2024 experience

[RL17]

Really enjoyed it this year. Didn’t walk much of the track this year for a change but GS seats at Goodyear were a change and along with parking at Panorama it went well. Also drove down via Arnage village to Arnage/Indy for Parking Gratuit

Only walked in Sunday after nearly getting stuck for hours in great BSJ late morning exodus

[Jordie Barretts sock]

That's all they were doing. Scanning your ticket and car. We didn't get scanned anywhere else on the way to the pits/grandstand/village.

[LM240]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Truckosaurus said:

Indeed. They only need to scan at the entrance to Houx as that's an entry point to the circuit, and could easily move that scan to the inner gate from Houx to the main circuit area.

Speaking of which, if you went in via the Houx entrance there were no bag checks, whereas 100yds up the road at the Glamping entrance they were scanning you with wands, patting you down, rifling through your bag.

I was down at Mulsanne when the safety car came out for the barrier repairs when the BMW crashed, and there was a huge queue to be scanned out as there were only 2 people manning the 'out'.

Finally... Was there ever a drone show? Loved it in 2023, but no-one in our group saw anything - was it too windy?

So no security check at Houx to stop the general public ransacking the campsite?

Yeah. Great idea.

On that note…. Bag checks at the main entrance.

I don’t mind such checks, but if you’re going to do them, then at least make them worthwhile.

The total lack of any effort or barely a look in the bags just makes it completely pointless.

And going with the same logic, check bags, but not people. I could have stuff on my person.

One year they wouldn’t let me in with a wine bottle. We walked off for a few minutes, put bottle inside a folded up blanket and carried it. So obsessed with bag, the bottle came in. Was humming the great escape tune in my head whilst doing it.

[CobaltAJR]

Le Mans 2024 was my first time and I really enjoyed the experience. I went with a fantastic group of ‘seasoned regulars’ who made me so welcome. Both the drive down and back were relaxed and great fun taking a route avoiding Rouen and some of the obvious and most direct A roads.

I never saw anyone driving excessively fast and never felt anyone had ‘car envy” just a mutual respect for all enjoying the experience be they in the oldest of vehicles that really shouldn’t have made it there and back or the latest Supercar!

Our stop at the services on the way home on Monday felt like a Free British Car Show with the locals filming everyone!

In summary and my lasting memory is that Le Mans is very much a British pilgrimage which I guess is why so many return year after year.

Looking forward to next year already.

Andy.

[MiniMan64]

LM240 said:

On that note…. Bag checks at the main entrance.

I don’t mind such checks, but if you’re going to do them, then at least make them worthwhile.

The total lack of any effort or barely a look in the bags just makes it completely pointless.

And going with the same logic, check bags, but not people. I could have stuff on my person.

One year they wouldn’t let me in with a wine bottle. We walked off for a few minutes, put bottle inside a folded up blanket and carried it. So obsessed with bag, the bottle came in. Was humming the great escape tune in my head whilst doing it.

I couldn’t quite work out the purpose of the bags searches either, was it for all/any alcohol, for beer or for anything in a glass bottle?

I had a bag full of cider tins that they tried to confiscate until I convinced the security guard they were lemonade whearas my uncle brought in a plastic bottle of wine no problem.

Did anyone have anything confiscated?

[paulg390]

Must have been my 10th or so trip and observations were that traffic and parking management were much better than previous years, but agree with other poster that the restriction on ACO ticket sales meant we had a splintered group, the loos behind Tribunes T10 - T20 need more urinals as the queues just for a pee were ridiculous for much of the race ( there used to be some smelly ones behind T12 but for some reason they had been removed this year). We always have Grandstand seats which were always a "nice to have" but this and last year I think they were pretty essential as it must have been 6 or 7 deep in the standing areas. Seemed to be more food and drink stalls so the queues didn't seem as bad as last year, but I do miss wandering around the smaller automobilia stalls that seem to have been replaced by more corporate / large company stands/stalls.. same at British GP too.

[butaclor]

After 20+ visits, last years and this years experience has meant we are seriously considering wether we bother to go again. I have filled in the email survey from the ACO but suspect nothing much will change. Far too over crowded for Joe public now. Without a grandstand seat hard work to see the race at prime times. The ability to wander around has been eroded by more private viewing areas and squeezing everyone else into smaller areas to see the race .

[VladD]

MiniMan64 said:

Did anyone have anything confiscated?

I saw a guy have to ditch his two bottles of beer before they would let him in. That was at the Houx Annex entrance to the track.

[VladD]

butaclor said:

After 20+ visits, last years and this years experience has meant we are seriously considering whether we bother to go again. I have filled in the email survey from the ACO but suspect nothing much will change. Far too over crowded for Joe public now. Without a grandstand seat hard work to see the race at prime times. The ability to wander around has been eroded by more private viewing areas and squeezing everyone else into smaller areas to see the race .

I had a grandstand seat in T17 for the race, but it was a real squash when the grandstand was full for the start and finish. At other times when it was less busy it was a nice place to watch from.

I had a couple of moments this year when I told myself I wouldn't be back again. Early on Saturday evening I went to the bathroom, then got a burger and a beer and headed back to my grandstand seat. That took over an hour and a quarter.

I really enjoyed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday though, when it was much less busy, so I expect I'll be back again next year.

[//j17]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

So no security check at Houx to stop the general public ransacking the campsite?

Yeah. Great idea.

Umm, you seem to be confused. There were security on the gates of Houx doing the job they are payed/there to do, namely to prevent people gaining access to the spectating areas of the circuit without being in possession of a valid general entry ticket and prevent vehicles accessing the campsite withough being in posession of a valid camping ticket - upto 17:00 on the Sunday.

There were not, have never been, and likely never will be people on the entry to any public ACO campsites to limit access to only people camping on that campsite. If you want that you need to pay extra for one of the private camping sites, such as PH.

[Jordie Barretts sock]

I'm not confused. I've been camping in Houx for 18 years.

The point was, there were no bag checks and no delays getting into the circuit via Houx entrance. In 18 years there never has been.

[Truckosaurus]

In recent years there have been bag checks at the Houx exit at the far end by the tunnel/hospitality but the side exit down by the toilet block has usually been a free for all. The twice I used it this year there was a guard but they just stood there both times.

[LM240]

MiniMan64 said:

LM240 said:

On that note…. Bag checks at the main entrance.

I don’t mind such checks, but if you’re going to do them, then at least make them worthwhile.

The total lack of any effort or barely a look in the bags just makes it completely pointless.

And going with the same logic, check bags, but not people. I could have stuff on my person.

One year they wouldn’t let me in with a wine bottle. We walked off for a few minutes, put bottle inside a folded up blanket and carried it. So obsessed with bag, the bottle came in. Was humming the great escape tune in my head whilst doing it.

I couldn’t quite work out the purpose of the bags searches either, was it for all/any alcohol, for beer or for anything in a glass bottle?

I had a bag full of cider tins that they tried to confiscate until I convinced the security guard they were lemonade whearas my uncle brought in a plastic bottle of wine no problem.

Did anyone have anything confiscated?

It’s glass mainly. But I’d have thought some level of other security purposes such as weapons.

Though I think the glass gets confused with alcohol in general.

We now bring in a box of wine to work around the glass side of things, with lunch stuff packed around it.

I could have brought bottles such was the level of checks.

[Jordie Barretts sock]

I saw a couple of explosives sniffer dogs in the crowds Friday and Saturday. I think they were more concerned with a terrorist attack than a few beers being illicitly smuggled into the grandstands.

[Gad-Westy]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

I saw a couple of explosives sniffer dogs in the crowds Friday and Saturday. I think they were more concerned with a terrorist attack than a few beers being illicitly smuggled into the grandstands.

The bag checkers that saw me didn't seem concerned about anything at all. I started to play a game to see just how little of my bag I could have checked. On one check I opened the zip about an inch wide. You couldn't see inside at all but I was still waved through! If you're going to have a bag check process in place and create the resultant queues, it may as well be done properly.

It is a great event. I still get goose bumps being there but it also seems pretty chaotic at times. I'm not sure I'll rush to return for a year or two. I can't do many non-family trips each year and I think I might try to expand my horizons a little and see some other stuff. I would miss the drive down though. It's fantastic seeing carparks full of interesting cars at the crossings and services on the route down.

[Output Flange]

Wednesday night, our bags were searched at the Karting circuit entrance and cans of beer confiscated, which seemed odd. I emailed the ACO to ask what their policy was, and they said one can of beer per person.

The next day, no issue taking those same cans in.

I guess a case of new security staff being over-zealous at the start.

[ggdrew]

Re. Inadequate Toilets:
ACO ought to request tenders for the 'classic British race-track spec' based on a couple of 20' containers with a galvanised piss-trough along one side and 12 cubicles along the other. Stick 2 of these at all key locations -> happy campers

[MiniMan64]

Gad-Westy said:

Jordie Barretts sock said:

I saw a couple of explosives sniffer dogs in the crowds Friday and Saturday. I think they were more concerned with a terrorist attack than a few beers being illicitly smuggled into the grandstands.

The bag checkers that saw me didn't seem concerned about anything at all. I started to play a game to see just how little of my bag I could have checked. On one check I opened the zip about an inch wide. You couldn't see inside at all but I was still waved through! If you're going to have a bag check process in place and create the resultant queues, it may as well be done properly.

Whereas on Saturday morning I had to empty my whole bag out and nearly lost my cans. Oddly didn't check me though including the 4 cans I had in pockets!

[//j17]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

I'm not confused. I've been camping in Houx for 18 years.

The point was, there were no bag checks and no delays getting into the circuit via Houx entrance. In 18 years there never has been.

Ah, you meant the old gate roulette. I can still remember running out of camping gas and having to make a walk to Decathlon. Coming back it was a clear "Non!" from the guy at the the big stadium entrance when he saw the gas cylinder...but guy at the gate into the circuit from Houx took a look and waved me through

I think they were generally taking a lighter touch approach to the bag checks this year. Walk up with a bag you can hold in one hand but might contain a couple of stubbies and you're unlikely to get wasted on them and start throwing bottles so you got waved through. Turn up weighed down under a clanking bag and they might have had a different reaction.

[Bluegoose59]

The member areas were a zoo on Saturday, rammed the lines for food and drink were epic partly the weather and just too many people. Sunday was better but still busy. The usual lack of toilets. We were at Eppinette's camp site. Fan zone was just a screen and a car simulator, no food. Couple of P-heads Brits causing trouble and the French all night 70's disco till 4am. Security had a word Friday, so they knocked it off at 2am. The Brits had no off switch even Sunday night.

The ACO do need to decide how to manage members expectation, as it was busy 2023, but worse this year. The only advantage is the prices of food and drink is 1/2 what it is in the general area.