Club Arnage

Hi,  ;D

This will be our 3rd trip to le mans.  In the past we have stayed at BJ and MB campsites and had amazing weekends.  We were looking fwd to staying at MB again this year, but due to a mix up we now have a ticket for Camping Houx. 

Has anyone stayed there before?  Would you say it is better/worse that the likes of MB and BJ is any way?  I have been told that it is the most civilised campsite, so at the moment we have mixed feelings about what to expect in comparison to our previous crazy trips!

Any comments/advise welcome!

Looks as though I should have posted this in the HELP section...  Sorry!  Anyone know how to move posts?

I wouldnt worry about it too much - topic headings arent that strict!!!

F

Houx is not buy any means as civilized as standard UK campsites. I have stayed on Houx twice but only headed there because of it locality and electric points.

There was a huge group of people on Houx in 2002 I think that were playing video's on the side of the gazeebo until around 4am. Many of us stayed to to watch. You are also not too far from the Annexe so you should be able to head over there if you find it to subtle.

Houx seems to mainly be used by car clubs now so expect to see lots of tvr's!!

Haven't stayed on Houx since it was refurbished in the early 90's, and I'm sure other Houx CAers will add their comments, but one major downside of Houx is the size of the pitches.  These are all marked out, and are only big enough for a decent size frame tent plus the car. 

Del

I've only stayed on houx one since they added the power and marked out places.   You still get a few characters on there but not the big groups you get on the rather more unregulated places like HA, MB, KN and BSJ. 

Houx is the only site I have first hand knowelege of a theft.   ( A guy not far from where I was camping lost a Moter Bike.)

T.

We lost about £300 worth of goods on Expo 3 years ago.....since then we have been on the wonderful vibrant MB!!!!!....Shame about the noisy Dutch neighbours tho ;D

Our fault we failed to pack things away before we went up for the finish of the race.......I guess the 5 previous years we had no probs and I suppose you become complacent until you're robbed by the local................" Pikey's."

Heyyyyyy :'( What's wrong with Dutch neighbours????

Absolutely nothing!!!!!!.....The Dutch could not be a more friendly race than you can imagine...........many years ago I took my classic car to the european meeting up in Akersloot and the travelled into Germany.
On the way back I broke down on the motorway about 100k's from Vlissigen.

I was in the middle of sorting the problem ......When this car pulled up and this "huge" local farmer came over to ask if all was Ok,to which I said I had repaired the car and would be off shortly.

He offered help if i needed it and said he was in the fields across the road and if I wanted any further help ,just come over .

What a very,very nice man.

So the moral to the story is if you break down in an "old timer" there is always help in Holland :) :)

We stayed on Houx a couple of years back as we couldn't arrive until Friday so it was good to know we had a guaranteed pitch.  The showers and loos are excellent.   With only an AH Sprite and a two man tent the pitch size was more than enough.  My only beef was that some people spilled off their pitches and blocked the 'alleys' between pitches so you couldn't get your car out / in if you wanted to.  The attendant did their best but if someone isn't there you can't make them move their car!

And doesn't it contain the same sinks as seen on the start of Steve McQueens Le Mans film.

They were there untill they revamped the site and put in the Electric and started making out the Places.  So they have been gone for 7 or seven years.

t.

We were camped near the video screen in 2002.

You still get fireworks.

Remember in 1996, people racing their cars in the campsite. There was a 924 that hit one of the oil drum bins and took flight and badly damaged his car. He was going round the campsite asking for someone to tow him back to Le Harve.  To our surprise we saw him and his car at Le Harve ferry.

The man in the bar will probably have his room at a fee available to watch the world club. In 2004 he charged 10 euro to watch tv.

You're wrong about the McQueen basins, they are still there, half way down by the large toilet block.  I've stayed in Houx a number of times always good.  It's got a great atmosphere, just like all the other campsites.  Electric is a bonus.

I thought they were still there too, just haven't stayed on Houx for a couple of years and didn't want to comment.

When me and Dad watch the Steve McQueen DVD we spend half the time pointing out the fixings that  are still used at the circuit today!

We camped on Houx a couple of years ago.  It's different to our preferred "home" of MB.  If you can't get down until late it's nice to know that you don't have to worry about where to pitch.

BUT lots of the pitches have trees in them and if you get one it's very difficult to get a car and your tent on the pitch (especially if you've got the Chateau that we had to pitch!! ;D) 

We got less sleep on Houx than on MB as the Danes at the end of our row played "EuroTrash" until 4am each morning  ::)

There were more showers and toilets but on balance I prefer MB  ;D

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

Thank you for everyones thoughts on Camping Houx.  The great news for me is that I've managed to do a ticket swap so we're back on MB!!!

Roll on the 13th!!!

Great News, sure you would have enjoyed Houx but as the main CA contingent is on MB it looks to be the best site by far. Certainly if we are to compare MB to HA!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D

Shurely shome mishtake.

Some of the CA contingent is on MB.

And a small but perfectly formed group with be on Bleu Nord too.   Lets not confuse quantity with quality!

F

I wholeheartedly endorse your sentiment Fran.

Just a couple of things to say about Non-MB Campers.

Empty vessels make the most noise and:

it is better to remain silent and let people think you are fool, rather than speak, and remove all doubt.

I shall now go and contemplate the silence ;D  Lucky bar**ards going to LM.

Next year, fingers crossed, you wait.

Define main please

Is it main as in most important?

Is it main as in majority?

Or is it main as in amount of Le Mans knowledge?

I think you could be wrong on all counts.

We have a Global Moderater with us and not the common or garden type.

There are more CAers than you would think on HA.

And I think Nordic could piss all over anyone on MB with his Le Mans knowledge.

So, there you have it Rick, consider your self well and truly put in your place.

Totally agree with you Fran, sometimes it's good to be away from the totalitarian masses.  ;)

HA Roundabout Perhaps!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRexPjRoMug&search=le%20mans