2025 Le Mans with a 6 year old!
Discussion
Good morning All,
I've not been been to Le Mans for the past 6 years and I've never organised a trip however in 2025 I'm going with my 6 year old, I appreciate people will have an opinion on whether or not it is a good idea however he is desperate to go so its happening! Plus I have many fond memories of going Le Mans as a child.
We are going to depart from the UK on Friday morning and will leave on Sunday as soon as the race ends.
However I do have a few questions having never arranged a trip before:
1. I will be signing up to an ACO membership and will hopefully purchase the tickets directly from them. We will require grandstand tickets (ideally as close to the start/finish as possible) I assume these can be purchased directly from ACO, however can you purchase camping/general admission & grandstand tickets all in one transaction once the tickets before available?
2. Can anyone recommend a "quiet" campsite, I'm obviously not expecting silence however recommendations welcomed. We will be using a roof top rent, if that makes any difference to the recommendations. Ideally I wish to be as close as possible to save the little ones legs.
3. Any other general tips or advise would be welcomed.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
I've not been been to Le Mans for the past 6 years and I've never organised a trip however in 2025 I'm going with my 6 year old, I appreciate people will have an opinion on whether or not it is a good idea however he is desperate to go so its happening! Plus I have many fond memories of going Le Mans as a child.
We are going to depart from the UK on Friday morning and will leave on Sunday as soon as the race ends.
However I do have a few questions having never arranged a trip before:
1. I will be signing up to an ACO membership and will hopefully purchase the tickets directly from them. We will require grandstand tickets (ideally as close to the start/finish as possible) I assume these can be purchased directly from ACO, however can you purchase camping/general admission & grandstand tickets all in one transaction once the tickets before available?
2. Can anyone recommend a "quiet" campsite, I'm obviously not expecting silence however recommendations welcomed. We will be using a roof top rent, if that makes any difference to the recommendations. Ideally I wish to be as close as possible to save the little ones legs.
3. Any other general tips or advise would be welcomed.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
a17vts said:
1. I will be signing up to an ACO membership and will hopefully purchase the tickets directly from them. We will require grandstand tickets (ideally as close to the start/finish as possible) I assume these can be purchased directly from ACO, however can you purchase camping/general admission & grandstand tickets all in one transaction once the tickets before available?
As an ACO member you get access to an early ticket release and can buy all yout tickets in one transaction. That's general entry, grandstands, campaing, and if you want it different levels of "ACO Memebers Area" access.a17vts said:
2. Can anyone recommend a "quiet" campsite, I'm obviously not expecting silence however recommendations welcomed. We will be using a roof top rent, if that makes any difference to the recommendations. Ideally I wish to be as close as possible to save the little ones legs.[/quite]
Any of the sites would work but I'd aim for on of the 'northern' sites (i.e. not all the way down around Beausejour and certainly not all the way out at Arnage or Mulsanne). The noisy/rowdy of any campsite is really down to your fellow campers and you can end up in a quite corner of a traditionally rowdy campsite or next to a loud group on a traditionally quiet one.
Any of the sites would work but I'd aim for on of the 'northern' sites (i.e. not all the way down around Beausejour and certainly not all the way out at Arnage or Mulsanne). The noisy/rowdy of any campsite is really down to your fellow campers and you can end up in a quite corner of a traditionally rowdy campsite or next to a loud group on a traditionally quiet one.
I took my 6 year old to the Classic instead - it might be better to try that first.. The 24hrs is a lot less rowdy than it was but certainly it is a lot busier as well.. He's now 18 and has been to the 24 hours three times, but more when he was a teenager.
It's up to you - you know you and your son the best. It depends on where you're camping and if you get a grandstand seat or not, plus what the weather is like - I think we're due another wet one in the next 1 or 2 years.. Either 2025 or 2026. 2007 was awful.
Has he been to Silverstone etc..? What is he like at staying the whole day at a circuit? I guess you can adjust as appropriate.
It can be done, but as I said I took my son to the Classic a couple of times before the 24hrs, but each to their own.
ETA: Campsite recommendations.. Hmm.... The thing is one year a campsite can be quiet and the next year it isn't.. I would say Epinettes fits the bill, but it can be a bit noisy as well... It's a bit of a distance, as it is next to Houx, so further than that, but then there are bus links from there as well, although STC as per the ACO. It feels quieter to us, than other campsites we've been on before. Maybe offsite or glamping/flex hotel? They feel quieter than other spaces, but I've never done them.
It's up to you - you know you and your son the best. It depends on where you're camping and if you get a grandstand seat or not, plus what the weather is like - I think we're due another wet one in the next 1 or 2 years.. Either 2025 or 2026. 2007 was awful.
Has he been to Silverstone etc..? What is he like at staying the whole day at a circuit? I guess you can adjust as appropriate.
It can be done, but as I said I took my son to the Classic a couple of times before the 24hrs, but each to their own.
ETA: Campsite recommendations.. Hmm.... The thing is one year a campsite can be quiet and the next year it isn't.. I would say Epinettes fits the bill, but it can be a bit noisy as well... It's a bit of a distance, as it is next to Houx, so further than that, but then there are bus links from there as well, although STC as per the ACO. It feels quieter to us, than other campsites we've been on before. Maybe offsite or glamping/flex hotel? They feel quieter than other spaces, but I've never done them.
Edited by eps on Monday 24th June 10:26
//j17 said:
As an ACO member you get access to an early ticket release and can buy all yout tickets in one transaction. That's general entry, grandstands, campaing, and if you want it different levels of "ACO Memebers Area" access.
Thanks for the advise, I appreciate it will be pot luck regarding the noise and neighbours!a17vts said:
2. Can anyone recommend a "quiet" campsite, I'm obviously not expecting silence however recommendations welcomed. We will be using a roof top rent, if that makes any difference to the recommendations. Ideally I wish to be as close as possible to save the little ones legs.
Any of the sites would work but I'd aim for on of the 'northern' sites (i.e. not all the way down around Beausejour and certainly not all the way out at Arnage or Mulsanne). The noisy/rowdy of any campsite is really down to your fellow campers and you can end up in a quite corner of a traditionally rowdy campsite or next to a loud group on a traditionally quiet one.ACO sell combined grandstand (GS) and admission (GE) tickets now but GS availability is pretty poor - campsites are also fairly scarce especially north end as loads of reductions on these 2 years ago.
If you didn’t have roof top tent I’d say get GS tickets for up near Dunlop bridge and a Panorama car park ticket (especially if you only get camping far out)
Driving around pretty good as have loads of footbridges over roads now- car parks fill up fairly early though and Sunday morning can be a pain driving if loads of people are already leaving. And some campsites s
t exits for a while after race.
If you didn’t have roof top tent I’d say get GS tickets for up near Dunlop bridge and a Panorama car park ticket (especially if you only get camping far out)
Driving around pretty good as have loads of footbridges over roads now- car parks fill up fairly early though and Sunday morning can be a pain driving if loads of people are already leaving. And some campsites s
t exits for a while after race.eps said:
I took my 6 year old to the Classic instead - it might be better to try that first.. The 24hrs is a lot less rowdy than it was but certainly it is a lot busier as well.. He's now 18 and has been to the 24 hours three times, but more when he was a teenager.
It's up to you - you know you and your son the best. It depends on where you're camping and if you get a grandstand seat or not, plus what the weather is like - I think we're due another wet one in the next 1 or 2 years.. Either 2025 or 2026. 2007 was awful.
Has he been to Silverstone etc..? What is he like at staying the whole day at a circuit? I guess you can adjust as appropriate.
It can be done, but as I said I took my son to the Classic a couple of times before the 24hrs, but each to their own.
ETA: Campsite recommendations.. Hmm.... The thing is one year a campsite can be quiet and the next year it isn't.. I would say Epinettes fits the bill, but it can be a bit noisy as well... It's a bit of a distance, as it is next to Houx, so further than that, but then there are bus links from there as well, although STC as per the ACO. It feels quieter to us, than other campsites we've been on before. Maybe offsite or glamping/flex hotel? They feel quieter than other spaces, but I've never done them.
Thanks for the info.It's up to you - you know you and your son the best. It depends on where you're camping and if you get a grandstand seat or not, plus what the weather is like - I think we're due another wet one in the next 1 or 2 years.. Either 2025 or 2026. 2007 was awful.
Has he been to Silverstone etc..? What is he like at staying the whole day at a circuit? I guess you can adjust as appropriate.
It can be done, but as I said I took my son to the Classic a couple of times before the 24hrs, but each to their own.
ETA: Campsite recommendations.. Hmm.... The thing is one year a campsite can be quiet and the next year it isn't.. I would say Epinettes fits the bill, but it can be a bit noisy as well... It's a bit of a distance, as it is next to Houx, so further than that, but then there are bus links from there as well, although STC as per the ACO. It feels quieter to us, than other campsites we've been on before. Maybe offsite or glamping/flex hotel? They feel quieter than other spaces, but I've never done them.
Edited by eps on Monday 24th June 10:26
I did think about going to the classic however I have a good few friends going to "main" event so will try this to start! I'm 100% going to get grandstand tickets for us both as worse case if raining all weekend, we have somewhere dry.
He's been to a few car events, including racing at Brands/Snetterton/etc and he's really enjoyed it. Plus he's been camping on a few occasions so I'm hoping an ideal mix! I do appreciate I will be dictated by him all weekend however this isn't an issue to me.
6 years ago Le Mans was very different experience. Crowd wise last year and this year more akin to being on the terraces at a football match in the 80s.Ive e been to every le mans since 97 apart from COVID year, me and several of our friends are seriously considering where we go again because of the crowds. I should imagine taking a six year old would be a harrowing time for you and him. Try leaving your grandstand for a pee queuing for 45 minutes and enduring the crush in the village for merch. Have a read of some of the other threads on here .
My wife keeps suggesting I take my boys (5 and 7) with me next time I go, and I keep refusing for the reasons outlined above.
LM as an experience is a whole different kettle of fish to a car show or a smaller race event. There's a whole lot of walking and a lot of queueing in between the "fun stuff" which I know for my boys at least would spoil it, and (speaking selfishly) once they're not enjoying it, I won't be enjoying it - because they will be complaining endlessly and will have nowhere to retreat to, in a field in the middle of France for the best part of a week.
I (and the others) could be wrong and OP's kid may be fine with hours of walking and/or queueing... but most 6 year olds aren't...
Also certainly don't let him eat any of the red sausages if the queue for the bogs was 45 mins, that could end in disaster!
ETA: it looks like the OP is planning on arriving quite late (meaning choice of camping spots would be massively reduced) and leaving on Sunday immediately after the race ends (meaning massive traffic crush and a very slow exit / plenty of time spent in traffic jams). For the latter part especially, I hope you have plenty of stuff in the car to keep him entertained whilst not going anywhere. One time I decided to leave on the Sunday after the race, it took me 8 hrs to get out of LM town...
LM as an experience is a whole different kettle of fish to a car show or a smaller race event. There's a whole lot of walking and a lot of queueing in between the "fun stuff" which I know for my boys at least would spoil it, and (speaking selfishly) once they're not enjoying it, I won't be enjoying it - because they will be complaining endlessly and will have nowhere to retreat to, in a field in the middle of France for the best part of a week.
I (and the others) could be wrong and OP's kid may be fine with hours of walking and/or queueing... but most 6 year olds aren't...
Also certainly don't let him eat any of the red sausages if the queue for the bogs was 45 mins, that could end in disaster!
ETA: it looks like the OP is planning on arriving quite late (meaning choice of camping spots would be massively reduced) and leaving on Sunday immediately after the race ends (meaning massive traffic crush and a very slow exit / plenty of time spent in traffic jams). For the latter part especially, I hope you have plenty of stuff in the car to keep him entertained whilst not going anywhere. One time I decided to leave on the Sunday after the race, it took me 8 hrs to get out of LM town...
Edited by -Lummox- on Monday 24th June 12:36
I would concur with the views above. It was massively busy this year, at times I’d say busier than last year. It was difficult enough to move around as a small group of adults and to get a reasonable vantage point. There were more kids around, unless they managed to get an early vantage point or have a ladder there would be slim pickings for viewing.
Grandstand is a must, but, even with ACO membership you need to know exactly what you want and be online when the booking opens. Lots of folk wanted to go this year, but, ticketing availability was tough and many didn’t make it.
It’s far from the days of thinking about going and then three months later getting tickets. It’s akin to getting tickets for your favourite band.
Grandstand is a must, but, even with ACO membership you need to know exactly what you want and be online when the booking opens. Lots of folk wanted to go this year, but, ticketing availability was tough and many didn’t make it.
It’s far from the days of thinking about going and then three months later getting tickets. It’s akin to getting tickets for your favourite band.
I've been taking my son to Le Mans since he was 5 (he's 21 now).
If you want a safe quietish campsite then go with 1st Tickets pistonheads, It is not cheap but it is good.
They will be able to sort out your grandstand GE tickets (he won't need a GE ticket).
As others have said, there is a lot of walking, most of the time when he was small, Alf (my boy) was on my shoulders, worked well for him.
If you could go with other people as well it would help as they could keep an eye on him when you nipped to the loo (for an hour) etc.
I say do it.
D
If you want a safe quietish campsite then go with 1st Tickets pistonheads, It is not cheap but it is good.
They will be able to sort out your grandstand GE tickets (he won't need a GE ticket).
As others have said, there is a lot of walking, most of the time when he was small, Alf (my boy) was on my shoulders, worked well for him.
If you could go with other people as well it would help as they could keep an eye on him when you nipped to the loo (for an hour) etc.
I say do it.
D
a17vts said:
//j17 said:
As an ACO member you get access to an early ticket release and can buy all yout tickets in one transaction. That's general entry, grandstands, campaing, and if you want it different levels of "ACO Memebers Area" access.
Thanks for the advise, I appreciate it will be pot luck regarding the noise and neighbours!a17vts said:
2. Can anyone recommend a "quiet" campsite, I'm obviously not expecting silence however recommendations welcomed. We will be using a roof top rent, if that makes any difference to the recommendations. Ideally I wish to be as close as possible to save the little ones legs.
Any of the sites would work but I'd aim for on of the 'northern' sites (i.e. not all the way down around Beausejour and certainly not all the way out at Arnage or Mulsanne). The noisy/rowdy of any campsite is really down to your fellow campers and you can end up in a quite corner of a traditionally rowdy campsite or next to a loud group on a traditionally quiet one.
butaclor said:
This was by Tertre rouge campsite didn't move for 10-15 minutes it was worse than the photo looks.
This is exactly why I won't be going back. Wasn't too bad when i was going 2006-13 but I just can't be doing with that lot now! I'll watch from home in future. Pains me to say it.a17vts said:
Good morning All,We are going to depart from the UK on Friday morning and will leave on Sunday as soon as the race ends.
This is a terrible idea. Either leave early, a good hour or two before it finishes or don't plan to leave until late evening or even Monday (I assume school is an issue here). Traffic out of the circuit, campsites and town is not much fun at all. Gassing Station | Le Mans | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff