Le Mans 24 crowd level

[LM240]

bennno said:

Davwlk said:

While watching on tv this year I cooked us a meal of tinned stewing steak, tinned peas and carrots and tinned new potatoes to help add to the authenticity of our lounge. The next day we had the same but with a tin of chicken in white sauce. Le Mans campsite food - you can't beat it.

Each to his own, but personally many would suggest you absolutely can beat that.

I’d argue being off circuit had nicer choices…… this starter dish being one of them! :-)

[Jordie Barretts sock]

I've no idea what you paid for a couple of artistically displayed prawns, but I'd rather a proper meal, ta.

[Regbuser]

All this talk of gastronomy; my guts are just about recovered from 5 straight days on a mostly liquid diet..

[Jordie Barretts sock]

Exactly! I don't think LM240 has quite got the idea of going to Le Mans for the 24hr race!

[eps]

//j17 said:

Davwlk said:

I remember going home stocked up with tins of Tartiflette which we bought at Carrefour on the way home.

Tins, WTF? It's hardly a complicated dish - slice and parboil some potatoes, fry some onion and bacon, chuck it in an oven dish with some Reblochon or similar cheese and a bit of cream, shove it in the oven until cheese is the temerature of lava.

Dash of white wine as well

[//j17]

Didn't, wouldn't make Tartifeltte at Le Mans (who wants to add the cheese sweats to the meat and beer farts for god's sake!) but the comment was about buying cans for home, not the campsite.

My cooking was (very tough) kababs and a (quite nice) steak with paprika courgettes (got to have the token veg in there). That and just troughing baguette into a jar of rilettes

[Kev_Mk3]

LM240 said:

Kev_Mk3 said:

LM240 said:

Accomodation in La Flèche was also good. Enjoyed shops and the restaurants and bars. Staying off circuit is still our favoured choice.

Didnt stay with a English lady at all did you?

Property owner didn’t speak a word of English.

A friend and ex neighbour (English) has a little gîtes in between La Fleche and La Lude who I would highly recommend maybe for next years event if you want the details drop me a message. It's pretty much next to La Fleche Zoo (Well worth a visit)

[Aysedasi2]

Jordie Barretts sock said:

Exactly! I don't think LM240 has quite got the idea of going to Le Mans for the 24hr race!

On the contrary, eating off circuit brings huge benefits. The steak au poivre I had was superb.... Doing Le Mans can be pretty civilised if you rid yourself of the deep-rooted perception that you just have to camp at Le Mans.....

[gt6]

Aysedasi2 said:

On the contrary, eating off circuit brings huge benefits. The steak au poivre I had was superb.... Doing Le Mans can be pretty civilised if you rid yourself of the deep-rooted perception that you just have to camp at Le Mans.....

Each to there own, le mans to me is camping at the track side but that is not for everyone

[B'stard Child]

gt6 said:

Aysedasi2 said:

On the contrary, eating off circuit brings huge benefits. The steak au poivre I had was superb.... Doing Le Mans can be pretty civilised if you rid yourself of the deep-rooted perception that you just have to camp at Le Mans.....

Each to there own, le mans to me is camping at the track side but that is not for everyone

Last time I camped at the circuit it was on blue nord - I’d guess maybe 1500 campers - tiny pitches - 4 toilets and two showers - people gave up waiting in a Q and started stting / pissing in the outfield area - the smell was horrific

We engineered makeshift showers from watering cans rather than Q for those too

[Regbuser]

Showers, showers ?!?!

It's a point of honour to not wash for 6 days !

:stigofthedump:

[Output Flange]

Aysedasi2 said:

On the contrary, eating off circuit brings huge benefits. The steak au poivre I had was superb.... Doing Le Mans can be pretty civilised if you rid yourself of the deep-rooted perception that you just have to camp at Le Mans.....

We camped in BSJ. Had a wonderful moules mariniere one lunchtime with the obligatory crusty bread, some lovely cod loin tikka skewers with celeriac remoulade the next day, and a beautiful noix-st-jacques mouse wrapped in salmon, served with tenderstem broccoli and more crusty bread. Oh, and shakshuka for brunch on race day morning.

All done on a Weber Jumbo Joe. Camping <> st food.

[LM240]

B'stard Child said:

gt6 said:

Aysedasi2 said:

On the contrary, eating off circuit brings huge benefits. The steak au poivre I had was superb.... Doing Le Mans can be pretty civilised if you rid yourself of the deep-rooted perception that you just have to camp at Le Mans.....

Each to there own, le mans to me is camping at the track side but that is not for everyone

Last time I camped at the circuit it was on blue nord - I’d guess maybe 1500 campers - tiny pitches - 4 toilets and two showers - people gave up waiting in a Q and started stting / pissing in the outfield area - the smell was horrific

We engineered makeshift showers from watering cans rather than Q for those too

No right or wrong way to do Le Mans. Just whatever makes it a great weekend for you personally.

Camped (off circuit) for first few years and after one complete wash out from Thurs-Sun we said never again.

I want a proper bed and shower (and yes, not one shared with lots of others!), plus as much I love the race, I want to enjoy the fact I’m in France also and enjoy restaurants and bars.

[HardtopManual]

gt6 said:

Each to there own, le mans to me is camping at the track side but that is not for everyone

Same. Literally at the trackside on Saturday night.


If you don't want to brave the campsite showers, you can pay not very much at all to have one at the public swimming pool on the river about 10 minutes bike ride from Tertre Rouge, and have a morning swim at the same time.

Edited by HardtopManual on Sunday 23 June 21:13

[Aysedasi2]

gt6 said:

Each to there own, le mans to me is camping at the track side but that is not for everyone

Well, if we know one thing for sure Simon, with our long 'history' it's something we'll never agree on!

[Aysedasi2]

Output Flange said:

We camped in BSJ. Had a wonderful moules mariniere one lunchtime with the obligatory crusty bread, some lovely cod loin tikka skewers with celeriac remoulade the next day, and a beautiful noix-st-jacques mouse wrapped in salmon, served with tenderstem broccoli and more crusty bread. Oh, and shakshuka for brunch on race day morning.

All done on a Weber Jumbo Joe. Camping <> st food.

Very classy, I approve! But I didn't receive the invite.... lost in the post......?

[AVES]

Howard1650 said:

Since 1995, I've witnessed the remarkable transformation of Le Mans. The ACO has steadily improved facilities and overall respectability, creating a more pleasant and organized event. The days of stripper tents and reckless behaviour are thankfully behind us.

However, this positive evolution comes with a significant concern, the sheer volume of spectators, particularly during peak hours on Saturday evening, is straining the circuit's infrastructure. The influx of people seeking food and entertainment creates dangerous bottlenecks, reminiscent of the tragic crowd crushes we've seen at other events.

While the ACO has made commendable efforts, the reality is that the current infrastructure simply cannot accommodate 325,000 people effectively. It's crucial that the ACO acknowledges the potential risks and takes proactive steps to address these crowd management issues.

The ACO's focus on visible improvements, such as grandstands and corporate hospitality, should not overshadow the vital need for adequate crowd safety measures. The experience of marshals and temporary staff on the ground paints a different picture than the one observed from the comfort of a management office.

Le Mans has rightfully earned its reputation as a world-class event, but its legacy will be tarnished if the potential for crowd-related incidents is not addressed. The ACO must prioritize the safety and well-being of every attendee, ensuring that the excitement of the race is not overshadowed by the fear of a potentially dangerous situation.

A few possible improvements -

1) Ban Corporate Guest Movement in Village Areas: Prohibit the use of golf buggies for transporting corporate guests through the village area to prevent congestion and enhance pedestrian safety. (Ban race team personal from their scooters too)

2) Reconsider Large Concerts: Avoid hosting big-name concerts during the event, as the sudden release of large crowds into already congested areas creates significant bottlenecks and potential hazards.

3) Increase Toilet Facilities: Install additional toilet facilities throughout the circuit to accommodate the large number of attendees and reduce wait times.

4) Construct a Direct Link Road: Develop a dedicated link road from the motorway directly into the circuit, incorporating a tunnel or bridge. This will alleviate traffic congestion and improve access, especially once the track is closed, as the current setup with only two public roads is insufficient.

Each to their own but I enjoyed it FAR more in the 80's. Turn up on the Thursday, buy a camping ticket from the man in the shed at the campsite. Reasonable crowds, mostly French but with a strong German and British contingent, proper fair by tete rouge with amateur /pro boxing (pay 10 francs to get the st kicked out you by a huge Senegalese), strippers, bearded woman (non LGBGTX). Two stroke go carts. Easy viewing, Easy access to paddock, old pits, mental two mile straight, proper cars, drive out to Arnage in 10 minutes from Houx annex. Out on the Mulsanne Friday evening for some burn outs and two cold showers for 20,000 people

[Mark B]

There is no way you could get from Houx Annexe to Arnage in 10 minutes, it would have taken you 30 minutes to cool yourself off from the magazine in your tent and then you would have to hope there would be someone to follow otherwise you would have got lost.

[AVES]

It wasn't me that had the Truckers bongo mags!
You have a point on the second though