The expeditions of Chatters & Co., and the race to Le Mans!

[Chatters]

Hi everyone,

Me and a mate of mine (a fellow forum member) have been considering the possibility of making the trek to Le Mans sometime in the coming years. Now obviously for a pair of teenagers this is going to be a big ask! We both realise it's gonna take A LOT of effort and A LOT of money saving. I think we're best aiming for the 2010 event to give us plenty of time to organise everything we need- Flights, accomodation, transport, spending money, tickets, merchandise etc.

Now, having no idea how much this is actually going to cost, we've decided to aim for about $5000- is that too much? Or is that not enough? That's where you guys come in.

We need your help! Neither of us have attempted anything this big in our lives! We're looking for your support- whether its moral or informational (and we are of course open to any charitable money donations ). Where do we stay? Where to we buy tickets? How do we arrange transport to and from the circuit? Where do we watch the race from? How much is the merchandise? How much is the food? How far in advance do we need to book everything??

So many questions, so little idea! If there's anyone out there who wants us to achieve this mammoth ask, then by all means show your support! I'll be checking in with you guys and this thread very often, and so will my mate.

Let's go to Le Mans!!!

[Truckosaurus]

Originally Posted by Chatters

Hi everyone

Ahoy Chatters!

That sounds like a good plan. You'll get plenty of encouragement from all quarters here...

Originally Posted by Chatters

... Where do we stay? Where to we buy tickets? How do we arrange transport to and from the circuit? Where do we watch the race from? How much is the merchandise? How much is the food? How far in advance do we need to book everything??

If you look at the "Le Mans 2008" thread, I recently posted a quick estimate of how cheaply you could buy tickets for directly from the ACO (the organising club). Link -> http://www.lemans.org

If you want to attend in 2010, you can book tickets at the time of the 2009 event onwards.

I'd suggest your biggest expense will be the airfare and if you expand your trip to other parts of France/Europe rather than flying straight home.

Most visitors from out-of-town camp at the circuit, this is where the fun is, so you will have to budget for some camping gear, the French chain "Decathlon" has plenty of cheap stuff, and there is a branch in Le Mans.

Transport. You can get the TGV train from Paris to Le Mans, or you can hire a car from the airport. (don't forget, they drive on the wrong side of the road)

Food. Cheap BBQ stuff from the hypermarket, beer and wine from the shops is cheaper than in the UK (not sure how that would compare to Aus.) but more expensive in bars.

Another alternative would be to fly to the UK, and then travel down with a party of Brits, you've got 2.5 years to try and blag a ride....

Next Steps: 1) Download the Club Arnage guidebook for 2007, that should answer most questions.
2) Keep an eye on this forum, Club Arnage and the Pistonheads.com Le Mans forum for what people are doing for 2008, and then be ready to book in June 2009 (or even 2008 if you can't wait).

[RickP:Clio51]

Chatters,
Depending on your age, there are some great train deals in Europe... Inter-rail is for sub 25 yrs old.

http://www.interrailnet.com/interrail_passes

Pack a tent and your accomodation all around Europe will be pretty cheap.

So it's flights into Paris, then train to get around: 400 Euros (for a months train travel), your tickets you can buy on the door at Le Mans and sleep where you fall. Or book ahead early and book a camping space.

No real easy accomodation near circuit unless you have a car, which is probably not worthwhile and expensive to hire so plan to camp.

Good luck!

[Rockmunky]

I'll see you there!

[GT6]

The money is mostly dependent on the flights, the race tickets (buy there) are cheapish and assuming you fly into Paris the train to Lemans then tram to the circuit will not be that expensive. Once there if you have no car camping should be easy in the open campsites (not sure what will be available in 2010 but don't worry I am sure aussies are quite capable of getting passed what ever limited security is there). When you get there you will need a cheap tent, sleeping bag a perhaps a seat plus beer/food all available at the Carrefore a walk/tram ride away also very cheap.

Unless you go absolutely mad buying things at the circuit 500 aud each plus flights will be plenty for 3/4 days at Lemans, but why no stay longer and see europe, there are probably more aussies between 18 and 25 working in london that are left in Australia, or at least it seems that way sometimes.

[paul-collins]

I think we spend about $2k Cdn per person including flights, we rented a car at CDG, stayed at a B+B found through the ACO, had tribune tickets... The flight was about $800. (As now, the euro then was worth about $1.45 Cdn) We were there Thursday morning to Monday morning.

That's certainly a ceiling on what you need to spend. It very well may have been less.

[minimangler]

This teen's trying to make it this year!

He's looking like he's gonna fail though

HELP! Anyone need more person for their trip?

[Chatters]

Thanks for the help everyone- It's all very much appreciated and of course more would be of welcome! Does anyone have a map so I can see where the camping grounds are?

RickP, me and my mate will both be 20 in 2010. That InterRail thing sounds like a really good idea- thanks for pointing me in that direction! Obviously at this stage we have no idea where else we might want to go, but staying in Europe after the race is now a definate possibility.

Are there many Ten-Tenthers that camp at Le Mans? It'd be really good if we could meet up with a bunch of friendly people who've done this before and know where they are!

[Razor]

As the other part of this trip of a lifetime, what's the best bit of the circut to camp at? And terms of food and drink, is it better to buy at the track or grab what we need at a supermarket and bring it to the track? What's secuity at the track like?

[thebear]

You could start HERE . The article is aimed at Marshals but the information is generally useful.

Follow that up with my (thebear) adventures on THIS page. They are listed in reverse order so start with 1999.

The maps have gone from the "Where It's At" article but they are the same as on the first link and on the Club Arnage website. PM w/real e-mail and I will send you a [PDF] of each one. They are c.1998 so they do not show the latest version of the course in the Esses.

For currency exchange rates click HERE or HERE . These links are perpetual so save them for when you get closer.

[Chatters]

Thanks for your information bear. I was under the impression that camping was up towards the Dunlop Bridge- Obviously I think I'm mistaken!

[cptkablamo]

I'm also looking at going in 2009 or 2010, whats the place like in the lead up to the event - could one spend a couple of weeks in Le Mans itself before the race just checking stuff out??? or would I be better off just coming for the weekend and a bit?

[GT6]

Originally Posted by cptkablamo

I'm also looking at going in 2009 or 2010, whats the place like in the lead up to the event - could one spend a couple of weeks in Le Mans itself before the race just checking stuff out??? or would I be better off just coming for the weekend and a bit?

The test weekend is two weeks before and some people do do the full two weeks, the campsites are open before Wednesday but do not have much in the wayy of facilities before wednesday. There is plenty to do around Lemans if you have transport but I am not sure about staying around the circuit, although some of the teams do not leave between the test and the race.

Some campsites are quite secure, MB and tertre rouge in particular but others are more open and although I have never lost anything of value i know others that have. Best to keep money/passports with you at all times. there are plenty of cash machines around therefore keep cash to a minimum. Ten-tenths always have a meet on saturday morning in the village.

[RickP:Clio51]

Le Mans is a bit of a yawn outside of race weekend... lots of cool places to see if u have an Interail... Paris is a cool city, if you fly in there worth taking a couple of days to visit, would recommend youth hostel over camping there.

Of course, with the rail ticket, you can get flights into anywhere in Europe and then train across, so find the cheapest, Amsterdam is often on discount/ big hub and thats another cool City. Worth popping into Brussels on the way South then (or again, somewhere you could fly into).

I'd fly in Weekend before the race, do a couple of days in Paris, out to Le Mans for the Weds or Thurs onwards, then back to Paris/ Brussels/ Munich (BMW Museum)/ Stuttgart (Porsche and Merc museums)/ Zurich (cool place), across to Lyon and down to the Med... hang out on the beach in a cheap campsite on the Mediterranean for a week to recover then fast train back to Paris and home.

Feeling more adventurous, break out East from Zurich to Vienna (kulchure!) and maybe Athens or over to Istanbul. Or alternatively, back to Le Mans for the Le Mans classic on 12/13 July! (Forgot not this year...)

Or come in earlier and try and pick up Nurburg 24 hours (HAS to be experienced), Le Mans test, 2 weeks touring, the big race and then flight home)... going to depend on schedules that year.

Will be an awesome trip...

[thebear]

Originally Posted by cptkablamo

I'm also looking at going in 2009 or 2010, whats the place like in the lead up to the event - could one spend a couple of weeks in Le Mans itself before the race just checking stuff out??? or would I be better off just coming for the weekend and a bit?

It all depends upon your interests, available transport & finances. If you had a rental car you could probably spend a month just touring wineries and churches. Lots of local history in each city/town along the way.

[brielga]

Indeed, Le Mans is close to the famous Loire Castles which are close to lovely towns like Orleans and Chartres. Paris is very close as mentioned before but be aware it is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. I think the LM week is fun to be around but the week before you can make better use of...

[Chatters]

We've been thinking of heading to the UK after the race- How many F1 headquarters have museums open to the public?

Unless anyone has any better ideas...?

[Pro Racer]

i wouldn't mind taging along, i pay my bills and i shout a round or 2 , have never been to an overseas race and would nove to go to LeMans .

[RickP:Clio51]

Not sure ANY of the F1 teams have museums open to the public... UK is a waste of a good rail ticket in my book ;-)

[racerkeke]

Originally Posted by Chatters

We've been thinking of heading to the UK after the race- How many F1 headquarters have museums open to the public?
Unless anyone has any better ideas...?

Well, last year the Goodwood Festival of Speed was the weekend after Le Mans. Aside from the pelting rain and knee-deep mud it was a hoot. Nothing like a hillclimb up Lord March's driveway -- everything from supercars to rarely-seen Brooklands museum vehicles (the Napier-Railton, mmmm) to Hemi Under Glass and a Pikes Peak racer. Track food doesn't match the pate and baguette of Le Mans but the organic ice cream was yummy. Couldn't check out the champagne and caviar, unfortunately.

Come to think of it, the Brooklands Museum itself is well worth a visit, if nothing else to see if you can stand up at the top of the remaining banking (pretty difficult!) and to visit the restored Concorde's resident cat.

cheers,
keke

[Chatters]

The Goodwood Festival of Speed- Now there is an idea keke! That's another event I've always wanted to go to, and if it's the weekend after Le Mans then I'm certain that's where we'll be headed.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by RickP:Clio51

Not sure ANY of the F1 teams have museums open to the public... UK is a waste of a good rail ticket in my book ;-)

The Williams one is isn't it?

There's also the Wheatcroft collection at Donington Park, a fantastic collection of cars.


Depending on the dates, you guys could try and catch the Nurburgring 24 Hours as well (or at least duck over to Germany for a lap or two of the Nordschleife)

[rdjones]

If you do make it Le Mans in either 2009 and 2010 you will have to come to the annual 10-10ths meeting which takes place in the Village on the Saturday lunchtime.