Le Mans 24 crowd level

[LB14]

We queued for 20 mInutes to leave the circuit at 1am, madness! Exited over the footbridge just south of the Porsche Experience Centre, straight onto a field that must be a quagmire by now.

First came to LM 25 years ago and am up to about 10 trips, though I haven’t been since 2018. I doubt I’ll be back for a while, just to many people and it’s badly organised.

[Wills2]

I've always fancied going but I read threads like this and think no actually I won't enjoy that.

[Regbuser]

I would say it's been busier in some aspects, but if you're used to festivals and not claustrophobic it's easy enough to manage. Even if you don't like crowds, via crafty timing it's entirely possible to avoid the pinch points.
Summary - crowds of people make the event.

[Wills2]

Regbuser said:

I would say it's been busier in some aspects, but if you're used to festivals and not claustrophobic it's easy enough to manage. Even if you don't like crowds, via crafty timing it's entirely possible to avoid the pinch points.
Summary - crowds of people make the event.

Been to plenty of big events, of course you need a big crowd but overcrowding and a free for all isn't for me was the point.

[Jordie Barretts sock]

Absolute carnage trying to get out of Houx. Watching the queue, moving two car lengths every 20 minutes.

[Regbuser]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Absolute carnage trying to get out of Houx. Watching the queue, moving two car lengths every 20 minutes.

So don't leave until Monday - beers and BBQ post race ftw !!

[Jordie Barretts sock]

The roast beef and roast potatoes are in mate. Enjoying a cold Heineken watching it all.

[Regbuser]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

The roast beef and roast potatoes are in mate. Enjoying a cold Heineken watching it all.

[Gustavo7]

Trying to leave beausejour since 11am… 7 hours ago

[Jordie Barretts sock]

Gustavo7 said:

Trying to leave beausejour since 11am… 7 hours ago

You're not serious?

[HardtopManual]

I left without any bother and was at gare du mans for the TGV to Paris within 20 minutes.

But then I did come in on a Brompton this year.

Vehicle traffic looked horrific, glad I left the car at home this year.

[Fessia fancier]

Gustavo7 said:

Trying to leave beausejour since 11am… 7 hours ago

We left 2.40 ish and queued for about half an hour.

[mickyfix]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

One thing I'm seriously impressed with, is the mobile and data signal.

By far the best I've ever experienced.

Beg to differ. By far the worst I’ve experienced. Average speeds of 1~2mps.

[MiniMan64]

mickyfix said:

Jordie Barretts sock said:

One thing I'm seriously impressed with, is the mobile and data signal.

By far the best I've ever experienced.

Beg to differ. By far the worst I’ve experienced. Average speeds of 1~2mps.

I had an excellent data service all weekend on a newer 5G phone. My 4G only phone uncle did not.

[Red9zero]

Fessia fancier said:

Gustavo7 said:

Trying to leave beausejour since 11am… 7 hours ago

We left 2.40 ish and queued for about half an hour.

We were in the queue to get out of Houx at 16.30. They finally opened the gate at nearly 17.30 and it took us well over an hour to move 10 car lengths to join the queue on the road outside. Now we have delays on the tunnel, so eta to my house is looking like 05.30. So that will be 14 hours on the road (I think ...). I'm getting too old for this.

[eps]

Julian Thompson said:

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Definitely the ACO selling too many tickets. They're trying to play off corporate requirements (All the Hypercar teams) against normal fans.

Hmm, not sure - looks more like tonnes of normal punters like us to me, rather than anything corporate.

It’s fantastic that it’s popular but in the end there is a limit if they don’t want to open up more of the circuit and put in infrastructure.

If they don’t want to do that then it’s either a) ballot for tickets, b) increase the price to dull the demand or c) let the numbers keep growing until it’s horrible and it self regulates downwards, hoping that nobody gets hurt in the mean time.

Agreed Jordie , the ACO have squeezed out normal punters from camp sites, parking and other areas. They've increased the price a lot over the years especially this year. I know my way around to avoid most of it but they were definitely letting more ACO members into the T17 grandstand. To the point where that grandstand becomes full up. Massive queues for everything which they feel will be a good thing. They are starting to ignore the fan at their peril. Once casual attendees no longer go they will rely on endurance fans to support them and they may well have burnt a lot of those bridges.

Overall though we've benefitted from everything we wanted to and the race was an excellent one, but it's becoming more difficult to do and as always it doesn't help that they tinker endlessly with things to the point where even seasoned attendees don't know what's going on!!

It may well be a global thing though, lots of events seem to be heavily over subscribed.

[segart]

LM24 has always been a bit of a bun fight, at least over the last 30 years or so in my experience. I watched the race from home on my comfy sofa on Eurosport and seeing the crowds, especially in the rain, I was very thankful not to be there. Which is a shame in a way as it’s a great experience but needs to be less of a bush tucker trial.
Rick

[bennno]

It’s about avoiding peaks.

you just need to shower at 5-6am as opposed to trying to do so at 9-10.

Eat away from circuit in Le Mans town, as trams only 1.5E, great choice of decent restaurants

Get in to circuit early on race day and avoid village / get a viewing spot early, better still buy a grandstand seat.

The free train inside the circuit was easy to get, plus we used one of the free coaches down to mulsanne.

Best of all was a hotel with a balcony over the mulsanne who let us watch between corporate bookings for the price of 4 coffees.

[Julian Thompson]

Overall we still had a brilliant time. The Saturday was far too busy around the start, but other than that no problem and the Sunday just never got anywhere near as busy, for whatever reason.

Definitely agree about staying until Monday - we are still here and will be taking in the scenic route home with another stop overnight on the way.

[kiters42]

Took us about an hour or so to get out of Epinettes but we did watch the end of the race and been doing this for awhile so know the downside when you leave straight after the end of the race. Have stayed Sunday night but fancied a change this year and made it up to Bagnoles-de-l'Orne for a nice hotel, Pizza and Leffe watching the footy so not all bad.