Club Arnage

Any tips much appreciated - I have drawn the short straw for next year and will have to go down to LM (from London) as part of an advance party with Mr Disco. We will not have wheels, as they are being delivered by our "sponsor" later in the week

Problem one - I'm thinking of taking the TGV to Le Mans - is this direct, or how best to handle this? Eurostar then change at Lille? Has anyone tried this? Will they let me bring the BBQ & pool on board?

Problem Two - I'm going to be stuck on MB with a motorhome but no way of getting to Carrefour - has anyone ever seen a bus around the track? Or is there any kind soul on MB who would trade a Carefour shopping trip in their car for some cold beer?

Thanks to anyone who might have an angle on the above! Toady

What day are you arriving

Mr Toad, I put up a post about the TGV etc back in July, I've just had a dig in the archives and here it is :-

One of our group came down to Le Mans independantly by train.  When phoning Eurostar, he initially asked for a single (knowing he was coming back in my car) on Eurostar - Ashford to Paris (£159).  Then the sales person said if he bought a dated return ticket booked for specific train times the offer price came down to £89 - return.
The TGV from Paris to Le Mans was £29 single (or approx twice that for a return).

So single trip £118.
Return trip £147.

He brought all his camping gear and a change of clothes in a big bag.

Hope this is of some help.  The TGV is direct from Paris (the south western station).  He crossed Paris on the metro.

If you don't fancy all the hassle of getting across Paris from Gare du Nord to M/masse, you can get a direct TGV from Lille to Angers (the TGV goes like the clappers on this route) and then get a local train to Le Mans.
No quicker or cheaper - just takes Paris out of the equation.

Toad
I could pick you up from Fretun - Calais TGV , or LM  - run you to LM and back, plus do the shopping etc, introduce you to "interesting people" etc, etc
minimal fee
- just email me kpylaws@aol.com

Toad, when do you want to travel (or more to the point, arrive?)

Thanks all for the help here - we want to arrive at MB around 10.00 Mon am (which is when our motorhome is due to be delivered)...working the train times back, I expect this won't be straightforward, but I wondered about an overnight somewhere on route. So, leave the UK on Sun pm? I've then got till Thu am to get the pool filled when the main crew turn up! Toad

What a strange Idea !!!

The direct TGV from Lille to Angers stops at LM !!! So why continue until Angers?

probably you was sleeping in the bar coach and wake up aftre LM station !!!

In every station you'll have only 2 to 3 minutes to get off the train, so try not to be embararrassed with so much luggage.

You'll find a good boy to pick you at the station, leave you at MB or at Carrefour (why not directly buy your BBQ at Carrefour and leave you's own at home, you'll have more space for the pool ! )

I can be your shuttle service as long as your time of arrival is compatible with my schedule.

You could always ask one of the early arrivals to transport some of your gear down so its there when you arrive which will enable you to travel light. I'm sure someone will help. I hope to arrive on Monday evening about 5pm and hopefully on MB travelling from Newcastle if thats any help. There'll be no shortage of super market trips available.

Toad, I haven't yet firmed up travel plans. But this year myself and Mark travelled Dover Calais on Sunday in an Omega towing my caravan. We stopped overnight in Gace and were on MB certainly by lunchtime Monday. We travel from Wokingham Berks, along M3/M25/M26/M20, although I haven't priced ferries yet so it's conceivable that we might do the Long Crossing (Portsmouth to somewhere) if the price is right.

I'm going to Munich with Mark next w/e (to meet up with GAB!), and will be deciding plans then, if you might be interested in sharing costs then we might have a spare seat (or do you need more than 1?). You'd need to come somewhere suitable to meet us, as I am not planning to drive my caravan round London!

This depends on me receiving some tickets from the ACO of course! Let me know if you might be interested.

You are correct, as usual Gilles. Please excuse my brain fart.
As you may remember, my parents live near Saumur, so I've never got off at Le Mans. Sorry about the 'strange idea', not the first one I've had, I can assure you.

You mean you havent yet booked the ferry !!
P&O will be doing new deals onthe Caen Vommit Comet soon to fill up advance bookings

Dear all - I'm touched by your offers of help & support here. Latest this end is that I've got a trailer to bring the kit down with the 'home- so now I just need to get 2 of us down with no gear. I'll wait for Mr Disco (who's coming down with me) to come back from flight school in a couple of weeks and discuss options and then get back in touch to see how our plans might fit. Kpy, Gilles & Smokie - thanks a million. Whatever the outcome, I hope you will allow my chef to knock you up something to wash down with an ice cold beer on MB!

Mr Toad, you are welcome to a lift to supermarket with THE Liverpool Boys, we will be on MB, on the Sunday evening.
Brian.

Brian - thanks! How do you get onto the site on the Sun evening? I thought it didn't open till Mon am? Did you do this last year? If so how much extra did they charge?

Mr Toad,Last year we arrived on the Monday, but a lot of people already on MB, outside there was a lot of cars and vans waiting to get onto the site, as the stewards did not have the tickets for the extra 10 euros per night surcharge for arrivals before Wednesday.we got on by parking on the gate and refusing to move after a while they took us through to a holding area awaiting the ticket guy. After a good while we all agreed to drive through onto the site, one of the stewards stated that he would have done the same thing as us he even apoligised for the long wait.
The ticket guys arrived some 90 mins later trying to remember what cars had driven through. He remembered us as we had blocked the gate, so we did cop for the extra 10 euros per night.
We observed the delivery of your camper last year as we where camped just across the way, the guy even washed it down before leaving.
Take care.
Brian.

Brian

Nice one! Were you down the hard track towards the Pope mobile/toilet block then? Is that your favourite spot given you must have had the whole site to choose from? We felt really lucky to end up where we were, so hope we might get that spot again....as long as you don't fancy it as well!!! See you there, and the chance of a trip to Carrefour very much appreciated! Toad

Just FYI our "spot" is behind the toilet block on a little triangle of grass with Powermite & co, gab and ummmm....<straining for the names, help me gab>....an English couple who live en France.

... Powermite & co, gab and ummmm....<straining for the names, help me gab>....an English couple who live en France.

That would be the Winnebago with Charles and Nancy.

Smokie - were you next to the mains power hook up/taps then? I saw some people celebrating Xmas there - was that you? I also recall I kind Essex gent called Keith who was the official MB tap splitter for multiple on/off water feeds! Small world...Toady

That was Powermite and crew, in the Winnebago. My caravan was directly in front of them (between them and the bogs).

GAB's camper was between the Powermite Winnebago and Charles and Nancy's. The small tents scattered in between were my group. There was a (Renault?) camper on the outer edge (trackside) which was Mrs Doubtfire (one of the PM group)

Small world indeed  :)

Ironic that , this being a Le Mans fan based website and you seeing each other near a tap....

when you are all in Huge motorhomes in a top campsite . ;) ;) ;)

...even the Shytehouse Family have a motorhome of sorts on Maison Blanche ya know...

Whilst we are in the realm of camping, (coincidentally at Le Mans) I assume you managed to get a cable into that power outlet behind the bogs? I've got 100m of 16 amp cable, french connectors and  pre wired splitter, so I'm hopeful I might persuade you guys over a glass of beer or a few, to let me have a bit of that juice next year! It's tough keeping our champagne cold on the generator alone!!

We don't own it ya know!

There are 6 or 8 outlets on one pylon I think, and later in the week (Tuesday IIRC) they come along with a second pylon. They look like the proverbial spaghetti tree by about Wednesday.

I have a standard French 2 way adaptor so if anyone beats me to it they might notice an interruption to their service...

Are you parked trackside? If so you might need to do something about taping the lead down to the road so it doesn't catch up in my wheels  :)

You are welcome to hook up with us, in more ways than one.

Smokie - good call re: some tough tape. I'll speak with our team's HR director - I feel a new job spec coming on to handle this:

Job title: "Keeper of the Cable"
Reports to: God of Power (that's you)
Grade: Junior management
Benefits: Beer and tented accomodation
Key skills: Diplomacy (when we get cut off), able to wire a plug, knowledge of camper van fuseboxes helpful, some first aid experience, handy with a water pistol
Salary: nil, in fact there is a charge for the priveledge
Start date: fixed contract, June 2004

I've got a French plug wired with two female French sockets coming of it (impressive eh?) so hope we should be okay!

I'm getting worryingly excited about the detail already. Off for another cold shower. Toad.

Hi Smokie, Well done! You managed to get GAB to break cover. Hoping for a repeat in 2004
Canada Phil

Not only that Phil, but I just got back from a weekend in rainy and cold Munich with Mrs smokie and one of the smokettes, and Mark and his herd.

gab hosted us wonderfully, taking Friday off work for a quic city tour, which set us up just right for yesterday and today.

Anyway, Toad - Mark and I now have provisional travel plans which are similar to last year - early-ish (10am) crossing from Dover on the Sunday before, drive to Gace for a last bit of overnight luxury in a moderately priced hotel, then arrive on MB before lunchtime Monday. Will be booking it shortly (if the price is right). If it doesn't change the cost I will book 4 people...otherwise if you decide to come with us we'll need to change the booking later.

Hey Moose,

I tried really hard to stay undercover because Smokie and Co. visited Munich this past weekend and as Smokie did in Sebring, he brought the rain and bad weather with him ;)
Just kidding, it was my pleasure to see Smokie (otherwise known in Munich as "Napolean") and Mark again and to meet their families. Sorry again about the sh*t weather.
Phil, look forward to seeing you and the rest of the W.A.N.K.E.R.s in June, understand that we are now halfway till race weekend, yahoo!

Smokie - I'm dead keen to hook up with you if I can - your route and plan sound ideal. Question is can you accommodate 2 bodies, with absolutely minimal luggage -  ie self & Mr Disco? (we are only needing outbound transport)

Mr Disco is off doing his final commercial pilots stuff at present, but he's due to surface in the next week and if there is an option here I can get this sorted and get you a cheque. Let me know if this is practical, but either way, thanks very much for the offer.

Yes, shouldn't be a problem - 3.0 Omega, two up with caravan so it's a bit slow moving...but plenty of space in car. (2 smokers btw...)

The hotel on the Sunday would probably cost about £35 if you want single rooms, less if you share.

We won't be leaving Wokingham, TOO early, but I'd really like to not have to go out of my way too much, what with the caravan etc...

However, there is a small chance that another mate will be travelling with us, in which case space would be a bit tight. He is supposed to be deciding in the next week or so.

Some help with the fuel and ferry costs wouldn't go amiss... ;) - we can work something out I'm sure

Smokie

I'm going to fly to H/Row (can get the 06.40 if need be)and Mr Disco lives in Surbiton, so could meet at end of M4/M25. Happy to help with all costs. Let us know once your numbers go firm - I think we would squash in, but it's a while since I've been in the back of an Omega towing a caravan. I'll track Mr Disco down in the meantime and check if he has any thoughts.

According to Mr Jez clarkson " The Omega is sumptious inside "

No probs

I'll vouch for that. We took five down in my Omega Elite a couple of years back without any problems. We may not have been towing a caravan but we are not petite members of the human race by any means!

Omega Elite? - did it have blue flashing lights on the roof?!

No No No No !!!!!

Unfortunately it did have go faster stripes down one side, from where one of our group (now lovingly known as "Pitbull") was sick out of the passenger window before we'd even made it out of the gates of the docks in France. I guess finding him asleep on the car deck should have been a bit of a giveaway??  :-\

It now belongs to another one of our Le Mans group, although he is more selective on who he lets inside!!   ;D