Club Arnage

Club Arnage => General Discussion => Topic started by: Robbo SPS on October 12, 2005, 01:17:21 am



Title: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Robbo SPS on October 12, 2005, 01:17:21 am
My lot are going Wednesday lunchtime this year to save a few quid on the ferry costs


Just wondered ( as i am bored ) whats the idea / history for your group


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: jpchenet on October 12, 2005, 01:26:18 am
History has been Wednesday overnighter or Thursday overnighter. This year however an advance party left on the Sunday overnighter. Always via Portsmouth or Poole.

Same plans this year!! (although we won't be saving such a large area  :-[


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Steve Pyro on October 12, 2005, 09:32:37 am
My band of cobrateers have always, traditionally, travelled down very early morning on Wednesday. to arrive in HA late afternoon - then to the Stella bar for 'supper'  ;)


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Nordic on October 12, 2005, 09:55:51 am
Various times of day and days have been tried, the best was late tue or wed evening newhaven crossing, then night drive to the circuit arriving about 5 or 6am. The problem with this was that you felt like sh*t for the first couple of days due to the lack of sleep.

Now we mostly go early Wednesday morning, arriving mid-late afternoon. This does vary as each crew member books there own ferry now and some have used the St Malo or cherboug crossing in recent years.


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Nobby Diesel on October 12, 2005, 10:05:03 am
We have gone Newhaven-Dieppe in the past, on Thursday morning. The demise of this route meant that we changed to Speedferries.

Always leave the circuit straight after the race, Rouen bound. Stay there the night and then this year, we went up to Le Touquet for a seafood lunch, prior to the boat home on Monday afternoon.


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Bob U on October 12, 2005, 10:30:51 am
Our bunch of merry men always travel down on Thursday evening due to the tight gits I work for only giving me 20 days leave a year. Mostly do Dover/Calais but did try Pompey/Le Havre a couple of times. Arrive on Houx Annexe early Friday morning and are most grateful to fellow CAers for saving us space. Always leave 10ish Monday after finishing of all the booze on Sunday night.

We did think of leaving on Sunday night this year due to someone who shall remain nameless burning garden furniture and a white wall tyre causing a smokescreen that a Royal navy destroyer would have been proud of ;D


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Paddy_NL on October 12, 2005, 11:37:01 am
Ideally I would like to leave Sunday morning. We'll have plenty of work again at MB for '06, and it's just nice to see the site gradually fill up. If only we can work on transport, bl00dy French law doesn't allow us to travel on Sunday with 7.5t+ :-\


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Kpy on October 12, 2005, 12:37:57 pm
bl00dy French law doesn't allow us to travel on Sunday with 7.5t+ :-\
No offence Paddy, but having lorries off the road on Sundays is one of the great pleasures of living in France.


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Robbo SPS on October 12, 2005, 12:40:16 pm
bl00dy French law doesn't allow us to travel on Sunday with 7.5t+ :-\
No offence Paddy, but having lorries off the road on Sundays is one of the great pleasures of living in France.

I agree, its the one day you are assured of making most progress, Dont live in france though


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Steve Pyro on October 12, 2005, 01:50:25 pm

We did think of leaving on Sunday night this year due to someone who shall remain nameless burning garden furniture and a white wall tyre causing a smokescreen that a Royal navy destroyer would have been proud of ;D

Ooops !  ::)

(http://www.hillingdon.gov.uk/environment/emergency_plan/images/tyrefiresmall.jpg)


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Lorry on October 12, 2005, 02:26:31 pm
......, bl00dy French law doesn't allow us to travel on Sunday with 7.5t+ :-\
I thought it was the Dutch that were banned.

We always go in good time to see the scrutineering on Monday and Tuesday, but go on the p!ss instead,  as one does.  The issue is trying to break in on a Sunday - we've given up.


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Barry on October 12, 2005, 02:41:05 pm
In my ideal world I would have bought the house that was for sale 3 years ago those back garden gave you a excellent view of the exit at Indianapolis, and the run down to Arnage. So you could leave 5 minutes before the start of the race, pick your way through CA tents, and sit in a comfortable lounger with a Pimms in your hand, refilled on request by one of my kids on waiter duty. 8)

Back to reality. :'(

Tuesday overnight, gives you time to set up camp, and then see Wednesday qualifying.
Back Monday, so you can drink Sunday.
Would like to go Sunday but at least if you go Tues/Mon you can reply during one of those awkward discussions with the wife about LM "but I'm only away 6 days not a week" ;)


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: mgmark on October 12, 2005, 08:41:33 pm
Fairly straightforward with us - One of us (usually me) travels down on Tuesday, to arrive and set up on KN that evening, a couple more normally pitch up on the Wednesday with the rest on Thursday or Friday dependent upon work commitments.

MG Mark


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Ferrari Spider on October 13, 2005, 12:44:10 pm
Sunday for me, getting onto the camp site is easy, just drive through the main gate, as long as you have all the correct tickets.

I'm with Paddy, its great to see the camp site fill up and greet all those familiar faces.  Also you get into the swing of things as well.


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Perdu on October 13, 2005, 02:27:41 pm
I prefer Wednesday, as early as possible (OK don't laugh Steve, I did have a minor loss of clutch fluid you know) but most of our lot want to arrive on Thursday and as we are booking "en-lump" next year I s'pose it'll be Thursday earlyish. The New motorway should be a big help though, no slow traffic at Sees and suchlike Gendarmerie haunts.

 :D


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Barry on October 13, 2005, 03:42:24 pm
suchlike Gendarmerie haunts.


Had 3 close calls with the Gendarmes and their hair dryers on the way back to Boulogne on the autoroutes last bank holiday Sunday.
I suspect that there will be a lot of mobile traps on the new motorway LM week. :(


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Doris on October 13, 2005, 04:59:38 pm
Tuesday overnight, gives you time to set up camp, and then see Wednesday qualifying.
Back Monday, so you can drink Sunday.

Totally agree with you on this Barry.  I've always done out Tuesday evening, back Monday evening.  Although toying with the idea of going earlier next year.


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: Mr. Invincible Mou on October 13, 2005, 06:26:04 pm
Traditionally, my lot have always gone early Thursday morning, aiming to arrive sometime before the race, depending on whatever adventures befall us  ::) We usually sometime Thursday evening, but the one year we had a boring run down, it was mid afternoon  ;)

Personally, I would now like to get there earlier, possibly on the Sunday or Monday, and see more of the actual town and sights.


Title: Re: Best day to travel to Le Mans
Post by: DelBoy on October 13, 2005, 06:35:52 pm
We used to come over late wednesday, arriving at LM about 11pm.  This year we came overnight tuesday, arriving (in the rain) 11.00 am on the wednesday - much better.

Next year, as I havn't got ferries (or work) to worry about, I'll be there Sunday or Monday.

Del