[LM24] Le Mans - the FAQ's (Information Only - Not for Chat!)

[valedave]

Originally Posted by racerkeke

They close course around 2 pm if it's the same as in the past. But be aware that many areas will begin to close at noon, eg. the Mulsanne roundabout.

They do open the roads and close the chicanes after the practice is over. This allows normal traffic to use Les Hunaudières all day Friday. However, in many places, opening the road involves Manitous and guys wielding sledgehammers (to get the Armco posts out of the permanent holes where they are wedged) so it may not be a quick process. I know that dismantling the second chicane takes more than an hour. I don't know if you would be able to get past the heavy equipment while they are working -- by that point I am snuggled up in my sleeping bag with visions of Corvettes and Audis dancing in my head.
keke
denizen of poste 61

Cheers for that. I was just wondering how feasible it would be to walk to Arnage and back from the village for Thursday quali along the track instead of having to loop around to the railway station and back.

[GT6]

It is a long walk, on thursday night it will be quicker to drive as the roads will be quieter than during the race

[valedave]

I've done the walk before; albeit only from Maison Blanche. It wasn't too bad. May head into town on the tram and get the train down to Arnage to shorten the journey down there somewhat.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

THIS is why you should stay up... http://lendurance.co.uk/2013/02/moments-morning-glory/

Actually, no, THIS is why you should stay up.......

[Gingers4Justice]

In another piece of advice for newbies, don't take the bus to Arnage/Indianapolis unless you're prepared to stay there for ages and miss large chunks of the race.

We tried to catch the bus at 10 pm - not too late at all. We waited for an hour and a half with no explanation until we were told there was no way of knowing when the next bus would come. Thoroughly annoyed, we decided just to stay where we were.

One of our group decided to get the bus anyway but couldn't get back til 7am.

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

In another piece of advice for newbies, don't take the bus to Arnage/Indianapolis unless you're prepared to stay there for ages and miss large chunks of the race.

We tried to catch the bus at 10 pm - not too late at all. We waited for an hour and a half with no explanation until we were told there was no way of knowing when the next bus would come. Thoroughly annoyed, we decided just to stay where we were.

One of our group decided to get the bus anyway but couldn't get back til 7am.

Very good to warn people for the big deception the bus 'system' around the track is. Only in 1996 we made use of this 'service' and by 2012 I'd sort of forgotten(or blocked in my memory) how bad it was. Tried it again last year and it was a nightmare. When we wanted to returned to our campsite from the Mulsanne viewing area, somewhere in the late night/early morning(+/- 5am) they let our group wait for over an hour and a half !
Mind you, during these very late/very early hours trafficjams are as good as vanished but still these busses are nowhere to be seen. I wouldn't be surprised if they'd only had the one bus going around during these hours of the race. Absolutly terrible.

If you want to see a lot of the race, then DON'T use the bus !

[Mal]

If you have access to a car then the best time to get to Arnage / Mulsanne would be between 5 and 8am I did it last year and the roads were empty and you can of course get coffee and Merguez for breakfast

[valedave]

Avoiding those buses like the plague should be the first line of any Le Mans camping guide...

Probably going to hit Mulsanne for sunset/late evening and Arnage for sunrise this year. All by car.

In 2011 we had little problem with traffic getting down to Mulsanne at around 10pm

[GT6]

traffic is always a problem, you end up listening to the race on RLM for long periods rather than watching it, but it is worth it just to see the brake disc glowing in the dark at arnarge

[Aysedasi]

Agreed. You just have to get out to Arnage in the dark. Even if you don't make it in the race, get out there for qualifying.

[GT6]

for all those going for the first time it is something you must do and for all those that have never done it before make sure you try in 2013

[whitemr2]

Originally Posted by Mal

If you have access to a car then the best time to get to Arnage / Mulsanne would be between 5 and 8am I did it last year and the roads were empty and you can of course get coffee and Merguez for breakfast

Indeed, roads are empty, enough parkingspace, only sometimes hard to get back to the camping due to roadblocks. Done it for some years now.

[GreenMachine]

In 2007 the bus to Arnarge from the main entry was good, maybe 10 min wait around 10 or 11 pm. We wanted to get back around 1am, by 2am decided that only way back was to hoof it :-( - got back too buggered for words and just crashed. I would do it again, spectating at Arnarge was one of the highlights and worth the sore and blistered foot that resulted from the walk back.

[airbusA346]

Does anyone know if any grandstands (other than Tribune 23) have disabled access?

[GT6]

most are really old and would not be suitable but there are also disabled viewing points approaching TR corner which are raised and wheelchair accessible,