On the Mulsanne

Mr Willie · 30 Jan 2004, 17:24 (Ref:856643)

Bearing in mind security considerations, is there any way of watching the action along the Mulsanne (apart from at private hospitality tents and restaurants) during the race? I was thinking of heading off into the woods to give it a try this year. I'm sure the chicanes are relatively safe...

Duffacus · 30 Jan 2004, 17:28 (Ref:856648)

Well I've never been as of yet

But I will take this opportunity to welcome you to the ten-tenths forum!

simon c · 30 Jan 2004, 17:53 (Ref:856679)

it's a few years since even my pet flea has been able to get near...

**Aysedasi** · 30 Jan 2004, 18:45 (Ref:856752)

Welcome Mr. Willie. It is possible, if you know where to go. But it would be irresponsible of me to post how.......

Unless you have a place booked in Les Hunaudieres or Le Restaurant des 24 Heures, you won't normally get close. In the last couple of years the gendarmes have made themselves very busy (and unpopular) keeping the likes of us away from the driveways alongside the restaurants at which we used to perch on the gates and fences to get a view. I did manage it last year, but only very briefly.

The last two years I have managed to get into a field close to one of the restaurants to watch through a gap in the hedge. You can't see much (apart from head and tail lights), but the sound is sensational. So it can be done, probably a lot more difficult during the day (I was there at night though - the best time, IMO).

Fab · 31 Jan 2004, 10:12 (Ref:857368)

One of the guy working for me was a Gendarme for is national service, and says that, if he was able to go there (he's a local) in the middle of the 90', it's more and more difficult and risky bizness, considering how the Gendarmes are harsh now (after Dumbreck accident).

Cynic · 31 Jan 2004, 10:21 (Ref:857373)

Along the same lines, does anyone know how to get to the Porsche curves! Despite the assurances of various tour reps, there must be a viewing point somewhere because you see it on the TV shots.

pirenzo · 31 Jan 2004, 10:44 (Ref:857389)

I've often wondered (at any track) what the view is like if you climb up a tree that's close to the track. There must be some fantastic viewing opportunities to be had. There's a bunch of trees out by Dingle Dell at Brands that look particularly suitable, but i've never given it a try....

**PascaLM** · 31 Jan 2004, 11:06 (Ref:857409)

Try to rent this :

rdjones · 31 Jan 2004, 11:11 (Ref:857417)

Quote:

Originally posted by Cynic
Along the same lines, does anyone know how to get to the Porsche curves! Despite the assurances of various tour reps, there must be a viewing point somewhere because you see it on the TV shots.

You can not get into the Porsche Cervers, but there is a viewing area just on the enterance to them. It is dead easy to get there just walk along the old track through Massion Blanche and you will see the viewing area right a head of you.

As for the Mulsanne Stright I would love to go up there one day, I just don't fancy having a run in with the Gendarme's

**Aysedasi** · 31 Jan 2004, 11:27 (Ref:857436)

Yep, Rob's right. I found it for the first time at the Classic in 02. Managed to get there early on Sunday morning at the 24 Hours last year as well, when there were very few people there. Well worth the walk.

rdjones · 31 Jan 2004, 11:42 (Ref:857465)

I was shown it on my visit in 2002, by a venturn of several Le Mans and I also made the trip down there last year as well, again sometime early on Sunday morning around 6.30am I think. As Ayse says it's well worth the walk.

If anyone is interested I have just upload this 2 short video clips so you can see what it is like

http://www.lemansnews.net/video/DSCF0082.AVI
http://www.lemansnews.net/video/DSCF0087.AVI

Duffacus · 31 Jan 2004, 11:55 (Ref:857477)

Nice vids! It looks really good from there!

Garrett · 31 Jan 2004, 17:55 (Ref:857777)

I would just take alot of money and pay the gendarmes to stand beside the Mulsanne Stright. If the did not take the money, then I would find away to get to the Mulsanne. It kind of reminds me of when a friend of mine and I went to stand on the banking at the end of the back straight at Road Atlanta for the Petit Le Mans. We stood there for a while, maybe for 45 minutes, but the police came up there and told me and my friend with 100 other people to get down. It was well worth it theough!!!

Nordic · 31 Jan 2004, 18:17 (Ref:857800)

Page & Moy are offering a Very Expensive campsite this year, Marque Park is on the mulsanne staight and has its own grandstand, the only problem is prices start around £ 1799 per person, or 499 parking only and you need to own a 'rare or very special car' or a pre 72 classic to be allowed in.

rdjones · 31 Jan 2004, 18:26 (Ref:857809)

Yes I saw that, wasn't the same package advertised in Autosport about 6 weeks before last years race?

Fab · 1 Feb 2004, 07:48 (Ref:858561)

Quote:

Originally posted by Nordic
Page & Moy are offering a Very Expensive campsite this year, Marque Park is on the mulsanne staight and has its own grandstand, the only problem is prices start around £ 1799 per person, or 499 parking only and you need to own a 'rare or very special car' or a pre 72 classic to be allowed in.

Are they ? Surprising ! It may open something more affordable for the future !

I won't comment the price or the car you have to present at the gate : this is definitely a VIP/POSH/Russian mafia area (no offense for Russian mates, I could have say french maffia as well !).

**PascaLM** · 1 Feb 2004, 09:41 (Ref:858616)

Quote:

Originally posted by Nordic
Page & Moy are offering a Very Expensive campsite this year, Marque Park is on the mulsanne staight and has its own grandstand, the only problem is prices start around £ 1799 per person, or 499 parking only and you need to own a 'rare or very special car' or a pre 72 classic to be allowed in.

This makes the "merguez/frites" very expensive. A LM spectator doesn't usually expect to a very comfortable accomodation.

kdr · 1 Feb 2004, 10:28 (Ref:858668)

Quote:

Originally posted by PascaLM
Try to rent this :

funnily enough pascal thats almost exactly the machine that was situated in someones field opposite the trees and the roadsign at the start of the mulsanne!

it was a flat bed cherry picker that was taking around 10 people at a time, up and down...no idea who'd laid it on though.

Fab · 1 Feb 2004, 16:28 (Ref:859036)

One of those lorries was laying on the saide of the raod at Mulsann's corner two years ago, if I can remember...

Mal · 2 Feb 2004, 07:42 (Ref:859772)

I saw ' the Marque Park' last year and felt that even if I wanted to spend the money it would dilute the atmosphere and experience of LeMans. If I wanted to go to a glitzy race with fancy food and drink I would go to Monte Carlo.

egor · 2 Feb 2004, 08:51 (Ref:859827)

Try the Chinese on the Mulsanne during Wednesday qualifying, we got in a couple of years ago no problems.
You can't see much as they put bariers in front of the windows, but you can hear and feel the cars go past as they accelerate hard down the straight. FANTASTIC..........

**Aysedasi** · 2 Feb 2004, 13:21 (Ref:860076)

The Chinese, of course, is the old Restaurant des 24 Heures (it became the Shanghai des 24 Heures, if I remember rightly). I sat in there eating in 1988 (French food then, not Chinese) and there were no real barriers in front either. I stood leaning against the barriers outside in 1994........

**Aysedasi** · 2 Feb 2004, 19:15 (Ref:860431)

And here's the shots to prove it.......

http://www.aysedasi.btinternet.co.uk...S1/94F4029.jpg

http://www.aysedasi.btinternet.co.uk...restaurant.jpg

bigh · 3 Feb 2004, 19:38 (Ref:861716)

Aaah, the Mulsanne Straight, another piece of Le Mans folklore that (thanks mainly to JMB) has been consigned to spectator history. Nowadays 'Mulsanne Straight' is probably a better description of one of the accountants camped next to us last year rather than a part of the track.
One of my most vivid memories of LM is watching at the kink during the 80's. The size of the drivers undercarriage could be guaged by how early he lifted off, or god forbid, touched the brake pedal, as they approached. The sound and utter violence of the spectacle was quite simply gut wrenching. Shumacher in the merc was a cut above. To this day I'm still convinced that lap after lap he had all four wheels drifting as he exited the kink, and went past anyone that he entered alongside with. Just breathtaking.
I was at the Marque Parque shindig last year, and got to meet Henri P, El Presidente, the Mayor (who has an interesting line in goat farming) and the entertaining Mike Salmon, as well as overindulging in the canapes and hospitality. I'm not sure I would pay huge amounts for the view though, it was ok in a 'haven't seen it from here before' way, but you didn't get to see a whole lot of the track. The double glazing meant you probably wouldn't hear much either.
All in all, I'm not sure it's worth the effort now, although I don't mean to underestimate the 'adventure' element of it, forbidden fruit and all that.
Wotcher Ayse, I'll keep my eyes peeled Saturday in the pit lane!
H

Rhino · 3 Feb 2004, 22:28 (Ref:861910)

If your there for qualifying, watch from the chinese then no one stopped us last year. You could go back to leaning on the armco.

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