Club Arnage

After 20 years of camping around the circuit my ageing frame is protesting at the thought of another weekend under canvas next June. The thorough drenching at this year's Silverstone Classic has made me (and my wife) question my sanity.
Booking.com has the nearest available hotel accommodation about 12 miles from the circuit for the LM weekend next year.
Does anyone have an inside line on a reasonably priced hotel or b&b in the town or near the circuit?

Thanks in anticipation

Steve

Steve, there's a good chance that all the good 'secret' places have been booked up already.

Steve,

We always seem to end up eating at this place on a Thursday lunchtime and we've often said that it would be a great place to stay.  Park the car at the back and cycle over to the circuit.

No idea what it's like or whether they have rooms available but if you do get a room booked then we'll join you downstairs for a pint.

Paul

http://www.hotel-restaurant-lavieillecloche.fr/#3

Try this on Booking.com

Appart’City Le Mans Novaxis

Seem to have rooms available (I searched 12th June to 20th June)

Maybe basic, but dry!

Not cheap though - but where else IS THERE in Le Mans that will be cheaper..................

One thing to take account of (having done it one year) is that if you are away from the circuit and depending on how you're goimg to travel in, you can waste an enormous amount of time jyst gettkng in and out of the circuit. The year we did that, I think we spent about a quarter of the time  we normally spend at the circuit. Was bloody awful. Instead buy a decent camp bed. Or a caravan. Or a motorhome

MG Mark

I'm guessing the impending return of Ford might have something to do with the apparent early rush for accommodation and ferry bookings.

Every year my dad parks up and travels home for s few hours to return in the morning s few hours later. Bit awkward with roads closed etc but suits him as they live about half hour from the track. Getting to and from the track will be a pain.

If it's in lemans the tram is best others wise allow for travel times

Thanks for your replies guys. I'm going to try that small hotel Paul - looks decent.

Just my views buddy...  8)

Most of the people I know who have tried this have said it was an utter disaster. Hours spent in traffic (one said it once took him four hours to get from the hotel to the tribune on race day and he missed the start), no drinking during the race (in fact have you thought when will you be able to drink, and who with?), and then where will you eat? (surely not at the circuit, the food is grim and overpriced by a factor of five, and man cannot live on Monster Munch alone).

Personally I would be lying in bed alone each night, sobbing like Billy No Mates. Little hotels in France are generally grim, so I can't help imagining you'd be in a crappy box of a room with a bare light bulb and stains on the mattress which make you think someone had topped themselves and lain undiscovered for a few days. Certainly I'd be wondering what high jinks my pals were getting up to back at the hub. So I can't help thinking you'd miss the party atmos?

I reckon MG mark is right. You'd be better off getting hold of a caravan. Modern ones are excellent, with proper domestic style beds, showers and toilets. IIRC there used to be a firm in Normandy who rented them out for about Eu300 a week...

I'm ahead of you there.  And don't forget the fridge and gas stove (for pizza, garlic bread and sausage rolls) ;D

And imagine Friday night, on BN chez Brethren, remaining sober to be able to drive back to the hotel. Doesn't even bear thinking about....

MG Mark

Doesn't even bear thinking about....     Nuf Said
Phil

Any luck, Steve?

Bugger it - I'll camp!

Your choice, but I know of several places not far from the circuit who do B&B, plus there is a little hotel recently rebuilt at Ruaudin. I've already booked a couple of the B&B's for the race for friends for the Classic, but not fully for the main race. Contact me if you are interested. Lovely place, very private, little lake, locked gates for security, and you'll need a word or two of French to converse. It'll cost you 70€ per night, but it is class, and might save the marriage!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0dWo31hwpI

 ;D

How about the rooms above the arena?

http://www.24h-lemans.com/wpphpFichiers/1/1/ressources/Pdf/2014/24-heures-du-mans/tickets/mmarena-hotel-24-heures-du-mans-2014.pdf

Thanks Guys
The Arena is a great idea - I've stayed in West Ham's stadium a few times when I've been in East London and it's pretty good. Same sort of thing I presume.
Looks like the ACO has it's branding all over this so they probably have control over the distribution of the rooms but I'll check with them and the UK agencies.

Cheers

Steve

Failing which (I think Nissan had all the stadium last year) the Le Mans Tourist Office speak English and have loads of B&B places. Expect to pay a minimum of 50€ per night.

I also think Nissan had the stadium this year.  Didn't see any advertising on the ACO website for 2015. 

Isn't a motorhome an option ?  Been doing that for more than 10 years now, and I wouldn't go to LM without one now.

Steve,

Two years ago I slipped a disk the weekend before Le Mans. I looked on the Accor Hotels website and booked a room at the F1 Arnage for one night.

After a very bad night on the ferry, my dubious companion Tristan, convinced me to drive down and stay a night.

I managed to stay 5 nights either in the F1 in Arnage or the one to the north as the rooms come free after people let them go.

I guessed the incorrect date when I booked last July for 2016. I mailed to ask to change dates and heard nothing.

Until today.....

Today I received a mail saying that Isabelle can confirm my rooms for next year.

I believe that the Hotel to Brethrens party is a slow walk. The rest of the time, it will be a bike to the circuit down the back lanes.

Isabelle's details are:

Isabelle.
                                                         
hotelF1 Le Mans Sud Arnage
Plan d'eau de la Gémerie - ZI sud
72230
ARNAGE
Tel :    +33(0) 8 91 70 52 70
Fax :   +33(0) 2 43 21 20 71

Many thanks Aricus
I've now received booking information from a couple of agencies and will reserve and pay my deposit this weekend when I get home. I'm just an agency whore because I just can't be bothered with the hassle of the ACO (Stu - I feel your pain).
I appreciate the hotel information but have given myself a good talking-to and have decided that my ageing frame has a few more years of camping left in it so the decision now is Maison Blanche (I'll take everyone's advice after this year's reports), Houx (places still available) or Tertre Rouge (which I like).

Will have to excavate into the back of the shed and dust the cobwebs off the barbie and camping gear! Let the planning commence!

Steve