Le Mans experiences

[kevin ritson]

I'm taking my first trip to Le Mans this year, 6 petrolheads in a Land Rover with a couple of tents, crates of beer, cameras on long exposure for those "never-been-seen-before" night shots of head/tail lights, Bentley flags and our hearts full of hopes for the weekend.

Anyone on the forum like to share experiences of things to see,do and the best way to enjoy the race/facilities?

Also, if the guys from TOCA radio are browsing, are you involved in the Radio Le Mans coverage, I believe you normally are and what frequency will this be on? Is it too much to hope that I can pick this up on my mobile phone's FM radio?

[Alan]

We went last year for the first time and had a great weekend.

Didn't bother with a tent - slept in the car!

If you are all guys fine - the girls I was with were unanimous in their dislike of the toilet facilities - take your own loo roll!

Well worth doing, hope the weather is as good for you as it was for us - take suntan, as it gets very warm. You could walk an awful long way so wear decent shoes!

Was very dusty (bright red sand) so watch the camera equipment, it gets absolutely everywhere.

The radio commentary was great, but I can't remember the frequency, several of the radio TOCA guys participate. I have to say one of the oddest things of the weekend was listening to them commentate on the World Cup (I forget which match it was). Right voices wrong sport!

Get there early for the start to get a good view. Several good places near the dunlop bridge.

Food was generally good but if I recall a bit expensive.

Have a good time!!:)

[The Stig]

Kevin, never been myself. Hope you have a blinding weekend. You certainly seem to have all the right equipment. (Carful of chaps, beer, tents, cameras and the proper flags) Enjoy yourselves and report back to the general motorsport part of this forum about how you got on.

[Le Mans]

Visit beermountain.com for all the info you need.
:)

[Racefan_uk]

Only been once but had an absolute blast!

You don't say when you are going, if you can, get there early in the week and check out night qualifying, watching the prototypes howling along at those speeds in the darkness makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up! Especially the Judd engined cars, the wail of an F1 car but wide open for sooooo much longer! :D

The funfair on the outside next to the Dunlop bridge is good fun (bungee jumping at 6am anyone?) but one of the best places is the mini village inside the circuit next to the Paddock (Not the PR camp that the teams and sponsors set up) they had a giant plasma screen in there when I went (2000) and the football was on again then too (funny how that seems to happen every year!) and England were playing Germany. It was great sitting with French, German, Dutch, Belgian, Japanese, American and countless other fans, all drinking beer, listening to the cars go past and watching the footy on the biggest screen you've ever seen in your life!

There are plenty of places to get things to eat, but can be a little bit pricey. Best thing is to stock up on beer at Calais on the way over, loads cheaper!

Don't know about toilet facilities as I had the luxery of decent facilities while I was there, so can't comment!

Enjoy it, there really is something magical about the place. I've been to so many circuit but the atmosphere there beats any GP I've been to hands down.

[Stuart]

I'm a Le Mans 24hr virgin too, although I went there in 1993 for the French Touring Car Championship.
The place oozes history. I stood alone on the terracing opposite the (enormous!) pit complex, and just had a huge lump in my throat - the atmosphere even on a quiet weekend is amazing.
I was so over-awed by the place. The first thing I saw was the Dunlop Bridge as we approached the circuit and just couldn't stop grinning.

I gather the public roads open imediately after the race so get in you Land Rover and head down Mulsanne. I've got in car photos from our run down there. You can get as far as the Porsche Curves. It's well worth the drive.

I really can't wait to get there - and if Bentley win... what a dream weekend!

[Ann]

Ditto what Alan said (I was one of the ladies objecting to the "toilets" - and I use that term very loosely!)

When I spoke to Alan Hyde at Rockingham the other week he was doing Le Mans Radio again this year. It is very bizzare tuning in the car radio in the middle of France & hearing that familiar voice! The radio station was on 96FM last year.

I am a big fan of Bentley & the car looked fantastic on the track. I think they have the best chance yet this year & I'm keeping everything crossed for a win.

I'm not going this year. I'll be in the wrong country at the time (Spain) and being tango'd by orange sand & facing those toilets is not something you rush to do on too regular a basis!

Hope everyone who is going has a fantastic time though :D

[Les]

it might interest you to know that Steven Wood's company made the Bentley models that are touring the world. It was odd going into his workshop to see this massive car made out of wood (I think he said it weighed 20 tons). The attention to detail even on the 1:18 scale models was amazing. We got to see the liveried full sized 'car' just before it went off to the motor shows.

[nelly70]

Le Mans is a great place - getting a bit too dictatorship for my liking. Going to miss it this year for only 2nd time in last 15 yrs. best place to view? Indianpolis or if u can get there - on the exit of porshe curves.

Beer? Champers is ****** cheap! Down some and then get over to the kart circuit for some real fun!!!! Was there 2 weeks ago for the GP - and the 24hr back in april : you want fun, THATS the event to go; the car event is rather more timid.... Did someone say there was racing going on?

[cos]

Radio Le Mans is 91.2 FM, and you can listen to it on the web as well

[GreatWesternMan]

Enjoy the weekend, as far as I'm concerned, it's the best motorsport even of the year, bar none!

I was there in 1999 (Amazing race) and 2000 (The dawn of the Audi domination) and always mean to go back, but something always seams to come up around this time of year.

I've told my other half that we'll definately be going out there in 2004, and I can't wait!!!