Advice for a 1st time Le Mans 24 newbie?
05-17-2007, 11:29 PM
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Advice for a 1st time Le Mans 24 newbie?
I’m hoping some experienced Le Mans goers can give me some advice here. I’ll will be a first time attendee at this grand event in June and have a few questions. I was in line to get media credentials, but the ACO turned down the magazine I was going to photograph for – (first time it has happened to me since the US Grand Prix in 2001), so, I’m a bit behind in thinking about what it takes to be a regular spectator again.
1. I’ve poured over the Le Mans ACO web site and it appears most grandstand tickets are now sold out. What can you see with a general admission ticket, and where are the best places to view the on track action?
2. I’m assuming you might as well just buy the general admission ticket at the gate, or is there any advantage to buying the in advance?
3. Any preferred car park areas?
4. What other things do I not know that I don’t know?
Thanks for any thoughts here!
Jim
’87 911 Cabrio
3X black
1. I’ve poured over the Le Mans ACO web site and it appears most grandstand tickets are now sold out. What can you see with a general admission ticket, and where are the best places to view the on track action?
2. I’m assuming you might as well just buy the general admission ticket at the gate, or is there any advantage to buying the in advance?
3. Any preferred car park areas?
4. What other things do I not know that I don’t know?
Thanks for any thoughts here!
Jim
’87 911 Cabrio
3X black
05-18-2007, 03:46 AM
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try some of the UK packages, as far as spectating is concerned, Le Mans is a UK event that takes place in France.
The real 'experience' is best enjoyed camping at the circuit with a bunch of like minded petrol heads.
Everybody takes pictures of the cars, there are 'all sorts' of other things to photograph.
For the spectator, a lot of Le Mans is about drinking too much and behaving badly.
R+C
The real 'experience' is best enjoyed camping at the circuit with a bunch of like minded petrol heads.
Everybody takes pictures of the cars, there are 'all sorts' of other things to photograph.
For the spectator, a lot of Le Mans is about drinking too much and behaving badly.
R+C
05-18-2007, 06:27 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Jim,
2006 was my first time. I stayed in Chartres, which is half way between Paris and Le Mans. Room availability was good even on short notice and the drive to and from the track was easy (except it cost like $20 in tolls!!!). If you stay there, all parking is underground in the center of town, btw - it's not well marked. I drove to the track Saturday morning and parked in the infield camping area by the Porsche curves. BTW - it's called the Porsche curves because the outfield parking area is all Porsche club camping there. I bought my ticket right there @ the camp ground for 60 euro (official tix sales) no need to buy in advance, the place will never sell out. There are buses and shuttles all over but it's good to walk the place at least once. Wear your walking shoes, you will put on many many miles. I stood on the start finish line for the start and finish of the event (recommended). Bring your MP3 player with radio tuner and you can listen to the english Le Mans radio. If you don't have one, they sell radios and headsets for 10 euro. This is a must if you want to know whats happening around the track at all times. Plus they interview drivers, owners etc.... without this, you're lost and I imagine it would be very boring. There are no spectators allowed from Tetra Rouge (beginning of Mulsanne) all the way to Arnage. It is private property and there are security guards to point you in the right direction. Viewing is awesome from everywhere. Carpe Diem and enjoy every second you are there. It is surreal. I gotta go, I'll check back in later.
Brgds, Peter
2006 was my first time. I stayed in Chartres, which is half way between Paris and Le Mans. Room availability was good even on short notice and the drive to and from the track was easy (except it cost like $20 in tolls!!!). If you stay there, all parking is underground in the center of town, btw - it's not well marked. I drove to the track Saturday morning and parked in the infield camping area by the Porsche curves. BTW - it's called the Porsche curves because the outfield parking area is all Porsche club camping there. I bought my ticket right there @ the camp ground for 60 euro (official tix sales) no need to buy in advance, the place will never sell out. There are buses and shuttles all over but it's good to walk the place at least once. Wear your walking shoes, you will put on many many miles. I stood on the start finish line for the start and finish of the event (recommended). Bring your MP3 player with radio tuner and you can listen to the english Le Mans radio. If you don't have one, they sell radios and headsets for 10 euro. This is a must if you want to know whats happening around the track at all times. Plus they interview drivers, owners etc.... without this, you're lost and I imagine it would be very boring. There are no spectators allowed from Tetra Rouge (beginning of Mulsanne) all the way to Arnage. It is private property and there are security guards to point you in the right direction. Viewing is awesome from everywhere. Carpe Diem and enjoy every second you are there. It is surreal. I gotta go, I'll check back in later.
Brgds, Peter
05-18-2007, 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Nordschleife
Everybody takes pictures of the cars, there are 'all sorts' of other things to photograph.
For the spectator, a lot of Le Mans is about drinking too much and behaving badly.
For the spectator, a lot of Le Mans is about drinking too much and behaving badly.
05-18-2007, 09:41 PM
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Thanks for the information Peter. It should be a real help. We are staying in Tours so I'm eager to check out the Loire Valley after the race.
And I've been around long enough not to worry about the spectators. Sebring 1969 - getting high on the smoke just walking through the infield, dodging spectator's cars driven by their plastered drivers; U.S. Grand Prix 1974 - "Why yes honey, that is a Greyhound bus that's burning over in that muddy field." Indianapolis 500 (some years ago) - mistakenly walking through the turn 4 snake pit with $4k worth of camera equipment, glad that my monopod is heavy enough to serve as a real weapon; oh yes, and dodging full beer cans while trying to photograph in turn 3.
Most of the spectators who come to high profile racing events are there for the party. It is the minority of us that come for the racing.
Which brings me to NASCAR. I don't go to enough of these events to really know, but it seems that even the drunken, rowdy fans are there to see a race. So I can at least respect that.
And I've been around long enough not to worry about the spectators. Sebring 1969 - getting high on the smoke just walking through the infield, dodging spectator's cars driven by their plastered drivers; U.S. Grand Prix 1974 - "Why yes honey, that is a Greyhound bus that's burning over in that muddy field." Indianapolis 500 (some years ago) - mistakenly walking through the turn 4 snake pit with $4k worth of camera equipment, glad that my monopod is heavy enough to serve as a real weapon; oh yes, and dodging full beer cans while trying to photograph in turn 3.
Most of the spectators who come to high profile racing events are there for the party. It is the minority of us that come for the racing.
Which brings me to NASCAR. I don't go to enough of these events to really know, but it seems that even the drunken, rowdy fans are there to see a race. So I can at least respect that.
05-19-2007, 12:26 AM
#6
Burning Brakes
Le Mans is a UK event that takes place in France.
True statement!! There are sooo many Brits there it's like being @ Silverstone. I found everybody there to be generally well behaved. Plenty of liver damage going on, but all in good fun. There's an access road that goes down the middle of the circuit and on Friday and Saturday it's the site of 'burn out contest' of sorts. Just go to 'You Tube' and you'll find some cool videos. Try to get to LeMans town center for the scrutineering and drivers parade prior to the race for the full experience. I believe there is a bus that will take you to Mulsanne corner, at the end of the straight, but I did not venture over there. Just walk around like you own the place and you can access almost anywhere. Almost. Have the Grand Marnier crepes for breakfast on Sunday a.m. One of the highlights of my trip was the return flight. By coincidence, I sat next to the tire technician for the Flying Lizards team, we talked about the race and car stuff in general for the complete 9hr flight back. I then saw him at Lime Rock 2 weeks later for the ALMS race. The Monday after the race, I drove up to the beaches of Normandy and caught up to the GT2 winning LNT Panoz team transporter on the way to the channel. They were still celebrating!! Great trip all around, I recommend it to anybody whose even thinking about going. For me, it was something I wanted to do since I was 11 yrs old when I saw my first footage of the 1984 event, in the heyday of porsche 956s.
True statement!! There are sooo many Brits there it's like being @ Silverstone. I found everybody there to be generally well behaved. Plenty of liver damage going on, but all in good fun. There's an access road that goes down the middle of the circuit and on Friday and Saturday it's the site of 'burn out contest' of sorts. Just go to 'You Tube' and you'll find some cool videos. Try to get to LeMans town center for the scrutineering and drivers parade prior to the race for the full experience. I believe there is a bus that will take you to Mulsanne corner, at the end of the straight, but I did not venture over there. Just walk around like you own the place and you can access almost anywhere. Almost. Have the Grand Marnier crepes for breakfast on Sunday a.m. One of the highlights of my trip was the return flight. By coincidence, I sat next to the tire technician for the Flying Lizards team, we talked about the race and car stuff in general for the complete 9hr flight back. I then saw him at Lime Rock 2 weeks later for the ALMS race. The Monday after the race, I drove up to the beaches of Normandy and caught up to the GT2 winning LNT Panoz team transporter on the way to the channel. They were still celebrating!! Great trip all around, I recommend it to anybody whose even thinking about going. For me, it was something I wanted to do since I was 11 yrs old when I saw my first footage of the 1984 event, in the heyday of porsche 956s.
05-19-2007, 05:01 AM
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Originally Posted by jimcabc
Thanks for the information Peter. It should be a real help. We are staying in Tours so I'm eager to check out the Loire Valley after the race.
And I've been around long enough not to worry about the spectators. Sebring 1969 - getting high on the smoke just walking through the infield, dodging spectator's cars driven by their plastered drivers; U.S. Grand Prix 1974 - "Why yes honey, that is a Greyhound bus that's burning over in that muddy field." Indianapolis 500 (some years ago) - mistakenly walking through the turn 4 snake pit with $4k worth of camera equipment, glad that my monopod is heavy enough to serve as a real weapon; oh yes, and dodging full beer cans while trying to photograph in turn 3.
Most of the spectators who come to high profile racing events are there for the party. It is the minority of us that come for the racing.
And I've been around long enough not to worry about the spectators. Sebring 1969 - getting high on the smoke just walking through the infield, dodging spectator's cars driven by their plastered drivers; U.S. Grand Prix 1974 - "Why yes honey, that is a Greyhound bus that's burning over in that muddy field." Indianapolis 500 (some years ago) - mistakenly walking through the turn 4 snake pit with $4k worth of camera equipment, glad that my monopod is heavy enough to serve as a real weapon; oh yes, and dodging full beer cans while trying to photograph in turn 3.
Most of the spectators who come to high profile racing events are there for the party. It is the minority of us that come for the racing.
The spectators are part of the package, enjoy them. If you regard your monopod as a weapon please leave it at home.
If you are only there for the racing, you are missing something. Get there early, join in the parade in Le Mans with the teams and drivers, have dinner and drink with the drivers and the pit babes - loosen up a bit.
If all you are interested in is 'the racing', stay at home and watch it on a HD big screen. Or stay in your hotel in Tour and watch it on the big screen. After all half the team members just watch the tv.
If you want memorable photographs go and spend time in the fun fair, photograph the hookers, the drunks sleeping it off, the face your wife pulls as she tries eating andouiettes, some of the weird sites in the camping ground.
Go down to la Fleche and have dinner with the Porsche Racing Department and the Bentley Owners Club overlooking a 15th century millpond......
When I take pictures at the races, the ones all the guys want are the character shots, guys stacking a few zeds on the pit floor, one of the drivers telling a joke as he gets in from a double stint, the team masseuse with what looks like a huge tube of KY...... the weather man singing Verdi, Tom K dancing barefoot in the street.
Please don't take it serioiusly, its just big boys having fun.
R+C
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05-19-2007, 04:28 PM
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Nordshleife - Believe me, I intend to take it all in. And I'm looking forward to the ambience - what ever type it is. The point is, I do consider myself a serious fan, and I'll spend as much time following the race as taking in the sights. I generally enjoy people watching at these events, my only point about the monopod and the rest is that I've seen the worst. The old snake pit at Indy was definitely not a place you would want to get lost in with things of value hanging off you.
Jim
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Jim
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05-19-2007, 05:00 PM
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Jim
Just have a great time, and don't worry about the cost. The Loire Valley is glorious too.
Do look at the full timetable and get there for the parade in Le Mans, this is your chance to get close to the drivers and teams and really party it up. The other days, there are heaps of places to go, like Arnage to have a quiet little drink and watch some of us lighting up our tyres.
R+C
Just have a great time, and don't worry about the cost. The Loire Valley is glorious too.
Do look at the full timetable and get there for the parade in Le Mans, this is your chance to get close to the drivers and teams and really party it up. The other days, there are heaps of places to go, like Arnage to have a quiet little drink and watch some of us lighting up our tyres.
R+C
05-19-2007, 07:37 PM
#10
Burning Brakes
"I'll spend as much time following the race as taking in the sights."
Believe me, 24 hrs is a long time to take in everything. Go to the museum @ turn one. walk over the Dunlop bridge. etc..... I got to the track @ 0700hrs Saturday (remember it only started @ 1700hrs, 1 hr delayed due to the world cup) and I only slept 3hrs during that 34hr period. I wasn't leaving until I soaked up every ounce of LeMans. I only drove through Arnage on the way out. It's a cool little town I would have liked to explore some more. Met some great people from all over there I can't wait to go back some day.
Believe me, 24 hrs is a long time to take in everything. Go to the museum @ turn one. walk over the Dunlop bridge. etc..... I got to the track @ 0700hrs Saturday (remember it only started @ 1700hrs, 1 hr delayed due to the world cup) and I only slept 3hrs during that 34hr period. I wasn't leaving until I soaked up every ounce of LeMans. I only drove through Arnage on the way out. It's a cool little town I would have liked to explore some more. Met some great people from all over there I can't wait to go back some day.
