[LM24] Le Mans - the FAQ's (Updated)

[Peter Mallett]

Is it worth joining the ACO for the "VIP" areas?

And yes, we are staying in the flexotel. I'm far too long in the tooth for proper camping.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by whitemr2

It's up to your own expectations, I find it worth the money if only for the privat areas. Descent toilet, affordable food and drinks and less crowdy. If you also buy tickets, you get better prices, acces (tour) to the privat area at scruteneering and to me it feels good supporting the organisation wich organises the race I 'love'.

Exactly this. When I first joined (1997) I only did it for the after-race pack, but since then I have saved on ticket prices, have been able to sit in member only grandstands and use the excellent facilities behind T17/T18 as well as the very welcome area down at Dunlop which is a Godsend after much walking around during the night.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Im sold.

Good man. Even if you don't have a seat in T17/T18, you can still use the superclean loos, showers and the cafe upstairs.

[Anyopenroad]

Question for the experts, particularly the photographers.

What would be a sensible plan for getting as many photos from as many different parts of the track as possible done during the practice and qualifying sessions?

I ask because the grandstands are free and there will be a lot fewer people. Of course there are also a lot fewer hours!

For ease of quoting, the sessions are:

Weds 1600-2000 (day)
Weds 2200-0000 (night)
Thu 1900-2130 (day/twilight)
Thu 2200-0000 (night)

Cheers!

[GT6]

I would suggest walking the circuit area on Wednesday afternoon and evening and then driving to Mulsanne and Arnarge on Thursday evening. Traffic will be much lighter than during the race and Thursday evening the speeds will be higher for those action shoots along the straights after Mulsanne and at Arnarge for the glowing disc's.

[kdr]

Anyone ever taken the buses that go round the circuit, thinking specifically from main gate area round to Arnage. Just curious if they were regular, busy, where they started and stopped.

[Truckosaurus]

The circuit buses are pretty decent these days. In 2019 we did the loop from the 'stadium end' of the track to Mulsanne to Arnage to the Porsche Curves (and then on the Little Train) back to the stadium with minimal waits for the bus each time.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by WestHam92

I'm going to Le Mans for the first time and found Aysedasi's guide really useful. Thanks very much!

I've got some questions that I hope can be answered:

We've got tickets for the T34 grandstand, but might want to watch some of the race elsewhere. What are the best places to watch it around the circuit and how easy is access?

Are there many food outlets, bars and merchandise shops/stalls around the circuit and near T34 grandstand? And if there aren't many close to T34, where are the nearest ones?

How close to the campsites are the car parks? Or does the camping plot include space for a car?

What are the facilities like at the campsites?

I hope you all enjoy the weekend!

Take a look at the map on the first post of this thread
It will give you a good idea of where to see the race.

[Anyopenroad]

Is the ACO Tribune 17 reserved seating or first-come-first served free?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Reserved afiak. I'm in the club room now but no access to the tribune.

Definitely reserved numbered seats for the race. Access for members only during practice and qually when you can sit anywhere you like in the stand.

[Peter Mallett]

Not sure if anything has been posted about campsites and bookings, so here goes:

When booking through the ACO or via another agency, do they allocate a certain amount of space for the pitch? If so do they base it on tent capacity or people? I'm looking at a bigger tent for next year and although I'll be camping alone I'll probably take a 4man tent.

I ask because Travel Destinations gave me half a pitch and only charged me for one person this year. But I only had a 2 person pop up tent (as discussed elsewhere).

[Truckosaurus]

ACO pitches are 7 x 5m - one ticket per vehicle needed, then you can squeeze as much camping paraphernalia as you like into that space.

[NaBUru38]

When are tickets expected to go for sale?

I want to stay in a relatively cheap hotel (if such thing exists). Given that I found one, what's the best way to go to the track (other than walking)?

[Aysedasi]

Normally members ticketing is one week before general sales. But I'm certainly expecting October.

[RL17]

Originally Posted by Kpy

As from 1 September 2022: If your vehicle runs on petrol and was first registered prior to 1 October1997, you will not be allowed into the zone. Fines for breach of regulations are €68 to €450.
For all vehicles registered after that date you will be allowed access with a Euro standard sticker class 1 available from https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/
As you can see you can order from UK

Is this now effectively banning 2005 and older petrol, and 2010 and earlier diesel, cars/vans going through Rouen for the 2023 race?

Stickers 4 to 5 euros for UK posting, allow 2 weeks for delivery and a bit of faff with pdf of V5 required plus car serial number etc going on to database there.

https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/co...7/france/rouen

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by RL17

Is this now effectively banning 2005 and older petrol, and 2010 and earlier diesel, cars/vans going through Rouen for the 2023 race?

Going through Rouen - yes.

But going around Rouen - no problem. If you follow the E402 all the way, you do not enter the zone.

[AstonGeoff]

I know people who have used the free parking up by the airfield, the only issue they had was the transfer bus was infrequent and always rammed, so it was easy/quicker to walk.

However, with the crowd expected this year parking isn't going to be easy all round tbh

[GT6]

Forgot to say Saturday meet up is a good way to meet everyone and talk about le mans, and if you look in the where are you camping you will find out other forum members in your site

[Gingers4Justice]

Hi everyone, couple of questions from someone who hasn't camped since 2014.

We're coming down on Friday afternoon/early evening - we have marked pitches, but how worried do we have to be about having our pitches reserved?

We'll be stopping at the supermarket on the way down. Is there anything we're likely to buy on our way into the circuit that won't be allowed in? I'm thinking gas canisters, bottles of beer etc.

We're staying on Sunday night. Do all the food vendors still close before the end of the race?

Lastly, have shuttle busses between Clos-Fleuri and the rest of the circuit been announced at all?

[Truckosaurus]

Normally they are OK with people reserving pitches (we've previously had photos of our multiple camping passes to prove we actually have friends).

Hopefully the jobsworth security will have calmed down by Friday, so you're less likely to be searched - go for canned beer instead of bottles though.

I would assume no food for sale after the end of the race. There's always the KFC by the tram terminus as a last resort :-)

[Aysedasi]

The ACO have published their list of what you can and can't take into the circuit and car parks and campsites.

No surprises with some - cans but no bottles, no drones, guns, throwing stars (!) or fireworks anywhere, and surprisingly, no bicycles - anywhere - although scooters (non motorised) are allowed in car parks and campsites. And no dogs in the circuit (unless assistance dogs).

I suspect the bicycles prohibition will not be wholly enforced.....

[Gingers4Justice]

My group are determined to bring a paddling pool for some reason. Am I right in protesting that they are banned from ACO campsites?

[GT6]

they were banned years ago, and the security do enforce it.

[PascaLM]

For your information :

https://tentenths.com/forum/showpost...postcount=1379

[PascaLM]

More informations about traffic maps and their constraints for 2023

https://www.sarthe.fr/actualites/24-...ntes-associees