Returning to Le Mans in 2025

[TwinKam]

...after a 16 year break.
I have always camped within the circuit and wish to again in 2025.
Obviously a lot of things have changed since 2009. Probably not the toilets/showers though.
Recommendations sought for quieter public campsites, but we're also considering the benefits of the 'managed' camps, again personal recommendations/warnings along with rough ideas of costs would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[Nosynchro]

I think if anything the showers and toilets better than in 2009. We nearly always end up on beausejour and this year with some difficulty in getting tickets we did again. The campsite antics also seem far more chilled from 10-15 years ago. Love it or hate it Le Mans is very different post pandemic

[Truckosaurus]

Indeed. These days the public showers/toilets are as good as, if not better, than the private campsite ones.

[FredericRobinson]

The whole event is much more civilised than 16 years ago.
Whether that’s a good or bad thing is a matter of personal preference

[gt6]

plenty of changes since you last went, facilities greatly improved but cost are much higher (certainly for camping) a lot of the old campsite are no longer available and getting any site close to the action is difficult, The new sites are all within the circuit although not within the Gereral enclosure area and usually a fair walk to the main viewing area, although fan zones at some give the option of stalls and large screens on the campsites. Most sites now have allocated spaces rather than first come system and security much improved. The circuit is now mostly a no glass area and much cleaner than the old days with teams circualating collecting rubbish. Food and drink sellars are mostly card onlt these days so do not bother taking much cash as you will probably end up taking it home. If there are two of you going join the ACO now and the didscount more than covers the basic cost of ACO membership and then get the camping/race tckets directy from the ACO to save money.

[TwinKam]

Thanks for replies so far.
Back in the late nineties/early noughties, when I went every year, we always camped at Maison Blanche, it was a bun fight, a race from the ferry, but we always got on somewhere, even if it meant slightly adjusting (ahem) Johnny Foreigner's roped off corall.
Returning in 2009, MB was by then a tarmac desert and not a pleasant place to be, but having done my research we had booked Houx, with its reserved plots under the falling pine-cones, extremely dodgy hook-up, but only a reasonably short walk into the Village, and that was ideal. So that's the sort of location I'm hoping for... but does the likes of Houx still exist?
Also interested to hear from those who have stayed on the 'managed' campsites ie the fenced off ones with bars, breakfasts, and bouncers...

[FredericRobinson]

TwinKam said:

Thanks for replies so far.
Back in the late nineties/early noughties, when I went every year, we always camped at Maison Blanche, it was a bun fight, a race from the ferry, but we always got on somewhere, even if it meant slightly adjusting (ahem) Johnny Foreigner's roped off corall.
Returning in 2009, MB was by then a tarmac desert and not a pleasant place to be, but having done my research we had booked Houx, with its reserved plots under the falling pine-cones, extremely dodgy hook-up, but only a reasonably short walk into the Village, and that was ideal. So that's the sort of location I'm hoping for... but does the likes of Houx still exist?
Also interested to hear from those who have stayed on the 'managed' campsites ie the fenced off ones with bars, breakfasts, and bouncers...

Houx still exists, as understand it it’s been significantly encroached on by camping for teams and officials.
A massive change from 16 years ago is the difficulty of getting tickets, if you’re looking to book through the ACO you’ll want to become a member and be online sharpish on the morning they go on sale, even then there’s no guarantee you’ll have a great choice of sites, if you’re thinking of booking through an agent you want to be contacting them now.

[VladD]

Taken from here. I'd imagine things won't change for next year.

For some reason Hippodrome isn't shown on the map, but is located at the horse racing track between Epinettes and Cormier.

ACO said:

Where can I camp?
The camping areas for the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans are:
- Tertre Rouge (Red Zone)
- Houx (Green Zone)
- Houx Annexe (Green Zone)
- Houx Annexe Club (Green Zone)
- Epinettes (Green Zone)
- Hippodrome (Green Zone)
- Prairie (Green Zone)
- Beauséjour (Yellow Zone)
- Clos Fleuri (Yellow Zone)
- Cormier (Yellow Zone)
- Arnage (Purple Zone)
- Mulsanne (Purple Zone)

Routes are signposted from motorway exits.
N.B.: A ticket is required for all vehicles. (Pitches are 35m² except in the Hippodrome area 40m² or 30m² with car parking nearby.

Edited by VladD on Wednesday 4th September 08:47

[gt6]

Forgot to say power is much better these days, in the old days the power connections at tertre rouge were a sight to behold with a mass of dodgy connections to the few power outlets, these blew out constantly when someone turnedon a kettle. A few years ago modern power points were place accross the campsite and even if you can not get a direct plug in piggy backing off someone else is easy. Pretty sure this year we had no power outages for the whole week, However camping sports for TR and Houx are harder to get that rocking horse poo

[TwinKam]

Thanks to all for their contributions, still none the wiser regarding experiences in the 'private' sites but I bit the bullet and booked with Team Langoustine on their site inside Tertre Rouge.
Booked my ferries last night, I was glad I hadn't left that any later... ...but happy with what I got, out Weds back Monday.
Nothing left (to Portsmouth) for Sunday...

Edited by TwinKam on Thursday 14th November 09:55

[Jordan-qcmol]

I am also returning after a few years break and managed to get camping at Epinettes through the resale site. One concern is the confirmation says that is only until noon on the Sunday. Does this mean we have to be off the campsite car included? If so what do people normally do before the end of the race? Is this the case on all camp sites or just this one?

[FredericRobinson]

Jordan-qcmol said:

I am also returning after a few years break and managed to get camping at Epinettes through the resale site. One concern is the confirmation says that is only until noon on the Sunday. Does this mean we have to be off the campsite car included? If so what do people normally do before the end of the race? Is this the case on all camp sites or just this one?

It’ll be an ACO cock up, you’ll be ok until noon on the Monday

[Jordan-qcmol]

FredericRobinson said:

Jordan-qcmol said:

I am also returning after a few years break and managed to get camping at Epinettes through the resale site. One concern is the confirmation says that is only until noon on the Sunday. Does this mean we have to be off the campsite car included? If so what do people normally do before the end of the race? Is this the case on all camp sites or just this one?

It’ll be an ACO cock up, you’ll be ok until noon on the Monday

Ah okay, thanks!