Spectator spots.....

[jpchenet]

So Gilles, how can you arrange for  a CA party of VIP's to gain access to this spot??    Now there's a challenge for you.

[Gilles]

So Gilles, how can you arrange for  a CA party of VIP's to gain access to this spot??    Now there's a challenge for you.

How much are you ready to pay?

[MikeH]

Hehe, it is possible to view on the Mulsanne, we did it this year (first time at Le Mans aswell!)

To get there, you can leave by the Tetre Rouge tunnel, carry on up the road, then take the first lane on the right. Follow that for a while, then cut across the fields in a diagonal direction, and you will eventually reach trackside. Just watch out for boggy patches in the fields, (I fell in one!), and don't make too much noise or shine torches about! It's definitely worth the trek (can be quite away across the fields, we took a diagnol direction to make sure we were away from people who might see us), and is an amazing sight!

Best time to go is early hours, we went at 3am, not so many people about then...

- through the armco

- my buddies in front of the armco on Mulsanne

[Dave H]

Hey Mike:

I have similar shots and video from the same place starting from 1990 and a number of years onward.  Can't forget that feeling of a shockwave thump in the chest as they fly by you hitting top can you?  C2 Saubers were particularly breathtaking.  The trench foot from hacking across the fields and ditches gets a bit old though.  I've also done this a couple of times in daylight wearing whites and carrying a f**k*ng great big camera and lens.  Walked all the way up to Tetre Rouge unmolested.

However, be warned.  If you get caught, you're not going to be sent back to your campsite.  They really started clamping down on this in the mid-90s with the presence of dogs which makes it a lot more difficult.

Killer shots though dude.  Glad you made it to that special place!

[MikeH]

Dogs? :O

Didn't know about any of that, I was sorta under the impression it wasn't encouraged, but it wasn't illegal if y'know what I mean... I'll take a gun next time...

But yeah, it's great when they come past you with the foot to the floor, we weren't that far up really, by the first kink, but the track was right the other side of the armco (no verge), and it really thumped you in the chest when the came past, sounded awesome aswell... pretty scary aswell in a way, if something happened like the Mercs flipping in 99, you had nowhere to go.. but still a GREAT experience! No doubt we'll do it again next year! Just plead ignorance to the authorities...

[Rhino]

You can still stand at the cafe during qualifing, i think it's due to having minimal police on as there all having a rest before the weekend!!!

[mgmark]

I too remember those halcyon days of being able to stand by the Armco at the cafe and restaurant and enjoy the sights and sounds close up - even the joys (before mobile phones) of the queue for the call box in the Chinese, to be able to call mates and let them hear the sounds and make gratuitous comments of the "I'm here and you're not" variety.   One year, one guy just called a number and hung the phone out of the window without saying a word to anyone on the other end - when asked who he had called, his answer was that he had just called his answerphone so that the he could hear it when he got back....  

However, you can still see well from the garden of the cafe - not as close up as before - like you can't lean on the Armco - but this year the cafe had set up trestle tables in the garden area behind the solid fence to stand on - great view from about 20 m away, as well as the sound, beer on tap, food available and no stumbling across dark fields avoiding the riot police and dogs!   As far as I can remember, the camp site was still there this year, but it has waned in popularity since they put all the netting and barriers up a couple of years ago.   All the best,

Mark

[darhart]

So, can anyone tell me how you get to the chinese on race day? I tried to find it this year but had no luck at all. Ok I didnt have a map of exactly where it was but had an idea, except every turn off i tried i was turned back. (Instructions a muppet could follow from houx annex please!)

Cheers guy's.

[Gilles]

So, can anyone tell me how you get to the chinese on race day? I tried to find it this year but had no luck at all. Ok I didnt have a map of exactly where it was but had an idea, except every turn off i tried i was turned back. (Instructions a muppet could follow from houx annex please!)

Cheers guy's.

Look at Stu's useful post for LM 2004.

I personnaly draw the access map from tertre rouge...

[darhart]

Ok i've looked, and tried every link but still cant find the map with the directions to the chinese   . I'm sure that i've proberbly missed somthing, can anyone post the link for me (i said instructions a muppet could follow   )

Thanks.

[smokie]

I'm guessing that this is the Useful Map being referred to.

http://www.swr2002.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/maps/viewingmap.jpg

Best to do a recce in daylight before they close the roads for the race...

[Gilles]

On this map, the chinese restaurant (and the classic one...) is located at "Le Camp" location, faced to the horse track, just a few centimetres before the first chicane.