Le Mans and Camping

[AgentOrange76]

We are thinking of going to the 24 Hours next year. The wife would like something slightly more luxury than a tarp pegged over a bent bit of fibreglass.

Has anyone been and stayed on circuit for the 5 days?

The wife has seen the Glamping bell tents which has its own secure car park, showers and toilets and food area but no electricity.
Does the local shops cope with the demand?

Some have mentioned driving to diferent parts of the circuit, there doesnt appear to be lots of parking spread aound the place so are they talking about going off circuit ?

Any insit appreciated

 

[the black fox]

Get a air tent .

 

[onomatopoeia]

My experience from the one time I went is the general camping is best avoided. People who have stayed in areas run by different private providers (either bring your own tent to a reserved pitch or with tent / pod provided) have all given positive feedback. "Travel Destinations" have always been recommended and I'd probably go with them when I can get myself organised.

Supermarkets didn't seem to have any trouble coping with the influx, they are used to it.

 

[A_S]

Hard to believe it’s 11 years since I’ve been and 19 since our first coach trip via Paris as 19 year olds (to see Bentley win in 2003) - so I’m maybe not the best person to give advice on the camping. We stayed in various and they were all pretty good you just need to avoid the more roudy ones (houx I think and the one next to the fair at the ford chicane) and all have showers and toilets. We stayed at technoparc, bleu and houx annexe over the years and all were good and fairly quiet.

In terms of the circuit there are a few area you can watch - 3 mainly. Pretty much all the way from the entry to the Porsche curves (although I think the entry is maybe private these days) to tetre rouge has viewing especially between the exit of Porsche through the start finish straight to tetre rouge.

Your other option is mulsanne corner where there is spectator banking around the exit

Final option is Indianapolis and arnarge where there is spectator banking between the 2.

Both outlying areas have parking and a bus service connecting them to the main s/f area.

I have to say though, and maybe I’m getting old but it’s lost some character over the years - a lot of the trees have been cut down around the Spectator areas at Indy and arnarge and it’s all opened up down at tetre rouge - all trees gone.

It’s got bigger and better but in that it’s lost some of its Gallic charm, individuality and rusticness thst made it special

 

[A_S]

Rally must get back there - Couple of pics for nostalgias sake.

Pre SLR - Bentley heads towards dusk in 2003 and secondly TK equils Jackie Ickx’s record of 6 wins - 2005. Perhaps one of my favourite photos

 

[velocette]

I went some years ago to the 24 hour Classic with the MG Club to a walled guarded site organised by Travel Destinations just inside the circuit at Tertre Rouge which was great. The Café Tertre Rouge was just outside the circuit a few minutes away but the grandstand and 'shops' were 10- 25 minutes depending on how much vehicle watching you did on the way. The package included numbered grandstand seats which we only used for the start but I can't remember the cost. Not cheap now I would assume but worth it if you can.