Newbie question: I'm going to LM for the first time. Can anyone give me any tip

[mdt]

Hi, I'm travelling to Le Mans from Australia next year with my Dad. I want to know if anyone can give me any tips. The first few things spring to mind:
- where is the best place to buy a ticket in the stand? I was going to get a ticket opposite the pits, but there may be better places.
- where is the best place to rent a campervan from? I have made inquiries from a place in Paris, but I reckon they will be sold out by now.
- where is the best place to try and park the campervan, if I can get one.
- is the hospitality package worth it?

WTF is the 24 hour on a Nurburgring on the same weekend? I want to go to both.

Any help most gratefully received.

Matthew

[smokie]

Most of the stands are opposite the pits and that is probably the best place to be in your first year. Once you know the layout you may prefrer one of the others.

I know nothing about campervan rental, but use the Search facility as I think it's been mentioned before.

As for where to park it, the official campsites are probably the best as they are in or very close to the circuit. Houx (NOT Houx Annexe) is the only one with marked pitches and facilities (mains and water)  at each pitch I think. But it is probably the least lively, although that may be unfair on it's residents. You need to be booking your campsite NOW.

I've never used hospitality, I'm sure it works for some, but most people here who have commented have not been particularly impressed.  

Browse this site, there is a wealth of information here...

[Robbo SPS]

Houx (NOT Houx Annexe) is the only one with marked pitches and facilities (mains and water)  at each pitch I think. But it is probably the least lively, although that may be unfair on it's residents.  

No not un fair , the 100kms Houx was a bleak and miserable place to be . It was closed. Apparently , untill you ask for a refund the next morning.....

[mdt]

Terrific. Thanks guys. On your advice, I've booked a couple of seats in Tribune 5 and declined the invitation to buy a hospitality ticket.

However, against your advice, I've booked a spot at Houx because my old man's a sensitive soul, and "liveliness" tends to get him rather irate.

But that information is just what I needed. I'm still waiting to hear back from the travel agent about the campervan. I'll get into the search facility if that falls through.

Thanks again,

Matthew

[mdt]

The other thing I want to ask is when is the best time to get to the circuit? I read elsewhere on the site that there are support races. When do these start?

When I go to the 24 endurance race here at Bathurst, I aim to get to the track Thursday night. Would the same apply at Le Mans?

If I was to get there Wednesday, is there anything happening? Could I perhaps drive around the circuit in my campervan?

[Robbo SPS]

Get there as early as you like , although i find Thursdays good for me . There is lots to do and soak up. Get all your food and drink in early , park up and enjoy, as well as drive around the circuit at some point.

go to anyone British and join them for a drink , they will welcome you with open arms.

[mgmark]

As others have said, browse the site - amongst the wealth of material about sexual habits/dreams, food, wine and tales of driving prowess (or the lack of). there is a wealth of information about the event and enjoying it.   For my part, the main points have always been:

1) The campsites are the place to be.
2) The earlier you can get there the better - if you get there during the Wednesday, there is the second qualifying session on Thursday, the pit walk and drivers parade on Friday, followed by the main event on Sat/Sun.   If earlier, you catch the first qualifying session on Tuesday and "scrutineering" in the market on the Monday.
3) By all means enjoy your grandstand seat, but go walkabout round the rest of the circuit as well!
4) Drive the circuit (at least the three-quarters of it on the public road bits) - it is open up until late evening on the Friday, excpet for the qualifying sessions.......
5) Forget any notions of sleep and sobriety.......

All the best,

Mark

[mdt]

Awright! Sounds like I'm going to be getting there on Monday or Tuesday.

Scuse my enthusiasm, but this is a life pilgrimage for me. A bit like Mohammed trekking to Mecca.

Yes, I intend to walk the track. We used to live in the UK when I was a wee tot and we used to walk around Silverstone together during the six hour race when the Martini Porsches were breathing fire. Hopefully, Dad will be able to make it this time. But I take it Le Mans is a bit longer than Silverstone.

[mgmark]

No need to excuse the enthusiasm - great respect for you actually coming halfway round the globe for the world's greatest motor race - we are lucky that it is but a short hop across the English Channel, but you do have Mount Panorama !   Le Mans is a much longer circuit than Silverstone - like over 5 miles longer.   That said, as you can see from maps and some of the comments, the spectator areas are restricted mainly to the part of the circuit that is not on public roads - however, this covers the Porsche curves to Tetre Rouge corner - you can walk on either side of the track and get a good view all the way, except for the odd bit where you have to divert around, like the pit/paddock area.   If you are camping in Houx, you have good access to all of these areas.   The other official spectator areas are at Mulsanne corner and Indianapolis/Arnage - although you need to drive out/get a shuttle bus out to those, it is well worth the trip during one of the qualifying sessions or the race, during daylight or darkness.   The only remaining "unofficial" area is the Hunaudieres restaurant/cafe on the Mulsanne straight - again well worth the drive out for the sight and sounds of the cars flat out before the first chicane, but access might be tricky in a motorhome.   Otherwise, you are into the game of "avoid the gendarmes" trying to view from elsewhere.  

[saveloy]

one bit of advice, bring a spare liver, you may need it.  Before you set of arrange to drop in on a few of us, you'll always get alchohlol of some description

[mgmark]

As well as a spare liver, a spare head is a useful accesory....... like the man said, plenty of opportunities to meet up with guys from the forum when there and time as well to find out about the other things to do - like Arnage village on the Friday afternoon..... A few Captain Sensible practical things for the continental traveller:

1)   Travel/medical insurance - get it.
2)   Cash - you will need it (euros not pounds) for meals, beers etc, but most places take plastic (Visa etc) for food and goodies shopping.
3)   They have local supermarkets to stock up with supplies, rather than having to buy everything trackside.
4)   If they don't understand your version of English, adopt the time-honoured method of shouting louder until they do.....
5)   Drinking/Driving is a quick way to miss the race and ruin the trip.
6)   Arguing with officials (except the gendarmes) is OK - arguing with gendarmes only makes it worse......

[Steve Pyro]

mdt, the official race related stuff is :-

Monday / Tuesday - scrutineering in the city centre

Wednesday pm - 2 x 2 hour qualifying sessions on the circuit evening only

Thursday pm - 2 x 2 hour qualifying sessions on the circuit evening only

Friday - the public road parts of the circuit revert back to public use - so you can 'play' on the track if you like.
Also, the pits are open to the public all day for a 'pit walk'
Late afternoon in the city centre is the grand parade of drivers / majorettes / dancing girls / classic cars etc.

Saturday am - warm up of cars plus support race.
Noon - start / finish area parade / presentation / general jollity (good if you're in a grandstand).
16:00 - they're off - then no sleep til Monday!

Sunday pm - post race piss up / nudity / fireworks etc.

Also around the circuit 'village area' are trade stands, food and beer outlets, t-shirt sellers and the fun fare.
Plus the Le Mans 24 Hour Motor Museum is open all week and worth a couple of hours nose about.

Enjoy - we'll see you there.

see here http://www.lemans.org/2003/24auto/pages/infos_pratiques_horaires_gb.shtml for 2003's official schedule

[smokie]

Nice summary Steve.

And of course the Club Arnage Help section has one of the most useful sources of information here - http://www.clubarnage.com/yabbse/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=274

Having never been around the pits during the morning, what exactly is the "ear of corn" ceremony, mentioned on the official page?

[Steve Pyro]

Having never been around the pits during the morning, what exactly is the "ear of corn" ceremony, mentioned on the official page?

'Ear of Corn' or chevron or herringbone descibes the way they 'present' the cars against the pit wall to the grandstand crowd.
like this - / / / / / / / / / / / / / /   etc.

The drivers then are brought along in the open top cars with the scantily clad ladies holding up signs with the car numbers on and introduced to the crowd by the flamboyant French announcer.  All very theatrical and amusing  

[mdt]

This is brilliant. Sounds like I should change my motorhome booking to get there Monday afternoon. I'll take on board the stuff about travel insurance too.

Which reminds me, did I see any of you in a recent photo in EVO with David Brabham doing a burnout in the Bentley at Le Mans?