Club Arnage

Hi everyone. I'll be making my first trip to Le Mans with my 13 year old son  next year. Unfortunately only a flying visit due to other commitments. We'll be flying to Paris CDG on the saturday morning and then either catching the TGV or getting a hire car. Would prefer the TGV, but it leaves us with nowhere to sleep for the night, whereas the hire car will take longer (? cost more with petrol / tolls) but would provide somewhere to sleep. We'll watch the race and then head back for Paris and arrive home late on Sunday. Has anyone driven from Paris CDG on the morning of the race and how long did it take. I know traffic will be awful around the circuit but wondered if it would be feasible to allow 3.5 hours. This would mean we get parked up for 1.00pm at the latest which I thought would be OK.

Not tried to get into LM by car on a Saturday morning myself, not a masochist
However viaMichelin reckon it's 2 hr 38 from CDG to LM.
That time is based on keeping near the speed limits, and no delays a toll booths.
Others with experience of the route might disagree, but I would add at least another hour to your estimate, prehaps 2 or more.
2 years ago it took Andy 1/2 hour to get from Arnage village back to the circuit, on a motorbike!

Traffic on Saturday morning will be hell to get near the track.  Like Barry said : add 2 hours to the normal travel time from Paris (unless you leave Paris pretty early like 6 am).
TGV will surely be the fastest way to get in and out Le Mans, and with the tram you'll be right onto the entrance at Tertre Rouge.  You could pass at the Decathlon or Carrefour, buy yourself a cheap tent (for 50 or 60 euro's you'd be settled) and leave it behind afterwards.

Driving?!? You gotta get out of Paris first and that could be an hour! Or more.  And oh.......The Peripherique..... The actual drive between the cities is relatively straightforward, it'd be in the cities that your eta would suffer.

Tents are almost pop up, almost free and weigh almost nothing, the 'other' stuff you may need would be less convenient but for a single night thats a minimum anyway.

I know what I'd do, good luck and enjoy.

Once you are out of Paris then dont even think about going into Le Mans.

Stay on A28 come off at J25 head back towards Le Mans on the D338 and watch race at Mulssane corner.

John

We used to send somebody out on a motorbike for bread on Saturday morning, till 5 years ago when there was an accident and it took them over an hour to get back.

It depends where you're going, but slipping in the back way via Mulsanne or Arnage must be you're only hope

Thanks for everyones advice. There's obviously a consensus that driving down from Paris on Saturday morning is a very bad idea!!! Looks like TGV & tram with a bigger rucksack to hold a 2 man tent and 2 lightweight sleeping bags if possible. I think I'll have to bring the camping equipment with us as don't want to risk popping into Carrefour on saturday morning and finding no tents left. I presume we'll be able to find a patch of grass on one of the campsites to put the tent for a few hours.

Where do you live Tim? I could take the gear down for you if you get it to me, I'm in Windsor. I'm sure a small patch of grass can be arranged in CA pitches somewhere. If we have 2 pitches we can squeeze you in on ours on Bleu Nord.

Hi as I can't drive I use Eurostar from London to Paris and get a TGV to Le Mans and I leave London usually around 9am and would arrive in Le Mans by about 2:30pm/3:30pm

I always camp from Wednesday to Monday as its not just the race i go for its the atmosphere in the build especially Friday night

Thanks for the offer of carrying the tent etc Barry, but unfortunately we live in Derbyshire so a bit far from Windsor. I'll probably post an appeal for a scrap of grass on someone's pitch nearer the time.

Try 'Travel Destinations' as they have a lot of options, including pre erected tents on circuit, and have always been keen to help me. Your requirements may fall outside of their abilities to help but worth a shot!

Hello there! Name's Brian. Good to meet you guys! I'm new to this terrific forum and can't wait to start posting!

hi Brian welcome, if you need any help with Le Mans you have came to the place for it.