Advice re hotels for 2005

[nigreeves]

Can anyone offer advice where to look for budget hotels for 2005.

I camped several years ago but as I am getting a bit old I would prefer a roof over my head.

B&B fine also

Thanks

Nigel

[pretzel]

This comes up from time to time, see this thread as an example: http://www.clubarnage.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=1441

Generally speaking all of the popular places will have already been booked, with people reserving for the following year on their departure. Some of the budget chains however do not allow pre-booking so far in advance. A couple of examples are Formula 1 and Mister Bed.

I'm sure that CA's resident LM tourism expert will be along shortly with more helpful advice.

[Andy Zarse]

This comes up from time to time, see this thread as an example: http://www.clubarnage.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=1441

I'm sure that CA's resident LM tourism expert will be along shortly with more helpful advice.

No sign of him so far!

Nige, you could try sending a Private Message to Gilles (see list of Club Arnage site members). He works in the tourism industry in Le Mans and knows everything there is to know about this sort of thing. He's normally so helpful!

Generally, hotels are massively expensive, the price often raised by about ten times usual rates and you need to book for the week etc. Unless you strike it lucky with Formule 1 Hotel, expect to pay a four figure sum.

Alternatively, you can do what I did; buy an old campervan. I got sick of tent camping after the great deluge of 2001. It's a great compromise. If you buy a pre-73 classic, there's no annual road tax to pay and classic insurance fully comp is about £90 pa. Then you get all the fun and atmos of the campsite too and the frisson of exitement wondering wether you'll get there without breaking down.

I'd be happy to point you in the right direction as to where such an excellent and roadworthy vehicle could be purchased for under £500. Provided you don't mind driving a Commer, Austin, Thames, Bedford etc.

[Gilles]

This comes up from time to time, see this thread as an example: http://www.clubarnage.com/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=1441

I'm sure that CA's resident LM tourism expert will be along shortly with more helpful advice.

No sign of him so far!

Nige, you could try sending a Private Message to Gilles (see list of Club Arnage site members). He works in the tourism industry in Le Mans and knows everything there is to know about this sort of thing. He's normally so helpful!

Generally, hotels are massively expensive, the price often raised by about ten times usual rates and you need to book for the week etc. Unless you strike it lucky with Formule 1 Hotel, expect to pay a four figure sum.

Alternatively, you can do what I did; buy an old campervan. I got sick of tent camping after the great deluge of 2001. It's a great compromise. If you buy a pre-73 classic, there's no annual road tax to pay and classic insurance fully comp is about £90 pa. Then you get all the fun and atmos of the campsite too and the frisson of exitement wondering wether you'll get there without breaking down.

I'd be happy to point you in the right direction as to where such an excellent and roadworthy vehicle could be purchased for under £500. Provided you don't mind driving a Commer, Austin, Thames, Bedford etc.

What can I add ??

Yes most of hotels only offer 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 day-packages. This year you'll even have 14 to 16 days package due to the proximity of PQ.

The best is to contact directly hotel booking agencies.

And I agree with the old campervan solution, whioch could be really affordable if only your van can drive you to Le Mans more than one year.

[BigH]

Nigel,
Before you follow the kindly Mr Zarse's advice, and go down the road of camper vanning, you should know that these vehicles are usually herded towards the back of the campsites. This in itself, is not a bad thing, but at least at maison Blanche I think you'd need to be careful. Towards the back, near the trees there's usually a camp of Missisippi woodsman, and though personally I think it adds a bit of cosmopolitan colour, with the evening air full of the sound of wailing and the strains of fiddles, some might find all the squealing a little offputting. They're a pretty intimidating crew alright. Early in the the morning the air is full of a different kind of straining, but I think that's from a little further upfield. Whether or not these guys paddle their way to LM through the mist in beaver skin covered canoes or not, I can't say, I've never dared asked them, but they sure can put away sourmash whiskey and strike a mean deal trading furs and other small critters. Good lads though they might be, I couldn't recommend them for any orthodontic problems you may have.
Other than that, you should be ok.
H

[hgb]

This year I managed to get a room on Friday night in the Kyriad at Ferté Bernard. I even got the special weekend deal because I arrived after 23:00 (and didn't book in advance) which saved quite a few Euros. Ferté Bernard is about half an hour away from the circuit.