Club Arnage

Some info on the works being planned for the next few years. If you click on the road sign it shows whats being done
Terte rouge is going to be reprofiled

http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/d...vaux/index.html

The site of the new cycle velodrome

http://site.voila.fr/fdlm2/divers/lemans02.jpg

A new football stadium is due to be built over the next few years. you can see how close is to the Houx annexe site and the cycle velodrome

http://site.voila.fr/fdlm2/divers/lemans01.jpg
____________________
 
Thanks to JJSS for the info.

Why Why Why!!!!!!

If it aint broke, don't fix it can't translate into French

Anyway, Tetre Rouge is being reprofiled for safety, and given larger run off areas.  The main tunnel to the village is being enlarged, and the road from there to Dunlop being reprofiled to make it safer for the bikes.  You'll recall they ruined the exit from Dunlop too.  Then, they're building a tram station and tunnel near the first Mulsane chicane.  All this plus the village rebuild - will we recognise the place?

Gradzinsky et Traploir must be making a fortune out of this

Delilah!!

Ignoring the ongoing ruination of the track, which is a bloody disgrace, frankly, I'm prepared to give the ACO the benefit of the doubt on changes to the Village.
The old Village was crap, a ramshackle collection of old wooden sheds form the 60s and 70s. Yes, I used to love the smell and atmosphere, but shiny and new will be much better.

However, if all they do is knock down the old ones and put up a load of glorified tents and portacabins, I will be furious. This is what they did with the wonderful old tribunes, which had witnessed races going back pre-war. I'm all for change, but only provided it's change for the better.

The Town Council are to be applauded too for the new tram link; it'll make getting to/from the parade on the friday so much easier. Just leave the Stella Bar alone!

"Change" has been a big thing over recent years.  Years ago we had a similar concept.  I think it was called improvement.  Evolution, not revolution.

I agree, there must be a fear that the new village will be portacabins and polytents

Andy,

How you doin' bud...

You mentioned something about a tram link... As you say, great for the parade etc... Do you or any body know when this is scheduled to open...?

Gilles, have you any info ?


Best wishes to all...

DW

ps : Welcome back Robbo...! Illegitime nil carborundum (or something like that ...)

I am quite hopeful of the village refurb, I understand the old one has already been flattened.
The atmophere left the place a few years ago and the renewal was overdue I feel.

Hopefully it won't be a concrete waste land with no trees full of shops selling deck chairs and other tat.

I am reading 'A French Kiss with Death' at the moment, there is a history of the circuit as part of the book with pictures of the old village layout, it looked to have been more open then, maybe the ACO will be able to capture some of the feel.

The book also gives a history of the track layout, it has hardly ever stayed the same for more than a few years since it was born. I cared little for the dunlop chicane and the revison will make no differance to me. Terte Rouge on the other hand, to reprofile it will change the track in a big way I feel.

The thing about a tram to the first Huaudieres chicane might mean real actual access to the Mulsanne straight  though mightn't it. Will ACO be making a viewing area there at last? (OK I can dream can't I?)

I don't see the sense of a football stadium by the Antares Parking area either. Has France a different football close season to us?

 ???

Questions questions...

whats the betting the tram link runs alongside the N138...   so go guess when it wont be running!

http://www.ville-lemans.fr/download.do?uuid=7D3AF4E6-7F000001-245D0CEB-011637E0

Opens 2007

Looks like the Stella Bar may become a 'Depot' then  :-\

I wonder how the tramway will affect the run onto the Mulsanne straight from Tertre Rouge?  According to the ACO site, that is one area of the circuit that is being modified.  Added to the fact that the old allotments have been abandoned and it all starts to make sense.

At least we'll be able to take the tram to town for the parade - or will it stop running at 6 pm  ::)

Another (edited) thought.  The map shows a 320 car parking area at Antares.  Also, other plans show a football stadium in that area.  This may be the death of Houx Annexe (he says, hoping this is not true).

Looking at the proposed works how do you think they plan to get the tram lines across the mulsanne straight?  above it or below it?

I think there's mention of a tunnel, and it doesn't look as if the station is in Houx Annexe.  But everything in France stops at 6pm, with one obvious exception

That was my first thought, the photo shows how close the stadium is. In fact it may have been the cause of the rumours last year that the annexe was not going to be used this year.

I have been told that the football and cycle staduim will share the car park between them, at least for the next couple of year.

Thinking about the tram, even if it takes 100 people, there won't be many of us going into town that way on Friday.  Its not going to get many to the football either. And here endeth the lesson on the benefits of public transport

Tram passes below the mulsanne straight...

.. in fact the tunnel is nearly made !!!!

I suppose it must, otherwise what a marvellous viewing platform 8)

Here are some pictures taken by JJSS taken from the 10/10ths Fourm, of Tertre Rouge corner.

http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/01.jpg

http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/02.jpg

Welcome motel was here.
http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/03.jpg

http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/04.jpg

http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/05.jpg

this is the old Dunlop VIP center (building at the end of the pit lane)
http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/06.jpg

this is the bidge where the tramway will arrive next to tertre rouge.
http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/07.jpg

http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/09.jpg

http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/10.jpg

http://site.voila.fr/lemans/travaux/11.jpg

Credit to JJSS

They don't waste any time asking us if we'd like it to change do they? It looks as if the clubhouse at the Welcome area is going to stay at least, my favourite spot for night photo's that is! :(

Would any of our band have updates of how work is/not (delete inapplicable) progressing, especially the Tram service to and from LM?

You won't have tram service for this year, maybe nor june 2007.

Tertre Rouge is unrecognizable... after the tram line they will begin in July 2007 the construction of the football stadium, 25000 covered seats just inside the tertre rouge turn.

Gilles, will that be where the old gardens / allotments were or further towards or into Houx Annexe?

I fear this is the begining of the end for Houx Annexe. With a football stadium and the periferal carparks that will be needed there probibly won't be a lot of field space left. This could explain why BSJ is increasing in size every year. Bollocks, why can't they leave well alone?

It's where the old gardens were, and that's the reason why these gardens have been relocated at Beausejour.

Not sure however that HA would be so much affected with car parks. These car parks for the stadium would be shared with the Antares existing ones and "only" 2500 new places created.

Could you imagine in a few years a "England vs France" football match a Saturday/Sunday evening in mid-june ??  ::) ??  :o ??

Judging by the size of Madjeski stadium in Reading, (from the aerial photos), which I think is also a 25000 seater and built a few years ago, there is just space to fit it in to the area with the allotments, without annexing Houx Annexe.  It'll lower the tone of the place of course.

A football stadium at Tetre Rouge!!
I can only think it must be for the visiting American fans. The ACO will put them up in there no problem, charge two hundred euros for a ticket, lock the doors and turn the water off. The VIPs'll be taking pot-shots at them from an Audi sponsored chopper and christ knows what my mate Ahmed will be up to.
H

It's not only a soccer stadium, but could also host american football and rugby teams.

And there's a gallery looking the tertre rouge and beginning of Hunaudieres straight, plus a 65 rooms-hotel.

No further questions my Lord! - it's an ambush I tell you. Sergeant, take him down!

Ahoy-oy Gilles,
A year or two ago I was in the Antares centre for some of the race, there is also a balcony there with views of Tetre Rouge and the Mulsanne. I have to admit though, that after about ten minutes I was bored to the point of experimenting with the Vol-au-Vents. It's no way to watch a motor race if you ask me, or any other sport for that matter. You're miles from the action, the sound is muted and you might as well watch it on the TV. It's all about feeling and smelling the action as well, isn't it? Which brings me onto the lavatorial facilities at the Antreres, they were nothing short of superlative, which I suppose is one reason for being there. And that could be a very good reason depending on what you'd been eating over the past few days.
H

Last week the ACO laid 1000 tons of tarmac for the new Dunlop chicane in Artic conditions.  They're still doing the tram tunnel.  They've dug up 60,000 cubic meters of muck, most of which has gone to the Red Hillock viewing area - any clues where that is?

Details are only in French but news updates are at http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/pages/som_actualite.html

And its was the ACOs hundredth birthday

Also, some very good photgraphs of the development works here.  http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/dossiers/travaux/index.html

Red Hillock Viewing Area... typical of automatic translation... it's just Tertre Rouge hill they set up for a better viewing, probably outside the corner, next the entrance, but havn't check yet...

Spot on - "à l'intérieur du virage du Tertre Rouge."
So there could be a decent viewing area there now (the ground was always a little low) or this is for the stadium. 

Is there still an underpass there?  I think there used to be a Dunlop bridge years ago.

I was thinking of the hill going up to the Dunlop grandstand, where the mud/dust is unbelievably red. 

Just browsing through the pix of the ongoing work at the circuit, it seems to me they'll be making a hell of a mess of the surface. Some of it will be just chewed up and need relaying, as well as a lot of new areas where the earths been moving.
I remember after the ACO butchered the Dunlop hill, nearly all of the drivers had a good old moan about the change of surface where the new track met the old. It seems to me it's going to be worse this time round, the teams will want to make sure they have a good dentist in the crew I reckon. I'm no driveway layer, but I would imagine that close to zero temperatures aren't exactly ideal for rolling hot ashphalt either.
It'll be another excuse for bits dropping off the zytek I suppose.
H

If you think the car guys will bitch about the surface changes, wait until the bikers come across it!  At Mid-Ohio they had to lay down cement patches at the apex of the corners where the CART Champ Cars buckled the tarmac, and every year the bikers go ape-sh*t about having to run over those.
Fax

agreed, but surely it couldn't be any more difficult/worse than the public sections of the "track"  The Mulsanne straight (N138) has juggernauts trundling over it all day long and they do a good job of chewing it up, just a thought.

I am guessing that the track work is complete?

There is a motorbike meeting there this week end so unless its motorX we should get to see how the revised/f**ked up track layout works.

Now I'm no expert but racing on gravel seems a little dangerous to me.

Bastards. That grandstand is now one hell of a distance from the track.  :o Another nail in the coffin of the paying fan  :(

I wonder if Dunlop will be sponsoring binoculars for the people in the Grandstand so they might be able to see the cars in the distance?

I'd be pretty hacked off if I'd paid €80 for a seat in there!

The grandstand will face the cars coming round the chicane. I would guess that you would be as close as you normally were.

They will be in view a lot longer too, given that their speed through the chicane wiil probably be 30% less than in previous years. :(

Rick, look at the ACO page here and you will see the amount the track has been moved away from the grandstand.

http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/dossiers/travaux/index_gb.html

and a couple of befre and afters.

l hope the tractor isn't a part of a French farmers blockade ::)

You've heard of Racing for Holland, and Drinking for Holland, well...the tractor is the Farming for Holland entry  :-[

Hey!! Watch it or I'll take some wooden shoes with me to kick you!

First a tractor....and now you want to CLOG up the track as well????  ::) ;D ;D

You have no idea what we could be 'Farming for Holland' of course. ;D Allthough I guess you DO have an idea! ::)

Why the hell are they moving it away from the grandstand area's - biting the hand thats feeds them really!

Try reading the info from the ACO, from the link!!!  dah.


At the request of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) the approach to the Dunlop Bridge is to be modified once more in order to improve safety for motorcycle competitors. The reason is the increasing power of MotoGP bikes, which now enter the area at over 300 kph (186 mph); the highest recorded speed at this point is 323 kph (200.7 mph)!

The safety requirements will be fulfilled by creating an almost 90-degree left-right chicane, which will lower speeds before the bridge, and bigger run-off areas. The modifications will involve changes to some 800 metres of the circuit, beginning at the end of the pits straight.

Bloody Hell, That's fast, why can' they let us what on the Mulsanne then????

And you moaned about my typo in another thread!!!!!!!  ;)

Whoops.

Bloody Hell, That's fast, why can't they let us whatch on the Mulsanne then????

Getting closer Rick but still no cigar!  :)

(http://dfh.vandijkonline.net/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif)

For those with EuroSport the coverage of the 24hr bike race is on this weekend, you can see first hand the changes to the Dunlop chicane area.

It looks very tight and the bikes are crawling thru there, its going to be hard to watch the cars going thru there without laughing it's so pathatic.

The pit straight looks a bit strange without the ACO building as well.

I'm watching it, Keith is out there and says that the place is "a nightmare" and in his opinion is nowhere near being finished.  Half of the roads around the circuit are being dug up for the tram route (including the one to Carrefour - so watch this space for info on that). 

I think Paddy might have to finish working on his interim 'poo bar design - I'm not sure that there is going to be one!

As an addition.....that gravel trap at Dunlop is huuuuugggggeeeee.....I reckon we could use it as a beach on Mad Friday!  ;D  Anyone fancy taking the pool up  ;D

If I didn't know the place I would say I could be any GP circuit anywhere. They have completely Knocked the soul out of the place.
I am glad I have got some good memories, not a lot to look forward to for the next generation of Lemansters

As a photo op and to make a point not a bad idea! ;D

Carrying the buckets of water may be a bit of a chore, I think a long hose may be required!

Nah - we'll fake it and photoshop the water in later  ;D ;D

Full report and pic's are coming up soon. Here is one to keep you going...


POO BAR ??

Get cracking then Paddy, we need a surefire backup plan!!!!

Beer is 40 euro a barrel, start donating I would say. ;D

Bargain, at 40 euro a barrel, the pool could be filled with the beer and the huuugeeeee dunlop beach used in place of the poo bar.

too much work to move our bar to the infield :-\
besides, we've got our own party on Friday night, don't want to arrange two parties in a row...

As i have mentioned in another thread i was in Reims this weekend and saw on the TV whilst trying to find porn which i thought was on all the time on French telly but could not find on a saturday night which was disapointing(SP), sorry i digress, anyway i saw the 24hr LM bikes, and got me thinking is the village rebuilt yet?

Surely even bikers want to drink somewhere nicer than sand and mud banks.

Anyone go to this and have reports/pics of what is up and what is not?