[LM24] Le Mans - Viewing spots (merged thread)

[Quattro]

I will be taking my first trip to Le Mans 24 Hours this year, and would really appreciate some advice on places to view the race from.....

Do you have preferred places to view the race at sunset / sunrise etc....

I have a pits grandstand ticket for the start/finish....but will definately want to explore some other parts of the circuit.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Many Thanks.

[SL]

Le Mans being a very long race enables you to see most of the circuit during the race. If you are travelling down Thursday or Friday (reccommened) then you will have time to look around a bit to see what suits you. Everyone has their own tastes though.

The race starts at 16:00. Have a walk around the 'village' first, get the T Shirt etc. For the race get to your seat about an hour or so before to se the parades etc. After the start stay in the grandstand for a couple of hours. The circuit will be crowded so there is little point in trying. Remember to take food and drink with you, also suncream if it is hot! After that wander acros the other side of the track, there is a tunnel under the pit entrance area, turn left and have a look at the Porsche Curves. Then head back up the pit straight, loads of food halls, but pricey. pause at the end to see the Dunlop chicane. Here you can get a free bus to Arnarge and Mulsanne corner, either now or later. Either way a bus will bring you back. Head up the hill to the new curve, here can be quite good for sunset. Have a look around the fun fair, pased the esses then head up to Terte Rouge, just before the corner you should see the brakes glowing at night. That is it really the only viewing places unless you sneak around the fields to see the straight, or you can drive to the bars along the straight. The pit straight is always busy with pit stops etc and quite good in the early hours.

I'm sure you will find a good place to watch.

SL

[rlinter]

The dunlop bridge area was always my favourite for the start and either Mulsanne or Arnage enclosures for sunrise/set...

[Abs]

I think the Dunlop bridge area is probably the best, I had tickets for the Michelin grandstand last year and all though it was nice to see everything that went on before the start you only got to see a drag race when it started, it's always a lot better to see them come over the rise at Dunlop jockeying for position.

Saying that I think if the weather this year anything like last year I'd hole up in a grandstand!!

You say your in the pits grandstand, I hope the weather is good for you. We tried that one year and couldn't see much in the afternoon as the sun was falling down behind the grandstands opposite, as for last year we watched in amusement as the wind took the rain into at least half of that grandstand!! (sorry if I upset anyone, just that mean steak showing again).

[Aysedasi]

Great to hear you're making your Le Mans debut, Quattro! Believe me, you'll love it (and don't be surprised if you become addicted!).

You'll need a good head for heights in the pits grandstand (!), it's very sharply raked top to bottom, but you should get a great view, particularly of the pre-race parade (as SL says, get there in time for that) and also the start.

The area from the Dunlop Bridge down to the Esses is likely to be pretty popular this year, because of the changes to the circuit - I shall certainly be taking a good look (day and night). Other spots I would recommend are:-

1. The Dunlop Chicane
2. Tertre Rouge (especially at night)
3. If you have someone who can drive, the Mulsanne Restaurants, Mulsanne Corner and the Indianapolis/Arnage enclosures. (If you don't have transport, there are coach trips out to these spots (not the restaurants) which you should be able to book).

Other than this, as SL's says, it's a huge circuit, and although quite a lot of it is not accessible to spectators, you do need to wander around to see as much as you can - don't just hang around the start/finish and the garages areas.

Most important though (IMO) is the night. Stay up for as long as you can (or, like me, don't bother to sleep at all) and make the most of it. A fantastic experience. Enjoy.

Oh, and welcome to the Sportscar/GT forum, by the way - nice to "meet" you. Make sure you come back regularly, there'll be plenty more news and views on Le Mans 2002 before you head off in June!!

[SL]

Hope the info is of use, seems to be the Dunlop Bridge area. My fav is Tetre Rouge and the start line.

Welcome to the forum by the way, hope to see you here again otherwise the Mods will give you detention !!! and like me you will never ever get out

Nearer the time the site will light up with people going and where to meet etc, please feel free to join us all.

Must haves are wet weather gear, sun gear. Radio tuned to Radio Le Mans. Imodium, Asprins, Tent, Flag.

If you need further info please PM me.

SL

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by SL
Must haves are wet weather gear......

No, no, no......, you've not been listening to me! I keep telling you, t-shirts, shorts, Ray-Bans and suncream. It won't rain!!










OK, I'll agree with the Imodium........

[mudshark]

I am to this Forum also a rookie but I do have a few visits to LeMans, and therefore an input or two to pass along. I´ve been lurking in the Forum for awhile awaiting a topic where I may have a useful input. I have also found the straightaway right after the Dunlop Bridge an excellent spot to watch the start of the race. Not sure what to expect this year due to the changes being made there. Along with the already suggested items to include such as portable radio, suntan lotion (yes, we will need it this year!), raingear (hopefully not needed, but just in case)if possible bring a bicycle. Much easier to get to the further away spectator areas such as Arnage and Mulsanne. If you need to run to the market for those invaluable items that may have been consumed to quickly, such as beer and toiletpaper, you will find the bike a more convenient mode of transportation than a car, especially from the Friday before raceday till late Sunday night.
+ =

[iucrmh]

With regard to the Pits Grandstand in the rain last year, absolutely 100% useless. It was cold and very wet with the wind howling through. But as Aysedasi said, can't possibly rain two years in a row..... More like 2000 will do nicely (the only year I took my wife, and she thinks it's always like that - thank goodness I didn't take her last year!).

[Rick]

... midnight, Indianapolis, cold beer, ahhh.....

[Aysedasi]

Thanks to mudshark for your thoughts, and welcome to the forum! Keep looking in!

[Abs]

Not sure of the value of visiting the restaurants along the Mulsanne these days, as the last time I went there (2000) they had closed off all of the gardens and you could only look between/over a gate between the two building.

It was quite a disappointment as we had a couple of newbies with us and we were telling them all about being able to perch in the hedge with the cars flying (no reference to the mercs) down the Mulsanne almost within touching distance.

Seems those days have gone as well.

[Aysedasi]

While that's true Abs, I still think its an essential part of the Le Mans rookie initiation to go to the restaurants. The view from the wall alongside the Restaurant des 24 Heures is better than just up at Hunaudieres, even if the view is limited. You can still see the cars braking for the first chicane, and I've managed to take a few reasonable photos from there, perched on whatever garden furniture comes to hand (foot). You need to watch out for their neighbour's electrified fence though!

Occasionally you get lucky. In '94 we walked straight through the restaurant and out of what is effectively their front door, and were able to lean up against the (very flimsy) fencing for an hour or so, without a gendarme in sight - great stuff!

Even better though, just stop off there for 20 minutes when it is completely dark. Walking along the roads or through the car park (field), listening to the cars roaring past is still a fantastic part of the whole experience. Last year when we popped in there (in the rain, of course), I guess about midnight, there was an open-topped bus parked right up to the wall. Quite a reasonable view from up on the top of it - although it was pretty damp!!

[AllonFS]

For the start I would say either the Dunlop chicane area for viewing 'live', or the pit straight area so you can see the big video screens and watch the rest of the action over the first few laps. There is normally some great racing down the Mulsanne before the cars spread out and Audi head off in to the distance. Again.

Can someone give precise details of where the Arnage/Mulsanne buses leave from. Are they separate, how often do they leave, what are good times etc.

Also is it possible to walk up to the Mulsanne restaurants? I get a bit lost after Tertre Rouge.

[Quattro]

SL,

Many thanks for the info.....Sounds to me like you have it sewn up. I presume from many visits to Le Mans...

Yes, we will be going down on the Thursday. (Eurotunnel & drive) and we will be returning on Monday. So we have the Fri/Sat/Sun at the race.

Your advice for the begining of the race is great, thanks. And I'm sure with all the places you mention we'll be able to see some excellent racing!

Thanks for the welcome to the forum...yes, perhaps we can meet up at some point during the race. I'm going to be positive too...Shorts, Sun Cream & Ray Bans Definately! But Imodium! is that for the (dodgy or doggy) burgers ! i'll steer well clear!...

[Quattro]

Aysedasi,

Thanks for the reply....and for the welcome to the site. Like Mudshark, i've been looking in on the forums from time to time, but will certainly be more active on the forums now.

I've been surprised by the number of responses i've had to this thread... as i'm sure it comes up every year with newbies going to Le Mans. But Thanks to all who have responded!

We are really looking forward to going to Le Mans, (Fortunatley my wife is also a petrolhead) we had a great taster for it at last year ELMS meet at Donington, but unfortunately couldn't make it to Le Mans last year.

Thanks for the tips on where to go...Seems that Dunlop will be popular from the number of mentions its had. Like you, and particularly for my first Le Mans i fully intend to stay up for the whole race...Plenty of coffee / Red Bull will see to that, though i'm sure the excitement of the race is sure to keep me awake all night anyway.

[Aysedasi]

You're very welcome Quattro, good to have you on board.

There's a hell of a lot of Le Mans experience here - I've got 16 straight years but there are others whose experience goes back much farther than mine.

Funnily enough, this will be my first Le Mans as a 10/10ths member - I only joined last October (and was addicted within 24 hours - rather appropriate that!).

[rdjones]

For use who have never been to Le Mans, where is the place to view the race?

[Abs]

Outside on the entrance to Terte Rouge, the braking zone is something else.

The old Esses (we will have to wait and see this year!)

[Aysedasi]

Fab (and plenty of others) know mine.........

[Nordic]

When you get to the track, you will find that during the race diffrent areas of the track take on a different light thru the race so you need to move around.
I also find that a favored spot one year is not so good the next year.

Terte Rouge is good, as was the entry into the esses looking up to the Dunlop bridge.

[Adam43]

The best thing about the race is that there is plenty of time to see all the corners. Or course you need to go back each year to see each place at different times. Sunset, sunrise, etc...

A trip out to Mulsanne and Indianapolis/Arnage is well worth it. My best motor racing experience was at Indianapolis corner. It was raining, about midnight and the cars came charging towards you through the woods. You'd hear them first, see the lights later and then they would shoot off towards Arnage.

In recent years they have reduced the spectator area and put a really bright flood light at this corner. I think this has reduced some of the spectacle.

The Le Mans circuit is a great circuit with loads of great corners to watch at. It'll be interesting to see what has happened to the esses...

[Banks]

As has already been said - the best spots change from year to year - especially if you are going to take photographs - the catch fencing plague has spread rapidly in the last few years so finding clear views in that respect is a bit frustrating. The good thing is that you have at least twenty four hours to ( more if you are there for the full adventure) -so take every opportunity to get to the far side of the circuit - one of my favourite places is on the inside of Mulsanne corner where the old signalling pits used to be

[Mal]

Hi everybody, this is my first post, so I'm pleased to join in.
Banks I noted you said the inside of Mulsanne corner is your favourite spot. How do you get there as I have never found the route?

[kdr]

theres people still lost looking!