[LM24] Le Mans 04 tours

[Barto]

I am aiming to visit Le Mans for the first time in 2004. I am curious to know what people recommend in the form of Le Mans 24hr tour groups.

I don't care if it is camping, hotel/motel or even nothing. I would prefer the group to be youngish (ie: i am only 24) but are there for the racing above all else.

I have followed Le Mans since the mighty days of the 962C and would love to visit/witness the home of endurance racing meca!

Any recommendations of tour groups would be appreciated...

[Aysedasi]

Always ready to wlecome a new recruit - both to the forum and to Le Mans!

I go with a crowd (The "Tourists") and we drive over and hotel it - yes, we're softies!), but I have been with M.R.I. in the past and would go with them again if the Tourists decided not to go for some reason.

I'm sure we'll get plenty of recommendations for you although with your location, the recommendations of us Brits may not be so useful.....

[PaulSands]

Maybe there should be "Newbies Tour"...next year will be my first too

[bigh]

Wotcher Barto,
In my opinion, and that of many others, the tour companies such as MRI are a complete waste of time, as a taster, try this - last year their 'hospitality unit' ran out of beer on Saturday afternoon. This shows contempt for the punter of stratospheric proportions. I have popped my head into the MRI marquee and seldom have I seen a glummer looking bunch of people. You will be ripped off, and disappointed into the bargain. Contrast this with the campsites, everyone seems to be having a whale of a time.

Sadly, it's the proliferation of groups like MRI, and the willingness of the ACO to offload large blocks of tickets to them, that has made it more difficult for the rest of us to get hold of tickets. Drag 'em into the street and whip them like dogs I say, and have done in the past.

Savour the true LM atmosphere by deciding on your own travel arrangememts, camping, sourcing your food and drink and meeting friendly neighbours. Get your ticket application in now, confirmed by e mail, snail mail, fax and phone. Keep chasing them, keep your fingers crossed, and don't despair, you will also find many tickets coming up for sale on Club Arnage (www.clubarnage.com) and e-bay, nearer the date.
Go on, you know you're worth it...
H

[the_fury]

A bit harsh on MRI I think Bigh! They are expensive (they whack a huge mark up on the race tickets alone), but the 'posh' bogs certainly come in handy. Page & Moy are a bit cheaper and, especially if it's your first time, it's good to have them book all the bits and bobs too if you're not too confident in doing it yourself.

[PaulSands]

so what we need is a checklist of stuff to book/do from a veteran

[Aysedasi]

Very harsh on MRI, I would say H (but we value your opinion..... ).

If you can, I agree wholeheartedly, travel with a group and camp or hotel it. But for complete newbies, who don't know their way around the circuit, let alone the vagaries of the ACOs ticketing system, I would always recommend the likes of MRI or P&M - unless, as I say, you can link up with an experienced group.

BTW, it's heresy to some, I know (and it harks back to a thread before this year's Le Mans, but you can actually have a very good time at Le Mans without having a glass/bottle of beer permanently attached to your hand/mouth for 24/36/48 (whatever) hours........

[bigh]

Oh alright then, I guess each to his own. Can't I horsewhip them just a little bit?

I suppose it depends what you're after, and what you would like to get out of the race. My first visit was made in the mid eighties, and a large part of the fun was making discoveries under my own steam. (It hasn't changed, last year it was "who the f*** but those chicanes there!!!???")

Let's not put the lad off though, the bog situation is ok these days (no red backs in France), and as for 'posh bogs', it is a motor race for chrissakes, you'll be wanting soft toilet paper and eau de cologne next!

Barto, one of our group used to travel regularly from the far east to the race, and based on his experiences, I would recommend flying to the UK, meeting some mates and then driving down. The party atmosphere on the ferry and the machinery on the roads on the way down represents one of the highlights of the weekend for a couple of our boys. How often do you get a chance to dice it with a real C Type or GT40?

If you don't have any mates (in the UK I mean, obviously you have mates..) then the flight to Paris, TGV to LM is pleasant and as painless as long haul can be, pack your rucksack carefully. The jet lag will become a real bonus during the night, you shouldn't miss a thing.

Just one or two strokes, please, and I promise to hold back with the matches and petrol...
H

[Aysedasi]

Nice.

[rdjones]

As people know I have travalled to Le Mans for the last 2 years with MRI and I have to say I have no complain about and I have no major problems with them. In fact I am planning to go out for the week next year, but I think I will still book via MRI.

[Barto]

Thanks for the recommendations. I am not too worried about toilet setups.....i have experienced far worse.

I have relatives in the UK and would plan to visit them before going to LM. While not a virgin to europe (i have back-packed around it while living there for 12months) i don't speak french and would like the company of a group of hard-core motorracing freaks. Lack of alcohol is not a concern either, i would be going for the racing and for photography (another hobby)

[the_fury]

Yeah, the MRI bogs even has one of those dudes hanging around dishing the towels out and spraying you with eau de cologne for a tip. Just kidding, though after this year's squatting experience maybe I'm thinking the posh bogs are worth it... It could be worse Bigh, at least I'm not staying in a h*tel! Definitely try to drive though - rolling into the euro tunnel terminal at folkestone Thursday morning to be confronted by a car park full of exotica is always a nice start to your Le Mans weekend.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by the_fury
Definitely try to drive though - rolling into the euro tunnel terminal at folkestone Thursday morning to be confronted by a car park full of exotica is always a nice start to your Le Mans weekend.

Wandering around the ferry terminal waiting looking at the great cars (usually dominated by Bent;eys and Jags ) is a great way to spend your time before you board the ferry!

[Fab]

Originally posted by Barto
Thanks for the recommendations. I am not too worried about toilet setups.....i have experienced far worse.

I have relatives in the UK and would plan to visit them before going to LM. While not a virgin to europe (i have back-packed around it while living there for 12months) i don't speak french and would like the company of a group of hard-core motorracing freaks. Lack of alcohol is not a concern either, i would be going for the racing and for photography (another hobby)

I hope we'll have the pleasure to meet you at the Ten-Tenths meeting next year ! Just the glass of friendship and the pleasure to put faces on names, and share some locals products...

Could be a bit more sophisticated in 2004 than the Main Square Village, but this was really easy to go for everyone (very central)... we'll have plenty of time to discuss that later...

For your first coming, be with experimentated members is a bonus ; last june, one of our members (TryHard) came alone as a newbie, but he seemed to appreciate though !

Those notes are for PaulSands too !

[bigh]

In 2003
MRI charged £119 for a £55 grandstand ticket.
MRI charged £48 for a £35 General Entry Ticket (seeing as you can buy these at the gate any time during race week, this is taking the **** if you ask me!)
MRI will not (as far as I can tell) sell you a £30 camping ticket unless you also buy their hospitality package and ferry crossings, which could set you back £200 or more.
Yes, terrific value. Obviously they are enthusiasts with customer satisfaction high on their agenda...
H

[the_fury]

That's right bigh, they won't sell you a camping itcket unless you stump up to £59 premium to sit in a tent full of bad car art (is there any such thing as good car art? A new thread maybe...) and have a posh dump.

Barto, if you're getting a coach trip, Page and Moy's is good (if you get the right rep) 'cos on the way home they go into Rouen city centre and stop for a couple of hours for a decent meal. It's worth it!

[the_fury]

Oh, and is that right, you can just buy a general admission from any gate any time?

[Aysedasi]

Yes, that's right. Don't buy your enceintes generales from ticket agencies.

[rdjones]

OK MRI do charge that little bit more but remember they have to make some money as well.......

[Barto]

I have noticed from Autosport Le Mans guides and other sources that there seem to be set spectator areas. Is this the case?? Can I wander from Arnage to the ford Chicane with a "general admission" ticket??? Or do I need individual tickets from each area??

Is it still possible to just walk through the woods and watch from anywhere on the Mulsanne or the run from Mulsanne Corner to Indianapolis??? Or is that restriced for safety??

[Fab]

Originally posted by Barto
I have noticed from Autosport Le Mans guides and other sources that there seem to be set spectator areas. Is this the case?? Can I wander from Arnage to the ford Chicane with a "general admission" ticket??? Or do I need individual tickets from each area??

There's spectators areas allright : you can wander from Karting to Tertre Rouge, inside and outside of the track ; this is the private 'ACO' part of the track.

With the same ticket (no additionnal charges), you are allowed to enter the Maison Blanche Triangle de Laigné area, the Arnage area, and the Mulsanne area (do not mix Mulsanne, which is the curve, with Mulsanne straight, named Hunaudières in French). Those three areas are separate from the above areas : you can go there by foot (ouch !) or with free navettes (could be long to wait them), or with your car (free parking lot at each area, never found it at Triangle de Laigné BTW).

Originally posted by Barto
Is it still possible to just walk through the woods and watch from anywhere on the Mulsanne or the run from Mulsanne Corner to Indianapolis??? Or is that restriced for safety??

Those areas are restricted for safety reasons ; some of the members here seem to go there at their own risks throughout the woods... Bon courage, and be prepared to face the Gendarmes !

[Andy Zarse]

I seriously object to most of these so called ticket agencies and their leach-like tactics. The distress they (and the ACO) cause to ordinary punters is ridiculously out of proportion to the benefits they confir on their customers.

And their hospitality is pretty naff by the look at it, unless you are especially keen on plactic palm trees and the pre-digested UHT longlife homogenised roadkill they laughingly call food.

I do understand Ayses point of view that you do not need to get blasted to enjoy the race. But they advertise the package saying "free beer". To run out within an hour of the start of a 24hour race is nothing but larceny and incompetent. Bear in mind it is usually damn hot during the day, so to expect a couple of cold ones when you get back to basecamp to rest your weary legs, is not unreasonable. Even if you are not a beer monster! A total rip off.

However, I have been on organised coach tours to Le Mans a couple of times in the early nineties, for reasons with which I will not bore you. But if you just want a quick trip, i.e. out fri night, back in UK mon morning, then fair enough. We used a small local coach company called Angela Travel in Fareham, Hants. They were about half the price of the idiots at MRI, Page & Moy. In fact I would go so far a to say it was bloody good value for money. All you would need to do is to get a train to Southampton, which is a main pick up point. No hospitality tent, but if you sneak a little tent into a campsite and pitch it overnight, who cares.

In conclusion, you should ask yourself how long you want to go for. If it only the weekend then maybe a coachtrip is for you. But use you intelligence and a bit of guile and you will have a far better time than being spoon fed corporate rubbish by the motoracing Svengalis at the likes of MRI. It's like anything in life, you only get out what you put in.

[Andy Zarse]

Originally posted by rdjones
OK MRI do charge that little bit more but remember they have to make some money as well.......

£119 for a £55 tribune seat!!!
Jeez. I have to say that a 100% mark up is slightly higher than my interpretation of "that little bit more"!!

A fool and his money are easily parted (not directed at anyone in particular...

[Liz]

I went with Page & Moy the first two times and then after our third trip collapsed, I found an excellent group to go with that never run out of anything (they make daily trips to the Carrefour to be sure of this). They also have satellite television and an emergency on-site private bog if you don't want to traipse all the five minutes to the brand new shower and toilet blocks. We camp at Karting Nord and last year we had our own flagpole that got in all the shots as we were right at the Porsche Curves just behind that big YOKOHAMA sign.

It's all very well for you to say "make your own arrangements" but IMO that's for people who like that sort of thing. I want to concentrate on the motor racing, not on trying to deal with agencies. For me the pay-one-price-and-leave-it-to-the-experts is a good choice; just find the experts who suit your style.

As far as MRI running out of "Free Beer", I daresay that resulted from the first people in line hogging the whole weekend's supply. Like "free" anything, only the piggies first in line -- who mistake 'free' to mean 'unlimited' -- get the doings. They'd be better advised to limit their guests to a certain amount of free beer and make them pay for any overages. That way everyone would go away happy. Perhaps instead of excoriating MRI for running out of 'free beer' you should go after your piggy mates who drank it all up.

[iucrmh]

MRI do have some advantages, e.g. Nationwide departure points and some of the guests they get in the marque (can be hit and miss). I remember wandering in at about 1am in 1999 and Alan McNish fielding questions from the audience having just taken the lead and set fastest lap. The food is however lamentable, although that may have something to do with ACO policy of having to use local caterers, and then having an English menu.

(BTW, the beer isn't free, except to those few paying for a premium package). Given the high temperatures this year, I would have been more concerned if they had run out of bottled water than beer.