My first time at Le Mans 2017

[Nickmurf]

Dear 'Club Arnage' friends,

I'm sorry to trouble you, but I'm a passionate petrol head and have always wanted to go to Le Mans and next year (2017) I'm trying to plan my first trip.  With this in mind,  I'd be grateful for any advice, including packaged trips, camping, glamping or hotel recommendations.  I've had a look on interweb and there are a few organised coach trips but it seems that when you get there, your left to your own devices and I'd like to see the paddock area and am considering the purchasing a corporate experience (Michelin tyres etc) ?   Any help / recommendations you can provide,  will be greatly appreciated.   Many thanks & kind regards,  Nick Murf

[Landy_Jon]

Welcome and I can thoroughly recommend going.  Not only the racing but the atmosphere and all the events surrounding the race itself.

I guess you've had a look at the guide?
http://www.clubarnage.com/wiki/doku.php?id=ca_guide:toc

How long are you thinking about spending over there?

[Nickmurf]

Hi Jon,

I was hoping to get there Thursday and leave Monday.  I'm in two minds whether to drive or go for an organized coach package.  Only  thing I've found with the coach is (Ledger travel) put you up in a hotel in Chartres which is about 1 hr away.   A packaged coach trip does have the advantage that I'll get to meet other like minded people on the way.    Any recommendations Re : best way to get there,  best area around the circuit,  if corporate hospitality is worth it etc  would be really helpful. 

Many thanks,

[Lawnmower Man]

Hi Jon,

Welcome to CA.  I can't tell you anything about the advantages of a coach tour.  I've always done the trip by Car and Camped.  
Personally I like the freedom of not having to be at any give place in order to get the bus back to the hotel etc.  As far as being with like minded people if you camp you won't be with 50 to 60 like minded people but thousands of like minded people.  Most of the CA regulars are in Camping Bleu Nord or Houx.  Just look for the CA flags and you will find us.   As Landy_Jon has pointed out have a look at the CA guide you will have a much better idea of things then.

  
T

[Canada Phil]

Hi Nick,
           Car & Camping are your best option. Get there early on Thursday as you have to set up camp and sort yourself out as night practice must not be missed. If you can not find a friend to go with you, never mind you'll have lots once you get there. There are so many good viewing spots and we all have our favourites.  I like to watch night practice from Tetre Rouge which is about a 40 minute walk from Maison Blanche.
Phil

[clkgtrlm1]

Dear 'Club Arnage' friends,

I'm sorry to trouble you, but I'm a passionate petrol head and have always wanted to go to Le Mans and next year (2017) I'm trying to plan my first trip.  With this in mind,  I'd be grateful for any advice, including packaged trips, camping, glamping or hotel recommendations.  I've had a look on interweb and there are a few organised coach trips but it seems that when you get there, your left to your own devices and I'd like to see the paddock area and am considering the purchasing a corporate experience (Michelin tyres etc) ?   Any help / recommendations you can provide,  will be greatly appreciated.   Many thanks & kind regards,  Nick Murf

Hi Nick,

Firstly - welcome to C/A.
And it's no trouble - the more the merrier. Great to have you on board.
I hope you find the forum useful for your trip - I know that I have!
Excellent bunch of guys on here with a wealth of Le Mans knowledge and experience.

I can only concur with the others, car and camping is the best way to experiece LM. Camping on circuit is probably the best first experience.
Are you travelling alone or with someone? Where are you coming from?
Maybe work out which campsites are available and try to hook up with one of the teams on here? Maybe try to attend one of the CA annual meetings?
Houx, Houx Annexe and Bleu are probably the best first time campsites.
Read the CA Guide - really useful document.

Regarding packages and hospitality, I would recommend avoiding it for the first time - better to get on the ground and work it all out for yourself at first, then decide on your best options for next time, because you will get hooked!
Not too much to see in the paddocks here to be honest - and the area behind the paddocks, (where the hospitality and drivers accomodation are) are generally open to public at all times when cars are not on the circuit.
Pits are open on certain days (namely Friday) for free access to the cars and teams.
There is so much to see and do during Le Mans week that you will not get it all done (I have not seen everything I want to do and 2017 will be year 21!!)
IMHO, Hospitality will sanitise the experience if you do that first time and you will not get the "real picture".

If you do want to join a group, you might look up Team Langoustine - I know those guys have a dedicated campsite inside the circuit, which will be mostly Brit petrolheads, and I think they offer some packages.
(You will pay a little bit lot more) Might be a good compromise between camping and full on package / hospitality?
I would recommend Grandstand tickets. Not knowing your way around / where to watch / what time to get there etc. is tricky first time around. GS ticket will guarantee you a good place for the race (Start and finish) which are massively busy.

Anyway - I hope this helps and enjoy Le Mans!

clk

[aricus654]

Nick,

I think that there is strong agreement here.

Because you are actually there, not an hour away, you may also find that the camping experience provides you with much greater freedom to enjoy the race - that is after all why we go, well, that and the beer, and the dancing, and the girls (just joking).

Going "organised" to Le Mans to my mind is like going to a restaurant, but only having a starter, or like getting someone else to eat the meal.

Le Mans isn't that hard, just start planning early.

In time line, get your ferry and camping tickets sorted out - just ask if you want any advice.

For me, the days of practice and qualifying are just magic, especially late into the evening - you can go to any grandstand and try them out, the atmosphere is electric with anticipation, but it's slightly more relaxed because it isn't the race itself.

Aricus

[mgmark]

We camp each year at one of the circuit campsites - self-catering or eat out, walk in and out of the circuit at leisure, when you wish. Loads of like-minded people. Drive out to Arnage and Mulsanne at some points. Only downside can be variable quantity/quality/availability of toilet/shower facilities depending on where you are, but most have improved over the years and, frankly, baby wipes are your friend.

One year though we decided to go for an off-circuit camping package, with catering, bar and telly about 10 miles away from the circuit, with a coach shuttle. Never again. The shuttle gets caught up in all the other traffic also trying to get in/out - wasted so much time just sitting in the coach in traffic. And, once you're there, if something interesting is going on in the race and the time for the shuttle return is up, you can't just stay there and watch.....

MG Mark