Club Arnage

Just a quick question fella's.... Is beer now or to be banned on the campsites ?

I know the sales of beer are banned for bikes a week before the event within a 7 mile radius of the circuit.

I heard reports last year of peoples cars were being searched as they came onto the campsites, and the illict golden nectar being removed and confiscated from cars / vans. I know there is now a ban on bottles in the circuit ( Offensive weapons ), but being keen mountaineers it will effect us badly, below the last two years efforts.


An internally lit Nelson's Column 2011

2010 was a small Tower bridge and 7 and half ft St Stephens Tower. The above Nelson Column was built to 1 in 10 so was 16ft 9in Tall

There were a number of rumours going around last year, right up to the time people started arriving, about a ban on beer on the campsites.  It turned out that it was exactly that - a rumour.  I believe that, in true French tradition, Messrs Auchan, Leclerc and Carrefour - supported by the likes of M. SuperU - would go out on strike if such a ban were imposed.

We even walked into the circuit carrying beer bottles - never questioned!!

Del

All 14 of us got searched everytime we entered the main gate from our campsite into the circuit, if we were carrying bags. Anything being drunk or held in hand we had to dispose of into the recycling bins by the gate.
24 beers in the case, 24 hours in the race,
 Is the motto we watch the race by; although we do try very hard to keep that theology all week. It would be criminal to stop drinking on the campsites, the thought of some of the great nights that we have had and would be missed out on in the build up without the golden, slightly warm, gassy, amborsia.  :angel: :angel: :angel:

I think it's just glass bottles, due to bikers throwing them. I'm sure the shops will be selling way more can's this year.
I did like to walk round without crunching glass underfoot.

Yep, lots of Hype last year, no problems on site or going into the circuit, bottles in hand and in the cooler, never questioned.

I recall there were comments last year that Bottles were being banned, and some people reported early on in the week this was accurate. We arrived on the Friday and saw that either the reports were wrong, or the rules had been relaxed and gone back to normal. We were able to bring glass bottled beer into the circuit where we camp, and we were not stopped from walking around drinking from glass bottles.

It is my belief that without the volumes of beer sold, Le Mans would not quite have the same atmosphere, and given the Economic situation in the EU right now, I don't think the French will change the status quo right now. It would be very brave and potentially foolish for them to do so.

This year, I'll again be heading down on the Friday, so I'll be checking the updates from the campsites during the week. 5th Anniversary this year. :-)

I think that only those campsites within the GA ticket area had the Ban, were were searched once going into Tertre Rouge but it was not to bad.

IIRC the local mayor got some sort of temporary injunction banning bottles which affected the people that turned up early in the week but it got overturned by weds/thurs and bottles were allowed.

I know the broken glass is a massive issue and it should be banned on pit walks and so on, but the campsites would not be the same without the sound of stubbie mountains falling over, after someone in a slightly worse for wear condition attempts to place another bottle on.

 Is the local Mayor some knid of sad grape juice drinker ???????

at nogaro 5 or so weeks ago security bods tried to stop us taking booze onto the circuit.but not that hard.maybe its ffsa policy or the circuit upping profits.we will find the truth in a month.wine box bags done the front of the shorts may be in order.also makes a good pilow when empty.

Dude, the comment of a true professional!!!

We were searched going into Houx last year and glass bottles were taken off us - Vodka etc.  We then transferred the booze into plastic water bottles.  By the Friday the rule was forgotten.

If you are taking glass into the campsites make sure it is very well hidden.

Wooly and I will keep you all updated as we'll be there Sunday PM with David and Erta. Banning beer from LM is just daft...

Won't happen

surely  >:(


sitthee Weds for one or two Rex

Remember that the 'no glass bottles' by-law is not a ban on alcohol but on glass containers. This is also not new (despite what you may read on PH and elsewhere) it has been in place for at least a decade. However, the French authorities apply the rule rather sporadically.

At motorcycle events like the Moto GP last weekend or the Moto 24h for instance, the rule is more strictly applied, and car searches are mandatory. Alcohol is also banned at Moto events.

Early in the week of the 24 hours, when folks are turning up at a manageable rate, track security will probably search all (or most) vehicles, but by Friday the numbers coming and going makes searches impractical. But... as usual where the French are involved, you can never predict when some bored official might decide to randomly enforce the rules.

As far as I know, the legally enforcible by-law applies to the general enclosure of the race circuit and the 'Zone Vert' campsites within; basically anywhere you need a EG ticket to get into.  

The post race clean-up operation on the circuit campsites and trackside areas is quite significant, and broken glass is a constant hazard during race week. The ACO are (understandably) just trying to reduce the size of the problem by reducing the amount of glass coming on-site.

Ah well, no problem fur us then, as we only bring a few cans that we also take back home again. :)

Why don't they put glass recycling bins on the campsites???

Whilst I accept not everyone will use them, its got to help the clearing up effort!!

I think they would need recycling banks the size of Belgium, otherwise they would get filled up so quickly, you might as well not bother.

Sorry to say that the ban has nothing to do with the enviroment, and everything to do with the idiots who choose to show their feelings about a result that goes against them by throwing bottles on the track.

Ban does only apply to campsites within the track perimeter, and is most rigidly applied to early arrivers.

Which is not true as we were searched at Monday around noon driving back to our camp at Bleu Nord.
They also wanted to take our (faily big) sledgehammer away which is used to ram the flagpole a good two feet into the ground...

We switched to cans then for the next few days before we started smuggleing the booze in by the kettlegate at the road to Arnage.

Rucksacks were never searched during the race, but I walked by several lads having to leave their beers behind. One of my mates walked by the sec at Maison Blance. Bottle of wine in the right, Peugeot flag in the left...