drive back on the Monday.

I much prefer the ferry over the tunnel as you can stretch your legs and get a decent meal on the ferry. In any event I am claustrophobic, so the ferry wins every time. I like P&O and they always seem to be very flexible; they seem to let you on the next one irrespective of the time on your ticket.

Hope all of this is helpful. Le Mans is a fantastic event.

It would be a great Forum meet. Anyone up for it?
 
I went last year!
Was amazing! Loved every minute and well worth a trip. Do it!
We went to nurburgring and Le Mans in one go spending one week at each, literally best time of my life.
As above I would book everything yourself as companies can charge a fair bit for a package. If you get ferrys in advance you can save a hell of a lot of money.
I would suggest camping at lemans as the atmosphere is great and so many like minded people with the same interests! Also the cars yo see there are great.
Lemans city centre is well worth a go for a few drinks or a meal too!
I plan on going next year so might see you there
Enjoy!
 
We stayed at lemans own camping area in the yellow part! Was the cheapest because we booked last minute but was great
 
Hi Ink$ been a few times and the Classic, which is every 2 years. For the past 2 times, it's Classic again next year btw, we stop at Chateau Canteloupe, beautiful place, you can camp, motorhome, caravan or if there's enough of you stay indoors in the Orangeries, not next year though as we've booked them :-) it's about 1/2Hr drive from the track :driving: :thumbsup:
 
I've booked up and planning to head over on the Wednesday via the tunnel..

loads of info here: http://www.beermountain.com

i've booked through: http://www.lycianevents.com
They seem to get good reviews, 24 hour security, a bit more space for the pitch, decent number of showers, toilets etc - it's on the Porsche curves.
 
I would definitely recommend camping within the circuit. Maison Blanche or Blue Nord would be my pick for atmosphere. Nothing quite like hanging out with a beer on Mad Friday, watching the party get started. I'd also suggest you watch the start near the Dunlop bridge and try and wake up at about 4-5am, head down to the track with a flask of coffee and watch the sun come up. Going to sleep with the sound of cars going round is a special experience. And you will sleep - it's pretty exhausting as a spectator and lots of beer doth flow. :D

We usually head down very early on Friday and leave in our own time on Monday morning. Thursday is better, if you can do it, but leaving on Sunday evening feels very rushed. Couple of tips for the way down - watch our for gendarmes, avoid Rouen city centre (one massive traffic jam) and get yourself a Sanef toll tag. This year there might be trouble in Calais as well, so keep a close eye on that. Ferry is definitely the way to go - just for the ceremonial P&O fry-up and the sound of exotic machinery firing up on the car deck! :driving:

We used to organise ourselves but now book every year via Speed Chills because they don't charge a huge markup and have been really flexible in the past. We've also been with Thomas Cook Airtrack, which is glamping with a bunch of Lambo and Aston owners - quite pricey and probably a little isolated from the "real" Le Mans experience - but good craic, nevertheless.

Re. the weather, it can be very mixed but it's rare that's it's 100% sunny or 100% wet. Take waterproofs and suncream. If you camp, take a gazebo/shelter or you'll be couped up in your tent or car for hours. A portable radio and comfortable headphones is also a good idea, because most of the public commentary is in French. Fold out chairs are also an essential item. Pretty much everything you can buy down there though - we have a fairly well-rehearsed drill now of splitting into two groups; one to set up our pitches and the other to hit the Super U for beer/gas/steak.

You'll love it. I'll try and post some pics on here from previous years.
 
Our group is trying a different campsite this year, usually book with Team Langoustine but fancied trying Thomas Cooks Air Track as well our numbers have grown and couldn't guarantee co-location.

https://www.thomascooksport.com/Motorsports/Le-Mans/Thomas-Cook-Sport-Village

We are doing the overnight ferry to cut out some of the autoroute too.

I'd recommend getting a decent sized tent and better to club together and get one large tent with indoor social space and standing room should you need a place to shelter from the elements.
 
I go most years this will be the first in the Z. I drive down to my mates place the week before, then we set the tents up at Arnage Corner and flit between his house and the camp till the race.
 
I been to loads of bike events one bloke had a massive tent we all slept in like a small marquee,we split a hire van between us and usually whoever didnt have a bike at the time drove it,so accomodation,beer and luggage were all in the van and the van was handy to take home any boys who had broken down or crashed. The 80's,happy days.. :D
 
Travelling via the tunnel on Thursday morning, lunch booked en route. :D

Back on the Monday via Honfleur for lunch (spot the theme yet? :) )

Travelling in convoy with a pal in a 996C4S :driving:

Might get some stickers. Used them before with no effect on the paintwork (link below). choices, choices :lol:

https://www.stickeredup4lemans.com/

Cant wait.
 
Stickers ordered and you can probably guess where i'm going with the theme (not original i know)

pistonheads tweak:
4a45910.jpg


The company i'm using offer a discount for le mans and on a group buy the cheapest gets theirs free.. so we might be able to sort something out if you are going: http://justvehiclegraphics.co.uk
 
We are doing the Portsmouth to Le harve ferry overnight on Wednesday 15th if anyone else is going that way.
 
MDUBZ said:
etr9YSAN.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice! Will look out for that.

Super pumped now. Quite a good convoy this year - Elise S2, Z4MC, 997 C4S and a 330d as "support vehicle" (tbh it's probably the quickest, most economical, most comfortable and fastest, point-to-point). First time we went it was 4 guys in a Mondeo and absolutely zero clue about what to take or do! :?
 
I've been able to think of nothing else for the last 3-4 weeks - we'll be in full outfits so not that difficult to miss :?

1st year for me and totally clueless - a tent, a couple of chairs, a few clothes, lots of beer tokens, what could go wrong!!!

The weather forecast looks like it might make things interesting..

That's quite an entourage; we're a convoy of one: but we've generated a few interested parties for next year: they're gutted they are not going..
 
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