Le Mans hotel info

[Andrea]

Hello everybody! 

I need information about some hotels in Le Mans. Does anyone know these two: Hotel Galaxie and Hotel de Rennes? Are they reliable, safe, good, etc?

I'm not only new to this forum, but it's also going to be my very first visit to Le Mans, therefore any help, information, tips, etc. are very much appreciated. 

Thank you very much in advance 


I've been dreaming of going to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for so many years, this year I decided to do it, and now I try to find out as much as I can. I don't want to ruin my week with bad experience...

[Barry]

Don't know these 2 hotels, but if they have space you might have to go for them.
Hotel accomodation can be very differcult to find race week, many hotels booked a year in advance.
Nadine at the Le Mans tourist office might be able to help you, suggest you explain that you are travelling by yourself, could help.

nadine.bouttier@ville-lemans.fr

[Lawnmower Man]

Hi,

 I've not really tried to book a hotel in Le Mens but as Barry said they are pretty well booked up for the week.

Personally I would recommend Camping you'll get a much better feel for the event.

t.

[Andy Zarse]

All hotels are a rip off, just camp like 200,000 other folk do and you won't have a bad experience. The problem is getting to the track from your Le Mans hotel, the traffic is really terrible. I assure if you camp the experience will be all good.

Hotels are GAY! Unlike the campers...

[Andrea]

LOL!  I'm sure, camping wouldn't be boring... 
BTW: I don't have any problems with gay guys... It's their life and at least, we have one thing common: we both prefer men   

Thank you guys, but for my first time in Le Mans, I'd rather stay in a hotel or a guesthouse. 
I won't travel by car, I'll take a flight from Budapest to Paris and the train from there to Le Mans. I don't really want to carry an entire camping equipment across Europe... To tell you the truth, I don't even have a tent. 
I will also need electricity to recharge the batteries of my camera, and I want to take a laptop with me, too, so I can write on-site reports for Hungarian motorsport fans. You know, endurance racing is not widely known in Hungary (yet) and my intention is to change this sad fact. 
I'm going to Le Mans by myself and I think, spending 8 nights in a tent in the middle of a campsite full of drunk guys is not really the safest thing to do for a lady who travels on her own... 
So no camping for me this year, but hopefully I can convince some fans to join me next year and camping won't be a problem anymore...

[Andy Zarse]

LOL!  I'm sure, camping wouldn't be boring... 
BTW: I don't have any problems with gay guys... It's their life and at least, we have one thing common: we both prefer men   

Thank you guys, but for my first time in Le Mans, I'd rather stay in a hotel or a guesthouse. 
I won't travel by car, I'll take a flight from Budapest to Paris and the train from there to Le Mans. I don't really want to carry an entire camping equipment across Europe... To tell you the truth, I don't even have a tent. 
I will also need electricity to recharge the batteries of my camera, and I want to take a laptop with me, too, so I can write on-site reports for Hungarian motorsport fans. You know, endurance racing is not widely known in Hungary (yet) and my intention is to change this sad fact. 
I'm going to Le Mans by myself and I think, spending 8 nights in a tent in the middle of a campsite full of drunk guys is not really the safest thing to do for a lady who travels on her own... 
So no camping for me this year, but hopefully I can convince some fans to join me next year and camping won't be a problem anymore...

I'm duty bound to disagree with you!  There's plenty of electricity as we all take generators, the campsites are safe on a personal level, someone will let you lock up your laptop in their car and the "drunk guys" will look after you like a princess! It's nothing like Hungaroring you know. 

You've come to the right place for advice anyway. See what happened a few years ago when this guy from Texas put up a post back in 2004. John, a fifty something year old, remains a friend to many on here to this day.

http://www.clubarnage.com/forum/index.php?topic=1398.msg14142#msg14142

This is what he wrote when he got back from his first trip (yes he came back again for more the next year )...

http://www.clubarnage.com/forum/index.php?topic=2243.msg24301#msg24301

So you've no need to worry about being looked after. People here will help. John's experience is just one of many where the good folk of CA have looked after visitors from afar, and I've never heard any of them say they've not had the best time.

PS Those guys in my photo aren't gay and one of them is me! Not telling which one though!

[Doris]

I'm duty bound to disagree with you!  There's plenty of electricity as we all take generators, the campsites are safe on a personal level, someone will let you lock up your laptop in their car and the "drunk guys" will look after you like a princess! It's nothing like Hungaroring you know. 

Well said Mr Z - apart from the part about the Hungaroring where I never had any trouble with the natives.  The Finns on the other hand ... 

Dx

Fran - where are you?  You are surely the best qualified to talk about females camping alone at LM

[Fran]

I think, spending 8 nights in a tent in the middle of a campsite full of drunk guys is not really the safest thing to do for a lady who travels on her own... 

Probably safer than on your own on a campsite full of sober ones!! 

F

[Lawnmower Man]

Hi Andrea,

You must do what ever you feel most comfortable with. 

No matter which campsite you choose you can be sure that there will be a CA group not too far away.
Since you will be there for eight nights then I'm guessing you'll be there Sunday to Monday. 

Check out Who, what, where and when. 2009 To See who might be around when you arrive.

As far as camping gear goes.  Buy it at the super market and leave it behind.  It's cheaper than a hotel and taxi/bus fare.

Le Mans is more than the Race.   If you stay in a hotel (If you can find one) you will miss much of the peripheral stuff.

t.

[Andrea]

PS Those guys in my photo aren't gay and one of them is me! Not telling which one though!

I thought, you're not  I spoke in general terms...

Thanks for everything, guys  It seems I managed to find the best forum with lots of nice people.

I think, I'll stay in town this year and will hopefully join you for camping next year.    Like I said, I have never been to Le Mans before and it seems a nice place, so I'd like to explore the town, as well.   



As for the Hungaroring, I prefer to stay in Budapest, in a hotel in the city centre. I usually meet fellow fans and friends in the city, and staying at a campsite or guesthouse near the circuit would only cause problems. If you're lucky enough you can even bump into team staff and drivers. There are also couple of nice places where you can eat out and go out in the evening with friends.


Speaking of eating: How much money will I need for food & drink per day in LM and at the track respectively? I'm not a big eater, especially not if there are more exciting things around.   
I invested in a Club24 membership. On the website they say something about catering, too. Does anyone have any experience with it?

[Bob U]

So you've no need to worry about being looked after. People here will help.

Don't you believe him Andrea, he only want's you to camp so you can wash his dishes

[Andrea]

Well said Mr Z - apart from the part about the Hungaroring where I never had any trouble with the natives.  The Finns on the other hand ... 

The Finns? HA! That's nothing! You should - or rather shouldn't - meet some of the Polish guys!  
In 2006 one of them nearly broke my ribs and knocked me out after the race, in 2007 we didn't see the race because of them as they were standing on their seats all the time. Last year I rather kept out of their way. This year they will have an own grandstand, but I'm not sure if they will use it. Many fans had problems with them, since Kuby started to race. Of course, most of the Polish fans are ok, but there are couple of troublemakers... The Finns were only a little loud last year, when they arrived back at the hotel around 4 a.m...  There are not as many Finnish fans at the Hungarian GP nowadays as in the past though...

Apart from the Polish gorillas in 2006, my worst experience with foreign guys was couple of years ago, when a bunch of drunk British guys went mad and demolished half of the floor in the hotel where I stayed. It wasn't at a race weekend, so they were not fans, just tourists. I had an exam at university in Roman law the next day. Unnecessary to say that I failed. I've been told later that the hotel had to renovate couple of rooms because of them.

It seems, every nation has its black sheep. I guess, being an idiot doesn't depend on nationality...  

[Andrea]

Don't you believe him Andrea, he only want's you to camp so you can wash his dishes

LOL!!!   

[Lawnmower Man]

I think, I'll stay in town this year and will hopefully join you for camping next year.    Like I said, I have never been to Le Mans before and it seems a nice place, so I'd like to explore the town, as well.   

The Cathedral is a very pleasant place.  The walk along the River is pleasant too.  I'm not sure what other sites there are to see.

Speaking of eating: How much money will I need for food & drink per day in LM and at the track respectively? I'm not a big eater, especially not if there are more exciting things around.   
I invested in a Club24 membership. On the website they say something about catering, too. Does anyone have any experience with it?

That depends where you eat.  I have eaten out a few times but I tend not to bother about the cost so can't remember how much I paid.
But I never felt I was being Ripped off.

I tend not to eat in the Circuit as it is expensive and doesn't look that good to me.

I have had Pizza in the ACO (Club 24) places it was OK.  But I wouldn't go out of my way to get it again.

I the CA Guide Has some info on Restaurants near the Circuit.

t.

[Andrea]

Thanks a lot, LM