'Comfortable/nice' package options?

'Comfortable/nice' package options?

Author
Discussion

benmc

Original Poster:

537 posts

255 months

Tuesday 8th October
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Hi

I would like to do Le Mans for the first time in 2025 :-) I am a Brit living in California so will be coming back home to do this and some other holiday stuff.

Looking for recommendations for a good company that does a full package. It would be great if everything was handled and I could just turn up. Hotel would be ideal but not against camping. Budget is not a massive consideration but not looking for luxury.

Any pointers would be welcome

Ben

RL17

1,335 posts

100 months

Wednesday 9th October
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Private campsites pretty good and relatively easy. How are you going to Le Mans - car from UK?

Jordie Barretts sock

6,018 posts

26 months

Wednesday 9th October
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Speak to Paul at Just Tickets.

Link

MrC986

3,556 posts

198 months

Wednesday 9th October
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I can vouch for PHs partner 1st Tickets who do a private camp site option at Bleu Nord by the circuit including pre-erected tents and a breakfast/evening meal package - I've used them with friends for over 10 years now & they have a number of visitors from places like America join them for the event. Brian at 1st Tickets runs a good campsite & is an official ACO agent. If the OP is interested, I suggest you email them directly as the event has been very well subscribed in the last few years (to the point it has seen shortages of ticket/campsite packages). If you want the full experience I'd suggest you need to stay on circuit or very close by so that you can drop in easily for the night-time action whilst the race is on.

benmc

Original Poster:

537 posts

255 months

Wednesday 9th October
quotequote all
RL17 said:
How are you going to Le Mans - car from UK?
No idea yet :-) I assume the drive down is part of the experience?

RL17

1,335 posts

100 months

Thursday 10th October
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Drive down and back definitely big part of trip. Some of the Portsmouth or Newhaven ferries cut drive in France down - the overnights from Portsmouth can be pretty dear

Previous years I’m aware of these private camping options - paying a lot for security and better showers/toilets

Pistonheads Blue Nord - outside track but close to start line

Tram Languostine- inside track before Tertre Rouge corner - close by banking viewing and good for Dunlop area

TD Porsche curves - further out but private access to outside Porsche curves banking

Lycian Village on curves - very trackside and very close to public inside Porsche curves - bit of a drive in and out of Beasejour but mini buses most times

Some of these make you buy food pacakage on top and most GE tickets which means you are almost certain to need Grandstand tickets through them too. Some have deals with ferry and tunnel too.

Probably need Grandstands for start and finish. Lycian booking now - think others need you to register interest or pre -book etc

Not cheap and pay a lot for small patch of grass so Wednesday to Monday trip probably best.

Can add the ACO areas but that’s getting costly

If at one of the 2 further out sites then parking for Panorama may be good - you can get to Arnage/Indianapolis by car and free parking 5 mins walk away or pre-buy ticket

Should be a great race for Hypercar field - get the feel that maybe not as manic for tickets and crowds as LM Classic also c on big up and last 2 years have been rammed

Looking at circa £900 plus for GE camping Dover Calais crossings and Grsndstand per person based on 2 in a car. Food packages extra

Jordie Barretts sock

6,018 posts

26 months

Thursday 10th October
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The word I'm hearing is it'll be even more rammed in 2025 with less public camping areas and more corporate areas not available to ordinary race goers.

It's getting ridiculously expensive now and not nearly as enjoyable.

DangerDoom

312 posts

134 months

Thursday 10th October
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Jordie Barretts sock said:
The word I'm hearing is it'll be even more rammed in 2025 with less public camping areas and more corporate areas not available to ordinary race goers.
Due to additional manufacturers requiring their own corporate area?

Has camping ever sold out? Seems like there's always somewhere to camp. Maybe not your preferred site but not to the point where folks have decided not to go because they couldn't find somewhere to camp.

Jordie Barretts sock

6,018 posts

26 months

Thursday 10th October
quotequote all
Well, no pre reg available for Tertre Rouge. And I hear Houx Annex is nearly doubling in price. Coupled with all the general public camping being moved further away from the track, the idea being you don't 'come and go' but arrive in the morning and spend the day there buying overpriced food and flat beer for inflated prices.

Wait and see. It'll be a price increase over inflation on last year, because they're milking the last € they can from the event while there is a big field of Hypercars/LmdH. I'd expect a few to drop out after 2025 because return on investment is paying off running around at the back of the pack.

Regbuser

4,613 posts

42 months

Thursday 10th October
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Shame about Houx Annex; that was the sweet spot for us for many an enjoyable trip..

delta0

2,391 posts

113 months

Thursday 10th October
quotequote all
Jordie Barretts sock said:
The word I'm hearing is it'll be even more rammed in 2025 with less public camping areas and more corporate areas not available to ordinary race goers.

It's getting ridiculously expensive now and not nearly as enjoyable.
I would have expected it to be calming down after the centenary. Are they not just trying to hype things up again? The numbers jumped a lot for the centenary and then were only up very slightly this year. I hope they can sort out the crowding issues before they allow more people in. The bottlenecks have been really bad at times.

Jordie Barretts sock

6,018 posts

26 months

Thursday 10th October
quotequote all
Huge fleet of Hypercars, best race in the world, top drivers...

It's all the big Corporate coming in and 'demanding' grid walks, hospitality, paddock access/garage tours for all the people they need to impress.

It runs in cycles. When Toyota was the only game in town, it was great as an experience. Now, it's all Billy Bob III and his plastic wife from Texas (has ten Porsche dealerships) that are there to be filled with champagne and bits of salmon on a Jacobs cracker. They have zero interest in the race at all. But for each Billy Bob III the ACO can make an awful lot more € than they can from you or me in a tent in Houx drinking warm '33'.

butaclor

70 posts

112 months

Thursday 10th October
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butaclor said:
I think J B S has hit the nail on the head , both classic and the 24 were ludicrously busy. Traffic on Sunday for classic was crazy. This year's 24 very over subscribed and sadly I don't think it's going to get better.Book as early as you can I think a grandstand for the start and finish is essential now,get in early forget having a drink ,trough or nature break for the first few hours.

MiniMan64

17,492 posts

197 months

Friday 11th October
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delta0 said:
Jordie Barretts sock said:
The word I'm hearing is it'll be even more rammed in 2025 with less public camping areas and more corporate areas not available to ordinary race goers.

It's getting ridiculously expensive now and not nearly as enjoyable.
I would have expected it to be calming down after the centenary. Are they not just trying to hype things up again? The numbers jumped a lot for the centenary and then were only up very slightly this year. I hope they can sort out the crowding issues before they allow more people in. The bottlenecks have been really bad at times.
First time back this year in a decade and it was certainly an eye opener in terms of much has changed and how many more people there were. To the point of putting me off returning next year.

bogie

16,612 posts

279 months

Friday 18th October
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If you want a "hotel" like experience then the nearest in the circuit is the Travel Destinations pop up village, its basically half a shipping container for your room. You get a bed, bedding, table n chairs, towels, dressing gown, slippers etc waiting for you in your room. Restaurant on site if you want it, thats cheaper than the circuit with the options of packed lunches if you dont want to pay circuit prices . We have done this option a couple of times in recent years and plan to return next time.

Its secure and convenient, you just pack a holdall and drive or ride down. Good option if you are short of luggage space in a 2 seater or on a motorcycle as you dont need to take much at all. You can always go shopping when you get there for cheap booze and snacks etc. Pack a kettle, tea\coffee, maybe a small fridge if you have space and its about as comfortable as you can get without a motor home parked up track side or corporate hospitality.

Book early as possible as it sells out quick, they already sold out all the "rooms" with en-suite facilities, but the short walk to the showers/toilets is not too bad as its next to the restaurant/bar

https://motorsporttraveldestinations.com/en/wec/le...