Le Mans 2006

[Grayboy]

When are you travelling - we're going Thursday, returning Monday. Speedferries Dover/Boulogne.

Interesting warnings about gendarmes on the net, giving instant 3-day bans so if you haven't got a spare driver you're absolutely knackered. You could always adhere to the speed limit, but would be easy to make a mistake.

Think we are going over in a couple of groups, a few of us are going down Thursday 6AM ferry I think with a van to set up ready for the onslaught of the rest of the guys & get the foudation of the Beermountain going.

mmmm booger, what site's are they need a look?

 

[Ant FR]

When are you travelling - we're going Thursday, returning Monday. Speedferries Dover/Boulogne.

Interesting warnings about gendarmes on the net, giving instant 3-day bans so if you haven't got a spare driver you're absolutely knackered. You could always adhere to the speed limit, but would be easy to make a mistake.

You do need to watch for the gendarmes, but they have calmed down quite a bit.

Worst year was 2004, one of the guys in our group got an on the spot fine of 750 euros, and when they say on th espot they mean it, they drove him to the nearest cash machine and got him to withdraw it. But this year was much more relaxed after complaints from MEPS about unfair trageting of british motorists. Considering well over 50000 english go to Le mans they can't afford to piss us off was the general consensus.

Looking through some of the costs people are saying on here, bit scary and not sure where you ar eall going through, but we always do the same, Euro tunnel is the cheapest, especialy if you scan through deals, this year came to £45 per car, about 2 tanks of fuel in the Beeza there and back, £40 for camping and £35 for the entrance ticket in advance. All in all for the whole weekend you are looking at around £200 .

Steer clear of organised tours, check out sites like Pistonheads, thye go a lot.

I'll post any links when we sort ours out, not sure whether tickets are on sale yet, we usually sort ours out in January, know last year there ws a delay on tickets.

Just sorting out my tickets to the spanish grand prix at the moment

 

[Ant FR]

oh forgot to say, we are going all out this year, takning a generator with us for the light etc.

 

[Muzorewa]

So far it will have cost £165.00 total for the ferry, circuit admission and camping for me & the lad. Plus juice, food, beer & spends. Really looking forward to it.

750 Euro fine is bad news, I'm not intending to be speeding but you never know what can happen on unfamiliar roads. And I'm intending being in plenty of time for the ferries, but again, you never know what will happen and you may have to make up time.

 

[Grayboy]

Ours is about £165 for ferries camping & first set of rations!

Reckon I'll spend another £150, taking it as a bit of a summer hol (will be there best part of a week) with a bit of world cup action either before or after so £400 all in and I'll be chuffed.

I'm driving down with the Van (if I'm not in Germany that is) so can't see us having to many probs with the froggy pigs!

 

[Muzorewa]

And 2006 is the centenary year, so if you're going to do it once, next year is the year. May be a little crowded......

 

[Ant FR]

fingers crossed it does'nt rain.

In 2001 it rained non stop from about 6 on saturday all night and next day. We had to camp in the car as the tents got flooded. So 4 blokes kipping in a Vauxhall vectra, never again.

Funny thing was the guy who's vectra was had to drive up to coventry on business on the tuesday and the car stunk, he said it two weeks and plenty of magic trees to get rid of the smell.

Le Mans is crazy though, in 2004 i remember on the friday night there was a field where they were all doing donuts at about 1am, this brand new english plated boxster went in the field doing donuts then disappeared down a drainage ditch, bent the car completly, and then this boxster crabbed past us as security came looking for them. Also same night was a Range rover brand new which kept steaming up and down the road, then when we got to the bar, the said range rover pulled up and the driver fell out, and was then propped up by his mates as he could not stand up, his birthday apparently.

it is a mad place. oh and as for speeding, how can you resist a race out of the tolls with a Ferrari 360 CS ( EVO mags one) just to hear there engine.

 

[Muzorewa]

Sounds cool. How soon after the race has finished do the roads revert to something like normality? We won't be able to go home until the lad has actually been on the Mulsanne straight. Hopefully by the Monday morning the road will be open

 

[neil_f225]

have to agree it is the ultimate petrolhead experience. Have been the last two years and vowed to go every year from now on. We stayed at Chateau de Chanteloup which is about 10k outside le man. Has excellent facilites and is well priced. Intending to go to the nurburgring afterwards to end a brilliant holiday.

 

[jenk]

went to le mans last week, stopped over on the way back from spain. Well nice r6 and playstation car in the museum. The tranny got well and truly thrashed down the huge straight (well all of 80mph cos its mega slow)
vowed we would try and get there for 2007, hopefully the old man will have a supra or evo by then

 

[tris]

went to le mans last week, stopped over on the way back from spain. Well nice r6 and playstation car in the museum. The tranny got well and truly thrashed down the huge straight (well all of 80mph cos its mega slow)
vowed we would try and get there for 2007, hopefully the old man will have a supra or evo by then

sorry to hi jack the thread but i like the colour of your bezza whats it called?

 

[jenk]

cheers! its called purpula iris I think. Standard colour that it left the factory in.
Will sell for the right price as i want 20vt power

 

[Muzorewa]

The organisers have just announced the start/finish time has been changed to 5pm from the usual 4pm, to avoid nasty clashes with the World Cup. So anyone who has already booked ferries with the intention of getting home Sunday night may be disappointed.

I'll just stay and barbecue some horse-burgers whilst chuckling at the ensuing mayhem.

 

[Deleted member 7729]

A mate and I are looking at going at the moment and I'm still not sure whether to get. Whether chance tickets there are get some before hand..

 

[tris]

from what people said they paid last year over the net
i got them cheaper on the door

 

[djawol]

We were pondering going to Le Mans for the 24hr race 17/18 June next year, has anyone on here been in recent years and knows the drill?

Things like:

Ferry/tunnel costs
Admission (it's partly public roads but I'm sure they won't miss the opportunity to fleece the public)
Spectating viewpoints
Camping
How tall a stepladder do you need to see over all the other spectators (!?)

Any info gratefully received

I went last year with the 350Z club.
We booked through Airtrack at £400 per car which included the pitch and a set of showers and toilets that always worked and were always clean. Believe me after seeing some of the minging ones in other sites I was glad.
£300 for the ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Le Havre including cabin.

Tiickets are 60 euros for the whole weekend! You can buy them on the gate and they don't sell out. That puts 300 quid for the British GP in perspective.

Loads of viewpoints, we were at Karting corner and campsite which was good but then went to the Mulsanne straight at 3am which was amazing! The startline at the race start was cool too.
The course is so huge that a stepladder isn't necessary.
Last year the weather was absolutely gorgeous. If it's like that this year I can't wait.

 

[Muzorewa]

Thanks for the info. I've been looking at the beermountain forum, which is a useful guide for this event, and there is a lot of talk about stuff getting nicked by pikies, and I'm not talking about predictable things like generators (even when they are chained up, they have bolt-cutters), but sleeping bags & even soiled clothing. I wasn't planning on stripping the tent every day, even if you put stuff in the car they know you're not going to return for ages. Anyone else had security issues? Allegedly white Citroën vans with local plates.

We're in Beauséjour, probably the most remote of the infield campsites, so more vulnerable than most.

 

[AR-CoolC]

I'm breaking my Le Man cherry this year, gong with a mate who has gone for the last 4 years.
Tavelling down early on the Wednesday to arrive there about 4ish, camping at Chappelle (sp?) close to the Dunlop bridge.
Coming home on the Monday.

Its with a group of Impreza/EVO boys, so the drive down should be fun

Can't wait

 

[tris]

its good seeing all the hot cars on the way down

 

[spyke85]

Thats what you call a beer mountain!