[LM24] Le Mans 2005 - Who, Where and When

[rdjones]

So the 2005 Le Mans 24 Hours is just over 3 weeks away and its about time that we discovered who is going, where you are staying and when are you arriving.

I am travaling with Nordic/SL Tours again. We will be in SL's E-Type again and we will be travalling out on the Tuesday night on the 23.30 Portsmouth/Caen crossing. We will be again staying on Houx Annexe. As for the return trip it's 9.30 Caen/Portsmouth crossing.

That's my plans, over to you guys....

[kdr]

myself and a newbie will be on the eurotunnel on wednesday morning, driving down in an audi(sorry ayse), aiming to arrive at the circuit around 5pm for first qualifying. we will be staying where i've stayed the last 4 years, with a charming french family who live about a ten minute walk away from the expo. we are scheduled on the 2amish train back on sunday night monday morning.

[Marcel ten Caat]

Who: me! (and about 30 other 'Drinking for Holland' people)
Where: Staying at Maison Blanche.
When: Leaving Holland on either Tuesday (late) or Wednesday (very early) arriving on wednesday. Going back on Monday i think.

[Happy Snapper]

I'm leaving on 3rd will not be back until 20th! Piglet will be there for second week

[jase]

I'm traveling out with mates Piglet and Simon and Skyredbutton is joining us on the Thursday. Roll on the 10th.

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by jase

I'm traveling out with mates Piglet and Simon and Skyredbutton is joining us on the Thursday. Roll on the 10th.

I'll speak to you about that next week Jase

[Aysedasi]

Real whistlestop stuff for me.

Travelling out with fellow Tourists Alan and Jeff on the afternoon flight from Bournemouth to Paris on Friday 17th. Meeting up with Martyn (flying from Cardiff) and Ian and Robert (flying from Gatwick) for a night in Paris. Then up (hopefully at the crack of dawn) to blat to Le Mans in the hired Espace (or whatever) hopefully to be in time to meet you all at the 12 noon meeting. After the race its straight back to Paris for a night and half a day there before flying back to Bournemouth. Staying in the usual place on Saturday night (although there'll only be 5 sleeping there..... ).

[egor]

4 of us are leaving North Wales tuesday (14th) afternoon in the trusty Mercedes Sprinter, down to Portsmouth for the overnight crossing to Le Havre (Le Mans 2005 starts when we get to Portsmouth and we have our first pint).
A little low flying in the Merc as I'll have my white van man head on, down to Le Mans to the Airtrack vip camp site down by the karting track.
Meeting up sometime during the week with two newbies who are camping in the technopark.
Then back up monday for the early evening sailing back to Portsmouth, and thats when depretion sets in as the week has just gone too quick again!!!!!!

[Bottle]

4 of us in a Peugeot 406 Coupe.

10pm shuttle on Thursday, then nighttime blat down, E.T.A. Parking Bleu at 4am. We'll try to put up the tent quietly!

Nice to get down and do the pitlane walkabout for the first time, then the drivers parade in the evening - loved the atmosphere in the city last year!

[jase]

Originally Posted by jase

I'm traveling out with mates Piglet and Simon ...

Shoulda added thatwe're travelling on Saturday the 11th. A whole week and a half in France - will they be able to cope?? (the French that is)

[MikeHoyer]

We're taking 7 of us in two very exotic cars... a Renault Clio, and a Peugeot 306 (very French! ).

Leave home Tuesday evening to my mates house in Kent, get the ferry from Dover at 6am Wednesday morning, coming back late Monday.

[Mal]

Im going Dover Calais on the Seacat on Wednesday 0815 then staying at a hotel Wednesday night and heading for Maison Blanche Thursday Morning. Back to a hotel for Sunday Night and then back to Calai for the 2015 Seacat.

[TheNewBob]

I'll be working on the weekend the race is on, so I'll still be in Lincoln, England. I'M SO GUTTED!!!!

[gi_gav]

Myself and another photog flying into Paris CDG and driving down on Monday or Tuesday morning.

There for the whole week this time, blagging accomodation with ss_collins and his lot.

[lj79]

Flying to Paris on Friday morning.

Get hire car. Visit circuit friday pm then stay in Amboise Friday night - beautiful town on the the Loire, about 15 miles east of Tours.

Sunday night in Paris, fly home Monday pm

[Piglet]

As has been said above, Jase, Simon and I head off on the 11th, Flying Pig Racing will be setting up Chateau Piglet on Maison Blanche on the Sunday if we can blag our way in or alternatively on the Monday morning.

We'll be up and running for cold by lunchtime Monday at the latest so RDJ feel free to come and find us!

Can't wait - less than three weeks to go for us, Happy Snapper has less than two weeks lucky bug%er!!

[careyr]

I'm a Yank looking to make my first 24 hours and would appreciate some helpful hints. We'll have a rental car and will be driving in from the South and have a hotel reservation in Tours. I assume I can take the train to Le Mans Saturday morning or should I try to drive? Could I still find a room in Le Mans for Friday and Saturday night? If so where and how? Any suggestions on where to watch the start and the race? I don't think I'll buy grandstand tickets but just wander around the track. Is that realistic?

Thanks for any help.

[Aysedasi]

Gilles is probably your man here for local accommodation checks careyr, but I'd be very surprised if there is still a room to be had in Le Mans for Friday and Saturday night.

If you don't have a grandstand seat, I would get onto the tribunes opposite the pits good and early on Saturday lunchtime. Stake your claim to a good spot and enjoy the mesmerising pre-race festivities - its one of my favourote bits of the entire weekend. And you can wave to me (and plenty of others here) up in the pits grandstand!

You can certainly wander around the track, from the Porsche Curves at one extreme to Tertre Rouge at the other.

[Fab]

Careyr : you'll be more confortable if you drive from Tours to Le Mans, instead of trying the train. Just follow the indications to the circuit.

Then park at Red or Blue : you'll buy your ticket at the parking gate (mind to have cash with you).

For the room, forget it IMHO. It's overcrowded. You'll have to sleep in your car, or go back to your hotel in Tours (it's not that far BTW, one hour driving - Mind the speed traps, and take it easy on the road).

I forgot : mind to leave Tours early enough (7h30am) to avoid trafic jams around the track, and find a parking lot quite easy. Don't forget confortable shoes, your cap, and some fruits if you don't want to eat bread the whole week-end (you'll find mainly sandwiches and restaurants on the spot).

Welcome to Le Mans, and enjoy your stay !

[Javi]

Rioja wine is coming ! I´ll arrive friday morning with the motorhome (parking bleu staying) , then directly to the pitlane walking tour. Will there be any meeting on friday? If not, promise to see you all saturday noon

[Bentley03]

Careyr,

As Fab said, don't take the train! We use Tours as a base if we come unstuck with hotel rooms close to the circuit. Apart from the immediate area around the track, the roads to/from the south are remarkably quiet both before and after the race. The anticipation of race day generally gets the better of us and we leave Tours by about 06:30 on the Saturday morning. Very little traffic at the circuit when we get there at about 07:30. Plenty of time to get your bearings and no panic if you got a bit lost on the way. Warm up begins at 09:00.

If you do need sleep during the race, sleep in the car. Alternatively, buy a cheap pop up tent (about 12 euros) from one of the big supermarkets, pay the 20 euro Bivouac supplement in Parking Bleu, Rouge or Aerodrome when you arrive and camp in the car park.

Good luck!

[Aysedasi]

I'd echo what you say about the roads to the south - we've travelled half an hour or so south for the best part of 10 years now and never had any problems getting into and out of the circuit. Mind you, we have a driver who has something like 36 years experience of driving to Le Mans........

In a way I envy you Careyr - first time at Le Mans - what an eye-opener! We don't need to tell you to enjoy it - because you will!

[Roel_Ooms]

Staying some 30 kilometers up north in Beaumont /s Sarthe on the camping municipale, €2 per night & splendid facilities. A 40 minute ride to the circuit. Have been coming there since the beginning in 2001, just superb. Sat-Sun night in-car sleeping in shifts: five 6ft. blokes in one Fiat Punto ain't gonna work... Arrival thursday evening, departure monday morning, a 6½ hour-ride to home, Southern Holland. Can't wait till it's thursday.

Where is Beaumont /s Sarthe?
http://home.planet.nl/~ooms0172/sarthe.jpg

[Fab]

Originally Posted by Javi

Rioja wine is coming ! I´ll arrive friday morning with the motorhome (parking bleu staying) , then directly to the pitlane walking tour. Will there be any meeting on friday?

You say !

I'll be there on friday ! I think we could arrange a meeting at 3pm facing Pescarolo garage... but expect to meet me wandering around in the morning too !

Rioja... I'm already drooling !

[mikmx]

Seems that there's a Dutch camping in Beaumont sur Sarthe. Probably the same.. its excellent. we are staying from monday till the monday. Three travelling in Mazda 323 '86 GTX or RX-8. Joined by another 6 persons from the friday.