"Zoning" of Maison Blanche, Bleu sud and nord...

[powermite]

keith

you cany beat the hotels in Spa for value!
PM

[knetter]

I guess we will have to start looking for a farmer with a big field an a lot of patience to put up with us. But I guess if we pay him enough, he won't mind. DFH will bring the genny and the beer of course.

[Andy Zarse]

I'm struggling to see the disadvantage to this "zoning". The ACO ask us in advance where we'd like to camp. We tell them. We may or may not be allocated the zone we requested. What's the problem people?

[Piglet]

If you're on the "magic list" and get your allocation direct from the ACO every year it's probably not too bad.

For those of us who put our requests in during May and still get allocated Bleu Nord it's a bit trickier.   I usually pick up MB tickets on here and on ebay. It's going to be pretty tough if I've got to get three tickets in the same zone.

Also I guess for the groups if different people get allocated their tickets in different zones how will that work out?   Perhaps we'll have a different DfH encampment in each zone of the site to go and visit.....

Does anyone know why some of the campsite doesn't appear to be available - hopsitality areas perchance? 

[Paddy_NL]

To be honest, I'm getting rather tired of trying to get tickets for MB. This is my third December in a row of teeth grinding, nail biting and checking the mailbox at home three times a day to see what our allocation will be. I always get my letter (read: invoice) ridiculously late for some stupid reason, and I'm starting to get the feeling we'll be reallocated to Bleu Nord again -which is not nice, because then the ACO will keep us on a line again saying we're on the waiting list for MB, and than that whole stupid thing starts again trying to sell the tickets for FV again with all its administrational consequences

If it gets worse with the allocations then we might as well go back where we started in '04: Beausιjour. Over there we can go all the way to the back, and make as much noise and use as much space as we want - without being reallocated to a place we don't want to be or some stupid ACO-shirt'n'tie asking questions.
We had fun there in '04, can't see why we couldn't do it again...

[termietermite]

Nothing yet, Paddy, but we (French residents) are always last.

[Paddy_NL]

If you're on the "magic list" and get your allocation direct from the ACO every year it's probably not too bad.

I'm very curious how someone gets on that list.

For those of us who put our requests in during May and still get allocated Bleu Nord it's a bit trickier.

Done mine in March, that's why I'd be really p*ssed off if they'd shove us over the road again...


Thanks Termie, nothing at my place either. Was at home at noon to pick up lil Paddy and texted tha missus later. Empty box is all she found...
And that's what I mean, it always takes too long to receive the letter

[Neal]

Paddy

Come back to BSJ you know it makes sense, we were there in 2005 and had a blast. back there this year 

[Paddy_NL]

I'm not alone in my group, let's wait and see what the others say.

It's all still early days though, as long as I haven't got a letter there's still hope for MB

[Lorry]

..........Perhaps we'll have a different DfH encampment in each zone of the site to go and visit.....

That sounds fun, but a touch impractical.  Perhaps there are 6 zones, A, B, C, D, E & DfH.

Don't give up hope Paddy

[Dirk3D_NL]

..........Perhaps we'll have a different DfH encampment in each zone of the site to go and visit.....

That sounds fun, but a touch impractical.  Perhaps there are 6 zones, A, B, C, D, E & DfH.

Don't give up hope Paddy

lol, that would be great

but I can understand Paddy, he already takes up so much work for DFH and this is not motivating at all...

Paddy, I would advise for us to decide on dec. 15 to go to BSJ if we haven't heard anything on MB....

[Piglet]

..........Perhaps we'll have a different DfH encampment in each zone of the site to go and visit.....

That sounds fun, but a touch impractical.  Perhaps there are 6 zones, A, B, C, D, E & DfH.

sorry, actually I didn't have the energy for the rolling eyes smilie....

I'm with Paddy, I'm fed up with the aggro of it all.  I'm seriously considering not going as I can't be bothered with another year of trying to track down tickets and this time having to find ones for the right zone. 

I don't want to go to BSJ, I'm sure it's a nice site but it's too far out.  For us with KK going back and forwards to the media room MB is a good location.  I don't like idea of being on Bleu - it's too "outside the fence" and I'm concerned about the absolute lack of security on it.

We'd consider Spay but then you've got to get back and forwards to the circuit and there is nowhere to go to chill and relax without going back out to the campsite. 

I don't understand why it all has to be so difficult.  There are ebay sellers who flog off 10 tickets at a time at a huge mark up, yet the ACO don't seem to be bothered about that....

[Mr. Invincible Mou]

I appreciate that this indicates a vast lack of understanding about the ACO but won't they just for once think about the bloody fans.   

Actually, I would suggest that this is exactly what the ACO are doing.

Over the years, myself and several of my friends have had the problem of arriving on a Thursday with legitimally purchased tickets, only to be told at the camp entrance the site is full. We have then had to endure arguements untill finally being allowed in, whereby of course it is damn near impossible to find space to camp together, whilst those that arrive earlier in the week have huge areas roped off just for their paddling pools and stuff.

It is why I now only use Houx, and several of my friends no longer attend the race.

I appreciate that not everyone takes up too much space, and indeed, they buy enough tickets to cover what they want, but this does not apply to all. What can be fairer than having a premarked and numbered space which you know will be waiting for you even if you can only arrive Friday afternoon?

I think this should have been implemented several years ago, and personally I am really looking forward to the possibility of returning to MB with a group again.

[termietermite]

Invisible one, I am with you here.  We live nearby and knowing from this site about the difficulties of getting a pitch, we dumped Mr Termite's car and pitched the tent on MB on the Monday and just left it there (and were obliged to pay for an extra two nights we had no intention of using).  By the end of the week there was no way new arrivals would have been able to do anything other than squash into the tiny spaces which were left.  It didn't seem fair to us.

[Jay (Team Cannonball)]

Since I haven't bothered my arse with tickets yet (writing a thesis is a little time consuming), I am imagining BSJ will be the home for the third year on the bounce for Team Cannonball.

Paddy does have a point, if you arrive anytime before Friday on BSJ you can have as much space as you like, the toilet facilities are excellent and the queues are definately shorter than Houx Annexe and Karting Nord. The bus service was massively improved this year as well. Ok it may cost you an extra pair of shoes with all the walking you are doing but hey it will keep you fit and you won't have too put up with all this ACO bull. The question has to be asked though why they felt the need to introduce this policy in the first place, is it the age old adage of someone taking up more than there allocated space or is it a sinister ploy to exploit the great unwashed of MB. When we were in KN a bus (not a minibus a bus) full of about 30 blokes rocked up with one camping pass for the vehicle and promptly created an encampment that would have needed the best part of 15 passes. I fear this irresponsible behaviour is having a knock on effect, probably due to people buying MB tickets in good faith from the ACO rocking up on the Friday, finding no room and then getting punted to BSJ  or the spill over area at the Porsche curves.

Anyway we are quite happy to be on BSJ as after Bonfiregate on KN 3 years ago, overcrowding  and some grumpy feckers left a very sour note indeed.