Lunch spots, track in Le Mans (not during the 24HR)

[misterblonde]

I will be passing through Le Mans in the summer, in late August, and wondered if the good folk of PH could recommend good spots for lunch, plus where is good for driving on a bit of the circuit...with the family inside. Not racy, just for the 'gram.

[Truckosaurus]

You can drive on about 2/3rds of the circuit length. I believe the chicanes on the Mulsanne Straight are fenced off when the circuit is not in use but the section where the Porsche Curves split off from the public road look 'open' on Google maps, so that would be a good spot for photos. As would the main entrance with all the signage - plus anywhere you could park behind the grandstands.

As for eating, there's plenty of restaurants in the city centre, or just head to any of the villages close to the track. There are also several chain restaurants on the shopping district by the football stadium/tram station end of the Mulsanne - which is easy to get to from the Autoroute around the city.

[heebeegeetee]

This may not fit the bill, but I do highly recommend the Hotel de France at La Chartre-Sur-Le-Loir. You could take in the Mulsanne Straight though this is now punctuated by roundabouts. At Mulsanne you need to turn left to head to La Chartre, or you could go right and get some more of the circuit in, on the high speed section to Indianapolis. You can then turn round at the roundabout at the Arnage corner (France has gone roundabout mad unfortunately).

If you then return to Mulsanne you can then have a lovely drive to La Chartre, in good French countryside.

The Hotel de France is a fantastic place, it's a very long-standing watering hole of the Brits, back in the day team boss John Wyer used it as his base when running teams for Ford, Porsche and Matra (iirc) and the cars used to be taken there. The establishment was taken over by a Brit family a few years back but they're doing a great job, and it's a downright proper place of interest for the petrolhead, located in a lovely square in a lovely village. The food and service is great. I can't recommend it enough.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/94CHkDm1NsTuYtGJ7

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Xv9sJRFTAR2CydAT9

NB check their opening hours for lunch, and also do not confuse with the nearby town of Chateau du Loir.

[leyorkie]

Late August is still in the main holiday season for France. Check the opening times before committing to anything.

[Matt Harper]

Auberge de la Croix Margot just north of Beaumont-Sur-Sarthe.

https://www.auberge-de-la-croix-margot.fr

You can drive the circuit from Tetre Rouge to the first right-hander of the Porsche Curves, where D139 follows the original course to Maison Blanche and then becomes Blvd des Italiens.

Edited to add website...

Edited by Matt Harper on Friday 8th December 23:03

[misterblonde]

Terrific - thank you all!

[FrazDav]

Just to add to the above, there is a museum at Le Mans https://www.lemans-musee24h.com/en/

We broke up a long journey with a couple of hours there last year. I’d recommend it if you’re passing through.

[FrazDav]

Just to add to the above, there is a museum at Le Mans https://www.lemans-musee24h.com/en/

We broke up a long journey with a couple of hours there last year. I’d recommend it if you’re passing through.

[sidekickdmr]

We stopped for some lunch at L'ADRESSE Arnarge earlier this year, just off the track, good view of the road, parking locally, good pizza etc, not going to win any awards, but a good family stop off in a busy spot

https://www.google.com/maps/place/L'ADRESSE/@47.92...

[raceboy]

Starting from Le Tertre Rouge (which is indeed a restaurant) head south on the D338 (The Mulsanne Straight) there's a number of restaurants on there, and plenty more a few streets back, you then take a right at the island with the D140 to Arnage, then another right before you get to Arnage onto the D139 which will take you past the Porsche curves where the only thing stopping you getting on the track appear to be a couple of traffic cones. carry on along the D139 and you'll arrive at the Grandstands, the main entrance and the Museum.
Can't quite remember where the traditional 'Mad Friday' island was, although on a random Tuesday in August this wouldn't be quite the same.

[heebeegeetee]

sidekickdmr said:

We stopped for some lunch at L'ADRESSE Arnarge earlier this year, just off the track, good view of the road, parking locally, good pizza etc, not going to win any awards, but a good family stop off in a busy spot

https://www.google.com/maps/place/L'ADRESSE/@47.92...

We've used that a few times when heading south, they've been friendly and welcoming and there's a car park opposite too.

[FredericRobinson]

If you fancy a spot of historical sightseeing there’s no end of good places in the Plantagenet City, such as Auberge des Sept Plats

[tog]

I have not visited for several years, but I've eaten at the Auberge des 7 Plats in the old town of Le Mans a few times and always enjoyed it.