Club Arnage

Our group usually looks forward to a ride on the ferris wheel, a visit to the Wall of Death and then a bit of innocent perving in the red lorry.
However, I searched the fair (both sides) high and low and couldn't find either the strip show or the Wall of Death.
I know the fair has been split and moved around since the track mods below the Dunlop last year, but, even with the grandstands at the Esses there was vast amounts of empty space on the outside of the circuit.
I would have thought there would have been plenty more 'attractions' willing to take money from us punters as in previous years.
Has the ACO sanitised the fair?  I know we all go to see a motor race but an evenings harmless amusement was missed this year.  We had to drink beer and fall asleep at Arnage Corner instead.  ???

The fun fair this year was official CRAP.

Next year the t.w.a.t.s. are taking their own 'sex tent'!!!

Sounds good, where do I get my Executive Pass?

A      T.W.A.T  tent -the mind boggles  :o

My first year at Le Mans was in 2001. The funfair (which was all located on the outside of the track) was massive and was absolutely buzzing with atmosphere. I cannot believe how the organisers f**cked this up over the last couple of years (particularly this year). There are a lot of people at Le Mans with money to spend.

It wasn't just the fair that was scaled down though - did anyone else think that the village had "shrunk" somewhat over the last year ???

Seemed much the same size to me, even a couple of new bars had sprung up. Have to agree that the fair is now a shadow of it's former self though.

What was missing though was the 'Giant Screen' that has always been in the area opposite the Radio LM shop. They kept referring to it on the broadcast but I never saw it, and I can't have been THAT pi**ed that I missed it.

Anyone else see it?

Pete

the funfair had to be split up due to the change to the Esses, but yes the only thing missing was the strip show and the wall off death hence the hugh void left in the middle where the shows and crowds would have been.

I was sober(riding motorbike) all weekend and toured the sites twice or more during my taxi services and never saw the big screen in village either........... perhaps its time to stop doing the whole 24 hrs.

Also, there's previously been more 'corporate' stands in the village.  I know that less big name manufacturers entered this year but we missed the likes of the MG stand (with the MG girls) and Chevrolets bigger stand with some classic Corvettes.  I mean, they had a Vauxhall VX220 on their stand this year for pitys sake!!!!!

The big screen was  not in its usual place in the village (in the "square" next to the Gran Marnier stand and one of the bars.

There were 2 next to the track begining and end of the pit straight.

Audi UK had 2 in the "stadium" where JK played on Saturday but I don't know if they relayed the race.

I also think that the village had shrunk. no stalls on the walk up to the Dunlop Bridge on the inside of the track. Last year around the shower block there were all sorts of bits and pieces and yes the fun fair was not good. We had a Le Mans virgin with us and he was desperate to explore the naughty side. Oh well never mind, he will have to keep on visiting dodgy web sites instead.

We really missed the 'boom-boom' shows and the wall of death - there is now more naughtyness at the village fete!  Anyone else remember the Fattest Lady' show, with a humungeous pair of knickers being showed off outside the trailer ?  We also noticed that the catering is now all 'corporate' , with the small steak/frites and Merguez stalls only apparent at Arnage. Its almost as though Bernie Ecclestone has taken charge !!

Ahhh, you mean "IRTA" - I remember that trailer well. Never saw her, mind :-(

But on the general subject of the fair shrinking/things missing, I agree entirely.

Both myself and my father made our annual pilgrimage this year (14th) and several things were noticeable:-

1) The lack of certain things in the fair.

2) The fact that none of the food/drink stalls had any prices displayed - we suspect that this is simply because they're getting too expensive, know it and don't want to put people off initially. OK, it's a cartel situation in that they all charge the same.

3) You almost expect to be ripped-off drink pricewise in the circuit, but perhaps less so in the surrounding villages. The restaurant that we always go to on Thursday lunchtime (La Vielle Cloche in Arnage) seems to have been bought since last year and you can see the changes - we were being charged 3 Euros for a 'glass' of beer and the same for a 200ml bottle of coke - this is more than the circuit !  The drinks prices seemed pretty much uniform in Arnage bars, too - I smell a conspiracy.

I worry about the future of similar at Le Mans due to this sort of thing - what was once a cheap holiday is now becoming more expensive - what with the ferries becoming extortionate (400 quid return Brittany, Portsmouth-Caen).

I also worry if the FIA/Uncle Bernie ever get their fingers into the Le Mans pie - can you see the line of thinking, "Hang on - we're charging 200 quid for entry at a Grand Prix and only 40-odd quid for a week ?"

Time will tell, I guess.

Mrs Dreamracers noted last year that there are far too many "pretty people" at Le Mans and wondered how long until it was like a GP for price and access....  Not long by the sound of it my love!

I caught the fair a few times in the early 90s, was a wonderful place, but looks like the ACO are weening us off it.  The ACO had a LOT of 'official' ACO merchandise stands this year too....

Yup -

The fair has been scaled down and split in the last 2 years because of the circuit changes to the Dunlop bridge > Esses section.   At the same time, the bungee crane (stand underneath for the shopwers of money and mobile phones)and the "traditional" fair attractions have disappeared, probably in the name of legislation (although that never seems to bother the french normally)

The ACO corporate T-shirt stands have now virtually cornered the non-corporate/team clothing market and, I imagine, it is a deliberate move.   Definitely fewer stands in the village, with less variety.

The in-circuit prices for drinks are high,  so we normally hike a load in the rucksack on each trip up to the track.   For food, it  is not too bad and at least it is the same price across the circuit, although this seems to be confined to the village area - there was a great non-corporate food/drink stand at Tetre Rouge this year as well as Arnage.  

As far as the local hostelries are concerned, it may be reasonably confined to Arnage, because that is where all the Brits go.... Our normal places in Mulsanne village for eating and drinking have stayed reasonable through the years. :)

Fewer manufacturers, sadly, means fewer corporate stands in the village, although some of the sponsors were notable by their absence (where was De Walt this year?).

I guess there isn't that much call for power tools on the campsites  ;)

Hmmmm. Mind you, I could certainly have done with a good petrol strimmer to shift the acres of advancing weeds, which are starting to cover the taps on Maison Blanche. Instead, I chucked a load of weedkiller on it, in a forlorn hope for next year.

I mean, is it *really* too much to ask of the ACO (who let's face it, are making an, errr, large amount of money from the campsites) to actually cut all the weeds back for next year ?

I was in Karting Nord in 2002 instead of the usual Houx Annexe.  I was amazed how hard the ground was there.  Had a hard job knocking the tent pegs in. I should have taken others peoples example and use a battery drill and masonry bit.
Back to Houx Annexe this year and no problem with the ground, just the plumes of dust!

Well, I'm sure that anyone staying on Expo was glad they brought the power tools, what with all that concrete and stuff :) I only know this because mates were on the site and were wielding the electric screwdrivers to secure the gazebo when we turned up.

Talking of stands, did TVR actually have any presence, merchandising wise? We were looking to buy some stuff to show our support for the boys but couldn't find anything..

I brought some special tent pegs, called rock pegs.  Looked like nails with a crossbar on.  They went into the ground at Expo with no problem.  Will be buying more for next year.

Chris

ps The other half says what was wrong with Jamiroqua. (She really doesn't understand! :D)

If they worked so well this year, why buy any more for next year?

Because I only had a few, and some of those were stolen by friends!  Going o ensure that next year I have enough for the gazebo, and enough to change all my pegs over to them!

Try Screwfix for 5kg of 150 mm roundwire nails (six inch nails to you) cost about 6 quid.  Worked a treat.  Forget the rubber mallet as well.  The instrument of choice is a 4lb lump hammer.

Cheap and effective.

I couldn't find any TVR stands either, official or otherwise.   Shame really - just hope they'll be back next year.

I hope TVR are back next year, as I hope Bentley return too.

I was reading that the ACO what to get the whole of the site listed as a historic monument type of thing (a bit like Brooklands is).

 As for the Fair I think the ACO - who do seem to be trying to keep there indepedance from the likes of Berni and co - are trying to get the weekend a bit more a family thing. I noteced a lot of UK familys camping expes on Techno Park, which kept some the more wild excess in check.

All the ACO need to do is supply a bus service from Techno to the village. Jees its a bit of a walk.

 I felt there were less people there than there was when I was last there (7 years ago!!) or is ther more space somehow?

I was well suprised (pleasantly) that the ACO laid on a bus from Beausejour to the Technoparc roundabout!!  Was very ggod until one of the Germans camped next to us staggered into the path of a motorist on Saturday night (just after the Jay Kay gig) on the route and stopped the traffic dead...

Literally???  

don't know, but his previously abusive, ignorant friends soon shut up and all looked pretty down as they packed up and sat on their bags on Sunday morning waiting to be be collected.

It was a mess from what I heard....