[LM24] Le Mans Changes !!!! (Read this!)

[Chateaux]

Some Le Mans updates.Be warned the circular system for getting into Blue, Red, and Green parking is dramatically different the Red car parks cannot be reached from the bypass any more. I have seen them moving the signs so that you cannot come off the bypass and will have to access via Arnage!!!! Major change!!! Arnage will be a traffic free zone from Wednesday a.m. The section of the track between Mulsanne Corner and Porsche Curves will remain closed to the public!!!! from 14.00 Wednesday until end of race. I understand that it is cheaper to pay the local authority rather than keep opening and closing it. Temporary granstand has been erected on outside of Arnage bend? not sure for whom. A giant Supermarche has appeared just south of Arnage

There are the dreaded clamping companies around from Wednesday. If you put up a tent in the wrong parts of the car parks, you will have to pay a £ 70 clamp fee to be realesed. There are also elapsed time cameras on new motorway sections from Alencon around Le Mans to Ecommoy.

[Aysedasi]

That's really helpful Chateaux, thanks very much for the heads-up.

[vandijk]

Thanks for the info Chateaux!

[jpchenet]

Hope you don't mind Chateaux but I've thrown this up on Club Arnage. With a note of who and where it came from of course!!

[paul-collins]

What, no fan access at Arnage/Indianapolis? I thought they used to have some viewing there?

[Chateaux]

Some more updates after driving around and going to ACO office. Virage Porsche will have a general admission access for practise ONLY !! There are loads of Grandstand seats left with the exception of Maison Blanche and Dunlop Essess. There will be police random personal!!! searches by the CRS on the entrances to the circuit.They have strict instructions as to what you are allowed to bring into the circuit, beware bottle / can openers will be considered offensive weapons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The cidre stands are back as are the Saumur Sparkling wines stands for those on a suicide run. The ACO office has plug in access for email and internet which is 5 euros a card via AOL

The French anti terrorist arm of the police will be out and about something about el quieda and his mates. The president of France will be in attendance on the Saturday during the drivers presentation.
Unfortunately those of you hoping to get close to the cars at place des jacobins will be kept well away from the cars. All in all the French Police are very very nervous. I would suggest that anybody trying to sneak up to Mulsanne staright area would be ill advised. It seems that even Le Mans is affected by the times we live in.

[vandijk]

Oh no.... thanks again.

[Aysedasi]

Thanks again, but I don't think we really need two threads. I'll merge them.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Chateaux
I would suggest that anybody trying to sneak up to Mulsanne staright area would be ill advised.

Unless of course they have a viable team/car entry with which to supplement the currently withering entry list.......

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by paul-collins
What, no fan access at Arnage/Indianapolis? I thought they used to have some viewing there?

That cannot be right, surely?

And are you saying that the viewing area at the Porsche Curves is not going to be open during the race? Or that an extra ticket will be necessary and if so, have they built a new admission area there?

[vandijk]

This is unbeleivable...

Can someone get this confimed?

[Truckosaurus]

It makes sense (bit is no fun), keeps the Mad Friday traffic all in one area (the road parallel with the campsite and pit straight), it sounds like the Mulsanne Straight will remain open because it's a major road with businesses etc. along the length whereas the Mulsanne corner to the Porsche Curves has (from memory) practically nothing other than trees along its length.

What, no fan access at Arnage/Indianapolis? I thought they used to have some viewing there?

I think that's a misreading of the original post. From the sounds of it, there is extra viewing....

I'm surprised at the story about the Porsche Curves viewing area, as in recent times they've been tarting it up to encourage people to watch from there.

[Liz]

They were charging to stand up at the Kart Track wall two years ago during the race.

I'd heard the French were on Red Alert (their highest possible alert status) because of D-Day weekend but I assumed that was just around the coast. Why would terrorists blow up Le Mans?

[Mags]

Originally posted by Liz
They were charging to stand up at the Kart Track wall two years ago during the race.

I'd heard the French were on Red Alert (their highest possible alert status) because of D-Day weekend but I assumed that was just around the coast. Why would terrorists blow up Le Mans?

Maybe it's someone wanting to blow up AUDI.

[paul-collins]

Guy, you're right - I misread the Grandstand bit and was picturing extra stands at Tertre Rouge. :confused: I think you're right, what they're doing is turning the return road into closed track for the duration, and only reopening (for local traffic) les Hunadières Thursday and Friday...

I wonder if that means that the Friday "festivities" will be curtailed? I guess if you like doing a circuit drive before the race, you'll have to do it before then.

[TimD]

Most of these I think can probably be lived with - although I suspect this is now the end of Mad Friday as a practical proposition. Mixed feelings about that....

I wonder - Porsche Curves viewing. Might the restriction only refer to stands there? After all, it is something of an ACO tradition to give you the run of the grandstands until the serious stuff happens and then herd you out.

Finally, can a local reassure me that the D140 will still be accessible from Arnage Gare SNCF, with the right turn at Virage Arnage heading off to Ecommoy/Tours? Because if not, I'm wondering how the heck one gets to the Virage Indianapolis spectator area at all!

[vandijk]

Just checked it with some 'friends/collegues' -- one had contact with the ACO person in charge of communications and told me not to worry at all.

-Mulsanne, Arnage and Porsche will be open as usual
-he also confirmed the President of France won't be there

[vandijk]

Originally posted by Mags
Maybe it's someone wanting to blow up AUDI.

LOL

[PascaLM]

Originally posted by Chateaux
Some more updates after driving around and going to ACO office. Virage Porsche will have a general admission access for practise ONLY !! There are loads of Grandstand seats left with the exception of Maison Blanche and Dunlop Essess. There will be police random personal!!! searches by the CRS on the entrances to the circuit.They have strict instructions as to what you are allowed to bring into the circuit, beware bottle / can openers will be considered offensive weapons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The cidre stands are back as are the Saumur Sparkling wines stands for those on a suicide run. The ACO office has plug in access for email and internet which is 5 euros a card via AOL

The French anti terrorist arm of the police will be out and about something about el quieda and his mates. The president of France will be in attendance on the Saturday during the drivers presentation.
Unfortunately those of you hoping to get close to the cars at place des jacobins will be kept well away from the cars. All in all the French Police are very very nervous. I would suggest that anybody trying to sneak up to Mulsanne staright area would be ill advised. It seems that even Le Mans is affected by the times we live in.

Which tabloid wrote this ?

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by TimD


I wonder - Porsche Curves viewing. Might the restriction only refer to stands there?

There aren't any.

Just a reasonable sized grassed bank.

[rdjones]

I think this maybe a case of over to Giles............

[PascaLM]

I haven't see any search in sacks for ages at LM.
I don't see the reasons of more precautions as usual. The football match ? Well, since 20 years I have never never seen any fight or trouble between spectators !!!
Even beermontains seem to have been built as monuments dedicated to peace !
If authorities look for bombs, they will have lots of work, and of course we will cooperate.

[jpchenet]

Originally posted by Chateaux
There will be police random personal!!! searches by the CRS on the entrances to the circuit.They have strict instructions as to what you are allowed to bring into the circuit, beware bottle / can openers will be considered offensive weapons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

That is impossible to put into effect. Several of the campsites are within the GA area so peope who have to open bottles/cans/tins will have to be allowed openers in!

[Chateaux]

seems to be an element of confusion arising from my previous posting.
The TRACK will be closed between Mulsanne Corner and Arnage, not the spectator area. The viewing area at Porsche curves will not require a ticket until race day but is strictly limited by numbers

[Aysedasi]

Can we keep these in the original "Changes" thread?

I want any info that's going though, for sure.