What to do Instead?
Discussion
I currently have no tickets for Le Mans, was going to go for general admission and camping this year. However with all the grandstands sold out, the week tickets sold out etc I am wondering if it is just going to be so busy it will be a nightmare.
So if I don’t go to Le Mans where to instead?
So if I don’t go to Le Mans where to instead?
Change it up then.
Get some general admission tickets. Likely grandstand seats will appear on eBay nearer the event.
There’s a municipal campsite in La Suze Sur Sarthe, 20 min to circuit, lovely village. There’s a nice campsite in La Fleche (they do cabins also), 25-30mins to circuit.
I’ve heard about Bounty Camping near to the circuit which is popular with Le Mans regulars. Club Motorsport near Guecelard, 10 mins from circuit.
Airbnb multiple options all round surrounding area.
Though having done the classic for the first time this year, I’d also highly recommend it.
If you’re determined enough to go, there are options. It might be different to usual plans, but that could open up a whole different Le Mans experience. I’ve been amazed over the years how the Le Mans trip routine has changed because of unavailability or other issues, seeking out other options, and then wondered afterwards ‘why on earth have we not done it like this before?’.
For years we parked around parking bleu area, traffic a nightmare but it was what we first knew and got used to. One year we couldn’t get bleu as expected and were given Antares on the inside of the circuit. I thought this was a disaster but actually found the route in was great and barely any queuing, although a bit of a walk to get the grandstand. Went back there for years as it worked, every single time driving past what should have been so obviously better. Then they stopped parking at Antares and I was gutted. Only at the point of having to search other options did it suddenly dawn on me that Expo parking would work so much better. It is so much faster getting to it, barely a queue and a short walk to the entrance. Why on earth had I not identified this option many years earlier?
Get some general admission tickets. Likely grandstand seats will appear on eBay nearer the event.
There’s a municipal campsite in La Suze Sur Sarthe, 20 min to circuit, lovely village. There’s a nice campsite in La Fleche (they do cabins also), 25-30mins to circuit.
I’ve heard about Bounty Camping near to the circuit which is popular with Le Mans regulars. Club Motorsport near Guecelard, 10 mins from circuit.
Airbnb multiple options all round surrounding area.
Though having done the classic for the first time this year, I’d also highly recommend it.
If you’re determined enough to go, there are options. It might be different to usual plans, but that could open up a whole different Le Mans experience. I’ve been amazed over the years how the Le Mans trip routine has changed because of unavailability or other issues, seeking out other options, and then wondered afterwards ‘why on earth have we not done it like this before?’.
For years we parked around parking bleu area, traffic a nightmare but it was what we first knew and got used to. One year we couldn’t get bleu as expected and were given Antares on the inside of the circuit. I thought this was a disaster but actually found the route in was great and barely any queuing, although a bit of a walk to get the grandstand. Went back there for years as it worked, every single time driving past what should have been so obviously better. Then they stopped parking at Antares and I was gutted. Only at the point of having to search other options did it suddenly dawn on me that Expo parking would work so much better. It is so much faster getting to it, barely a queue and a short walk to the entrance. Why on earth had I not identified this option many years earlier?
There seems to be loads of first timers, encouraged by the centenary. Once they realise that its going to be heaving, food and beer are going to be expensive, their campsite is miles from the circuit, they can only get weekend tickets and the grandstands are sold out, they'll have second thoughts and tickets will appear on ebay
For those dreaming of a simpler life, my routine for the Spa 24 involves booking nothing other than the tunnel in advance, I park up in a field at Les Combes, at some point over the event an old boy with a satchel will come round, I give him €45, on the gate I buy a 4 day ticket, €55 this year I think, for 4 days of action on a track which is far better for viewing at than Le Mans. The beer’s much better too.
Nurburgring 24hr? May 18-21
I went this year with friends. We arrived on the Wednesday afternoon and left on the Monday morning staying at camping am ring.
Event tickets are about £60
Camping was about £110pp from memory for the 5 nights however finding a spot on Wednesday was a bit of a mission but found somewhere and someone let us piggyback off their electricity.
Beer was about €3 a bottle cold around the whole of the Nordschleife Currywurst and chips about €6-7 from memory. However you could take your own alcohol and food anywhere. But after carrying around beer that was getting warm ended up just buying cold from the stalls.
Drift show on the Friday was great.
By Sunday morning we were pretty much the only people still at the campsite and by Sunday night all the rockers started arriving to setup ready for the next weekends event rock am ring.
I went this year with friends. We arrived on the Wednesday afternoon and left on the Monday morning staying at camping am ring.
Event tickets are about £60
Camping was about £110pp from memory for the 5 nights however finding a spot on Wednesday was a bit of a mission but found somewhere and someone let us piggyback off their electricity.
Beer was about €3 a bottle cold around the whole of the Nordschleife Currywurst and chips about €6-7 from memory. However you could take your own alcohol and food anywhere. But after carrying around beer that was getting warm ended up just buying cold from the stalls.
Drift show on the Friday was great.
By Sunday morning we were pretty much the only people still at the campsite and by Sunday night all the rockers started arriving to setup ready for the next weekends event rock am ring.
Chrisgr31 said:
I currently have no tickets for Le Mans, was going to go for general admission and camping this year. However with all the grandstands sold out, the week tickets sold out etc I am wondering if it is just going to be so busy it will be a nightmare.
So if I don’t go to Le Mans where to instead?
General public sale tickets only started 20 minutes ago! Currently in a queue so I assume there are some tickets left. If all the grandstands and campsites are gone to ACO members it makes membership pointless. May aswell just put the prices up to include membership. We'll see what is there in a minute or two.So if I don’t go to Le Mans where to instead?
Edited by pauljoecoe on Monday 5th December 09:22
OK - got in after 50 mins.
No Grandstand tickets left. - Got a 2 days + Weekend ticket. Not sure what that means? 2 ticket seems to only mention Thursday!
Only Basejour and Clos Fleurs campsites left. (No idea about Clos Fleurs - seems to be near Mulsanne straight) Anyway, went for Basejour.
Will be looking for a Grandstand though. Not done GE at Le Mans or F1 for 20 years! Too old for all that!
No Grandstand tickets left. - Got a 2 days + Weekend ticket. Not sure what that means? 2 ticket seems to only mention Thursday!
Only Basejour and Clos Fleurs campsites left. (No idea about Clos Fleurs - seems to be near Mulsanne straight) Anyway, went for Basejour.
Will be looking for a Grandstand though. Not done GE at Le Mans or F1 for 20 years! Too old for all that!
ecsrobin said:
Nurburgring 24hr? May 18-21
I went this year with friends. We arrived on the Wednesday afternoon and left on the Monday morning staying at camping am ring.
Event tickets are about £60
Camping was about £110pp from memory for the 5 nights however finding a spot on Wednesday was a bit of a mission but found somewhere and someone let us piggyback off their electricity.
Beer was about €3 a bottle cold around the whole of the Nordschleife Currywurst and chips about €6-7 from memory. However you could take your own alcohol and food anywhere. But after carrying around beer that was getting warm ended up just buying cold from the stalls.
Drift show on the Friday was great.
By Sunday morning we were pretty much the only people still at the campsite and by Sunday night all the rockers started arriving to setup ready for the next weekends event rock am ring.
Worth doing but its ALOT of walking lolI went this year with friends. We arrived on the Wednesday afternoon and left on the Monday morning staying at camping am ring.
Event tickets are about £60
Camping was about £110pp from memory for the 5 nights however finding a spot on Wednesday was a bit of a mission but found somewhere and someone let us piggyback off their electricity.
Beer was about €3 a bottle cold around the whole of the Nordschleife Currywurst and chips about €6-7 from memory. However you could take your own alcohol and food anywhere. But after carrying around beer that was getting warm ended up just buying cold from the stalls.
Drift show on the Friday was great.
By Sunday morning we were pretty much the only people still at the campsite and by Sunday night all the rockers started arriving to setup ready for the next weekends event rock am ring.
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