Club Arnage

Managed to persuade my wife that we should book our main hol this year so that Le Mans is on the middle weekend - and that we should book a cottage not far away!

Anyway, shall only be going to the actual race, not qualifying, so have decided to buy our general admission tickets on race day from the circuit. Will book numbered parking expo in advance.

My question - is the 'Welcome' area worth buying a 19 euro ticket for? We've been to Le Mans several times previously. This year we'll probably kip in the car, so I'm quite interested in arranging some sort of refuge as a hedge against bad weather.

Can anyone tell me whether the 'Welcome' area is worth it - and any alternatives?

By the way, have been a member of the ACO in the past and used their area, but not intending to join this year.

thanks

"Welcome" is a receptive place located just after the pits. It may be a good spot with a reasonable fence in front of it  ;)

We had to buy tickets for the welcome area last year as part of the package we got.

The big plus is access to the top of the Dunlop building, looking down the pit straight.

Sounds as though it might be worth buying tickets for.

Is there any sort of covered area and decent toilets?

Sorry - very mundane questions!

Can you buy Welcome tickets when you get down for the LM week, or do you need to order in advance?

Don't remember a covered area, but there were trees, and not a toilet in the enclosure, but near by in the public area.

I thought the welcome area included a restaurant which is covered, and presumably has bogs??

THe restaurant isn't actually in the welcome area

Is there a Wecome area in a parallel universe that I'm unaware of?

As far as I understand it, and of course I stand to be corrected:

'The Welcome Area' is behind what used to be the old press centre at the end of the pits, the white cube like building. It has a bar and a restaurant, and the food looks pretty good, although it's very pricey, and I suspect you have to book. Most of the people eating there look 'corporate', and are probably on expenses. There are, behind a bamboo screen, some very ok bogs. You can get access onto the top of the old press building some time after the start of the race, this is usually 3 or 4 hours but has varied. You get a good view down the pit lane. You will need to pay a supplement on top of your ticket prices to get in at the very least. Although we go in there every year (for Gods sake, if you do go there, under no circumstances visit the traps between 12:30 and 1:00 on Sunday) we've never really sussed out the entrance requirements. Some years the doorman has insisted on seeing our grandstand tickets??
There's a small grassed area in some dappled shade and a couple of benches, it's not a great view of the cars, but the noise is good

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Isnt that the ACO's tower. I thought it was a members only area.

It's where we watched last years finish.


My mate who blagged his way into the dunlop hospitality
(http://www.stigproducts.co.uk/lemans2003/PICT0114.JPG)

and the view from the roof:
(http://www.shinace.co.uk/photos/Le%20Mans%202003/DSC00037.JPG)

Lizst

WOW  :P

Nice.

I found this spot last year. It's a great view. Went there around 10 ish on the saturday night and no one on the gates. Carried on along to the stand above the pits. Another good view but very LOUD.

Already plan to do the same this year.

Tony

You weren't at the shampoo bar then ?

Nope. Didn't know about it then.  >:(

That's it in a nutshell. Official entrance requirements are that you have a separate ticket, but as you've noticed the doorman often isn't there, or isn't clued up (doesn't care perhaps?).

It's not what it used to be though - back in the mid-80s when I started going, the fence was right at the bottom of the slope, alongside the pit lane exit. In those days you got a reasonably good view - I was in the Welcome at the end of the race in 1988. We weren't corporate, but the champagne flowed all the same.

Aah, those were the days :)

Anyway, I'm a new face around here so hi all!