Club Arnage

This look slike we'll loose more decent campsite pitches at Maison Blanche: http://www.audipassion.com/2014/paris-2014-presentation-de-la-maquette-du-porsche-experience-center-le-mans  >:(

If this is a typical result of more works teams entering the WEC we'll soon all end up on Beausejour. What's next? Nissan-Showrooms along the banks of Tertre Rouge?

http://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-automobile-club-de-l-ouest-welcomes-the-french-porsche-experience-center_2_2_1746_14360.html

Looking at the image in the above, it would appear the construction, is roughly in the area of the hospitality unit on the Ford chicane, where the current driving school unit is. Although, this does not help re Maison Blanche camping, I can't see this being built on the current campsite

The new development is clearly very exciting to the photographer but I think he probably should have kept his trousers zipped... that is quite a shadow he is casting  :o

As a buyer of a large number of MB tickets over the years from one of the official agencies, this is what I have been informed about.

The ACO do not yet know what area will be lost until later in the year.
Agencies will be informed of any cut backs to allocation later in the year. Certainly the agency I have always used are not taking in more bookings for their "reserve" list.
All the plans and images do seem to show that as Jason states it's at the top end of the MB site.

My hunch is that there will be limited cut backs next year as their is no guarantee that the building will be completed in time. Any issues will happen in 2016 when Porsche could take over the whole site for guests/paying supporters. It will be bloody annoying to us regular attendees, however it does make logical sense with the investment they are making to have a grandstand presence at the exit of the curves and special camping. The down side as well could be loss of the all the camping, they could close off the area totally all general attendees for it to become a special area ticket only area. This would in turn condense the public into a smaller number of viewing areas  with crowd safety/density issues.

Borrowed from PH

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1387749&d=12714.62640&nmt=#seperator

>Martini...LB

Hi Martini,
               Thanks for posting that. I appears to me atleast that the building is somewhere between the MB entrance and the Ford Chicane Tribune so while it may make a bit of a bottle neck for foot traffic to the front straight it should have very little impact on MB camping. As they will be using the MB track the space for camping is not the issue it is weather Porsche will absorb the whole area for 24H week.
Phil

Looking at this picture and some others at the PH forum, it seems like it's pretty close to T23 (Maison Blanche) next to where the ferris wheel stands.

(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u216/lynxd67/Porschecentre_zps546b6872.jpg)

Having a look at the photos, and Google Maps, I believe the new build is going to be roughly per the attached, doesn't appear to have much to do with the campsite (at the moment)

It looks like the earth bank is going to be flattened, and the corporate hospitality marquees will have to move, possibly into MB.  Plus if you look at the Silverstone centre there's a 4x4 course and a few other bits that you couldn't erect a tent on.

Keep your fingers crossed

Unashamedly, I have copied this from Brian's email today regarding his 1st Tickets company and the future of camping at Le Mans:-

Our preparations for next year’s race are well underway and we have requested a good allocation from the circuit for all campsites.  There are significant changes to Maison Blanche, which have an impact on the amount of camping spaces available. However, the circuit have also introduced a new campsite (Epinettes) which increases the total number of camping spaces available.


The Porsche Experience Centre building work is well underway and is due to open in June 2015.  It is on the site of the Maison Blanche paddock and pit boxes used for driving experience and track days.  The development involves a three storey building and changes to the layout of the 2.9km Maison Blanche track, covering an area of over 3,000m2.


The ACO have formally informed us that the changes to the track layout will have an impact to camping on Maison Blanche and that they are “...obliged to initially cancel about 300 pitches until we know if we are able to use some of the rehabilitated areas. Unfortunately we won’t be able to switch your lost pitches to high level campsites such as Houx, Tertre Rouge”.  This represents about a 30-35% reduction of Maison Blanche. As a consequence, we expect our allocation to be reduced by a similar proportion and may not be able to meet all of our provisional bookings.  Once we receive confirmation of our ticket allocation we will then know the full extent of the impact.


On a positive note, a new campsite called Les Epinettes, will be available in 2015.  This campsite is opposite the Houx Campsite and accessed via Chemin aux Boeufs.  It adds a further 1500 camping spaces to the circuit, amply covering the reduction of spaces on Maison Blanche.

I am sure he won't mind (will you Brian?) This new camp site will be not fa from the little train nor the tram, so I hope it will become a new and vibrant camping for you all.

The last email i received from the ACO stated that 500 spaces on the new les epinettes are reserved for ACO members !!
 

That leaves 1000 for the rest of us who can't get into the sites we wanted.  Its big then

Latest reports say a large gantry has appeared next to the concrete fence, about halfway from the MB entry to the MB exit

http://youtu.be/XPrhIPNs8cg

Simple solution, just book your Porsche in for service at the centre for that weekend and sleep in the car. No need to thank me. ;D

Had a chat with Paul at Just Tickets the other day about our MB ticket reservation. He said that he doesn't know how many MB plots will be lost until they have their meeting with the ACO on dec 7.

I also had this info

Is there an update ??  ( meeting aco dec 7 th ) ??

Paul at just tickets said if it's bad news and we have lost our plots he would phone me early part of this week. So far I've had no phone call, fingers crossed!!!

mine are crossed all right

A bit delayed as I've been so busy and not had a chance to post anything for ages. I passed MB on a trip back to Blighty at the beginning of Nov. and, although the guards would not let me in I did manage to get a couple of snaps from the road. As you can see the new building is much closer to the fence than the map above indicates, hopefully meaning that a few less pitches will be lost overall.

This looks like verry close to the ferry wheel / commercial area.

No campsite plots for the next 1000 meter

The ladder tower looks to be on the piss.

Seems appropriate.....

Nothing like going to a race to be greeted with razor wire...WTF?

Well, there being little definite news I decided to ring the press office who put me through to reservations. As of today, the number of places lost, which was provisionally 300, is now 500. That is official. So many of you will find yourselves by default at Les Epinettes, the new camping site opposite Houx on the other side of the Bugatti circuit. A long way from the pits and village I'm afraid, but there are the baby trains since you aren't far from the tram terminus and Antares, the cultural centre.

I wish they would make their minds up. I have just had an email today  from Just Tickets who we have our reservation with on MB saying no decision has been made but the ACO will let the agencies know by the end of this month!!
If they get any news earlier, they said they would let me know.

tbh its pissing me right off to

The longer it takes, the fewer places there'll be in other sites.  Wonderful.

I'd heard that they're trying to work out how long the building work will take, and what'll actually be left in June.

Patiance / Patience is that a French word ??

Has the old, slightly smelly toilet/shower block at the entrance to MB survived?

Hi Barry,
             I certainly hope so.
Phil

If you look at these photos taken months ago you'll see that the Porsche centre is at the extreme left of Maison Blanche, so doesn't totally impinge on the camping:-

(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u216/lynxd67/20141029_170725_zpsdc3f5d72.jpg) (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/lynxd67/media/20141029_170725_zpsdc3f5d72.jpg.html)

(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u216/lynxd67/20141029_170654_resized_zpsec32a719.jpg) (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/lynxd67/media/20141029_170654_resized_zpsec32a719.jpg.html)

(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u216/lynxd67/20141029_170747_resized_zps75bec2d7.jpg) (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/lynxd67/media/20141029_170747_resized_zps75bec2d7.jpg.html)

The main MB entrance is over 100 yds away and your whiffy loo is preserved. If I am passing I'll take more photos.

Thx
One thing that puzzles me is if it's so near the grandstand complex, then how are they are supposedly losing 500 camping pitches?

Hi Barry,
            I think the problem has more o do with the construction site rather than the actual building. i.e. machines and supply dumps etc taking up additional space beyond the foot print of the building.
I predict plenty of open space but not used come race day.
Phil

In other words, they have no idea how much space they'll have available, so they've picked a number. I wouldn't be surprised if any spaces left end up being sold on the gate or at the ticket office just before and during race week. I have to stop by the ticket office when I arrive in June anyway, so might well ask if they've any MB space available still.

In addition, there is a 4x4 course and a few other bits, that must be in the camping area

Yes the one at Silverstone has a hill course, skid pan, parking areas etc all of which would reduce the camping space if repeated at LM

As of yesterday, 500 pitches is still the confirmed number. Thise who lose their places are being bumped to Houx and those who lose Houx to Les Epinettes.I drove past yesterday and the building, externally at least, seems pretty well finished with the obligatory hand rails on the roof for paying spectators. However, and correct me if I'm wrong here, I don't seem to remember a large llamp post with four big spots near the toilet block at the entrance to Maison Blanche. Anyway, it's there now.

Well, the bad news is I've had the call from just tickets and as Maison blanche is losing plots, we have lost ours😥 He gave us a choice of money back, blue Nord, Houx, Houx annexe, expo or Terte rouge. After a brief call to Rhino we have decide to try Terte rouge this year.
He did reckon that MB may be back to normal next year though.
So if anyone fancies a cold one, come visit Team booze n tabs on Terte rouge this year.

we are probably on Houx now

Hi, is there any news on the new Les Epinettes site?  OK it's not MB, but it may not be half bad.

Aricus

I have just heard that the 2015 Le Mans Legends Pits will be located within MB in the circuit-side part of the newly re-developed Porsche Experience area.

(http://i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae77/Raceshot/Schermafbeelding%202015-05-12%20om%2011.19.56_zpsbqvxjksu.png) (http://s959.photobucket.com/user/Raceshot/media/Schermafbeelding%202015-05-12%20om%2011.19.56_zpsbqvxjksu.png.html)

Picture I took from Lotterer's instagram, gives a good view on MB and the new Porsche centre

A lot more bitumen / black in stead of green.

And a black circle on "our "spot ???

It looks like the old MB viewing bank may be back in business, as the concrete wall appears to have gone, and they've cut down all the trees

Hi Max,
          The skid pad / circle appears to be on "The Golden Triangle" where I used to camp with the WANCS and Smokie back before we were evicted to BN. Anyone remember Lake George ?
Phil

Oh yes, Lake George and my buddies having to paddle in the poop to rescue their motorbikes... hard to forget really!! :-)

It looks like the main building is where the wheel used to be, wonder where it's going to go this year.

I'm not sure it has actually lost any actual area, it just that it's been paved over, as you say Phil, blank not green.  Is that an opportunity to put motor homes on the black bits?.

Aricus

Just wondering has anyone stayed on the relatively new epinettes campsite ?

Wasn't it open last year ?
and if so what are the opinions on it if you have stayed there ?

We are there this year (looks handy for the tram into town on Friday anyway)

I read there is a concert on the friday night next to the karting centre and this is the new location of the fair ground. 

Found the link here

https://www.autoclub.fr/en/news/2015-24-hours-of-le-mans-concerts-jabberwocky-cali-and-charlie-winston-top-the-bill-_9_2_2477_20072.html

The concert venue and fairground stuff would certainly take up the wodge that has been removed from MB for camping....

I hope that Big Irta's sound system will override random concert interference.....

MG Mark

Just about to post that. So the weeks "concerts " are on the Karting track. A week of EuroTechnic music, Anyone got an EMP?

Am I missing something on that link? All I see is "Counting all these artists, the warm-up acts and DJs who will complete Saturday night’s entertainment, some nine groups will appear on the stage beside the Dunlop Footbridge." Which sounds like the normal concert location to me.

it only seems to be the friday concert at the new location. Read down to the bottom of the link.

And here is the photo you have all be waiting for - the new 4x4 experience just on the inside of the Porsche Curves before Beauséjour. I am informed that the Centre, while part of Porsche France, will be for the exclusive use of the Germans during race week.

(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u216/lynxd67/IMG_1033_zpsxtjsohrd.jpg) (http://s169.photobucket.com/user/lynxd67/media/IMG_1033_zpsxtjsohrd.jpg.html)

I Have got a Subaru ! ?