First visit - tell us all about it then...

[oversteer]

Got a ferry booked for Thu early PM, camping at Le Houx, back early Monday, what to expect?

should I expect to eat take aways for the duration or is there anything more substantial available? is it worth taking bar-b-q kit and cooking for ourselves?

are there any car security concerns or are there just too many people about, too many flash motors for this to be an issue?

Can you buy bags of ice to keep the beer cold/put on forehead in morning?

what was all that about a lesbo double act behind the pits?

should I buy 5 days supply of booze before getting there?

are grandstand tickets a must to book in advance?

does Le Houx have electric points on each pitch? I thought I might buy a mini fridge!

Any useful tips gratefully received.

not necessarily in order of importance...

Thanks!

[raceboy]

should I expect to eat take aways for the duration or is there anything more substantial available? is it worth taking bar-b-q kit and cooking for ourselves?

Take a small, cheap BBQ (you will not be bringing it home) or a number of disposables, food is available trackside and is considerably better than anything available in the UK

are there any car security concerns or are there just too many people about, too many flash motors for this to be an issue?

The place is like a massive car show and we've never had any problems but just treat like you would anywhere, ie lock stuff up when your away/asleep

Can you buy bags of ice to keep the beer cold/put on forehead in morning?

The locals soon catch on to what is needed dependant on the weather, be it ice or waterproofs, bread in the mornings, papers, etc....

what was all that about a lesbo double act behind the pits?

Best ask Flasher about that one

should I buy 5 days supply of booze before getting there?

Stock up on beer, fags, food at the Hypermarkets on the way down there.

are grandstand tickets a must to book in advance?

If you want them they must be booked in advance and by now they will be all sold out, but we've never had them.

does Le Houx have electric points on each pitch? I thought I might buy a mini fridge!

There are banks of electricity points along the back wall of the pitches which depending on where your pitch is will depend how long a power lead you would need, we've always used a paddling pool full of water to keep the beers cold, but electricty is usefull to power radios, TV's Playstations, etc

Any useful tips gratefully received.

not necessarily in order of importance...

Thanks!

Most important thing is remember to have a good time

[willdew]

Got a ferry booked for Thu early PM, camping at Le Houx, back early Monday, what to expect?

should I expect to eat take aways for the duration or is there anything more substantial available? is it worth taking bar-b-q kit and cooking for ourselves?

are there any car security concerns or are there just too many people about, too many flash motors for this to be an issue?

Can you buy bags of ice to keep the beer cold/put on forehead in morning?

what was all that about a lesbo double act behind the pits?

should I buy 5 days supply of booze before getting there?

are grandstand tickets a must to book in advance?

does Le Houx have electric points on each pitch? I thought I might buy a mini fridge!

Any useful tips gratefully received.

not necessarily in order of importance...

Thanks!

We always go into Arnarge to the supermarket there. You can't go wrong. It's worth remembering it's not open on the Sunday though.
We stock up on bread, cheese, salami, pate, wine and beer and it's faultless. The places behind the pits are good, but all rather expensive for what they are.

Security wise, I've never known anyone have any problems. It's all very, very friendly and there's so many people about nothings ever really "unattended".

[Mark B]

Your questions seem to have been answered, one thing I would add - Keep your tickets on you, or locked in the car at all times. Don't leave valuables in the tent, they'll go.

Watch out for the pikies Sunday night, they are well tanned, grotty looking locals who will have everything not nailed down. They don't normally bother the manned sites, but have been known to rumage through and take anything they can stick a value on.

You'll have a great time but remember - don't drink Saturday afternoon, get out in the car form 9.00pm onwards and follow all the other Brit cars to watch - Arnage, Mulsanne Corner, Mulsanne and Tetre Rouge at night, this is a must for any first timer. When the cars are returned to the camp site, wonder over to opposite the pits with a few beers and sit out the night.

Seriously, just get talking to anybody who has been before and they'll tell you all you should know.

Good luck......

PS - Don't be tempted to leave Sunday afternoon, Sunday night is the best party night?!?!?!!

[rossc]

Top tip for cold beers...

Buy yourself a rigid cool box before you go. Buy a load of Tetra pack Fresh Orange juices & freeze them a few days before you go & chuck in the box. When you get to LeMans top it up with bottled beer, take an OJ out to thaw for the morning after.

Instant cold beer & juice for the hangover.

Ross

[oversteer]

Thanks for the replies so far, very helpful. I was wondering about taking a couple of these new fangled motorola walkie-talkies along to keep in touch with mates whilst avoiding running up unnecessarily large mobile bills - would this work or are the available wavelengths chocca? alternatively has anyone tried getting local prepay sim cards?

Thanks again. I really wish it was next month, with June temperatures!

[sparkey]

Best idea is to buy barbies and stuff (and anything else you may think of bringing)at the supermarket in Le Mans (Carrefoure I think)when you get there. It's dead cheap, it'll last the 3 or 4 days and you can abandon it to the pikies when you leave and have a less tightly packed car for the drive home.

For beer cooling we always bought a big bin from the supermarket and filled it with freezing cold water from the standpipes every morning which worked well. Until last year when they were selling 12V DC powered cool box frdiges at about £30 a go at the supermarket. Worked wonderfully well, but it was necessary to jump start the car every morning !

Lesbo act - worth a look at 5 Euro per show, but don't expect a normal "gentlemans club" atmosphere - these are slappers in the back of an Artic. The humorous heckling from the generally pissed UK contingent is worth the entry fee alone.

S.

[sparkey]

I'd dissagree with Mark B regarding Saturday. I'd say get pissed on the Grandstand (best around the start/finish post) from about 11:00am and soak up the pre-race atmosphere, drivers presentation, national anthems etc etc, and the start itself. Then walk to the other corners later on. If you're not excessiveley pissed you will probably manage to hitch a lift (maybe even in a very nice car !). You may even be able to cadge a lift from Mark and his mates !

S..

[willdew]

sparkey said: I'd dissagree with Mark B regarding Saturday. I'd say get pissed on the Grandstand (best around the start/finish post) from about 11:00am and soak up the pre-race atmosphere, drivers presentation, national anthems etc etc, and the start itself. Then walk to the other corners later on. If you're not excessiveley pissed you will probably manage to hitch a lift (maybe even in a very nice car !). You may even be able to cadge a lift from Mark and his mates !

S..

The cafe on the Mulsane Straight, the Mulsane Corner, Indianapolis and Arnarge are all must's though and it's a damn site further than I'd want to walk. I can't recomend highly enough making it to different parts of the circuit.

Although the whole weekend's a real spectacle, the racing's the best bit. I guess what I'm trying to say is (although a lot of people seem to disagree) I don't see it as a massive bender - but a massive race with a few beers and strippers.

Does anyone else here go to any other endurance racing? How do they compare? There's the Nuerburgring 24 hours too isn't there, which from my understanding is Caterhams, M3s, Porsches etc - is this in the same ball-park?

[Graham]

I did daytona 24 a couple of years ago and the atmosphere just wasnt the same, and then it finished and they chucked you out and that was that...