NaroEscape

So, who is going to LeMans this year? Or who has gone in previous years that has experience in where to stay/not stay, what tickets to get/not get...basically HOW to attend???

We are not going this year, but I want to start planning for 2016. It will be our 25th anniversary and we decided a couple years ago that LeMans will be our anniversary trip. I'm considering making it a 2 week trip to visit Paris, wine country, and other places (any suggestions?).

Where should we stay to be a part of it all?
What should we make sure we do not miss?
What tickets/hospitality/etc should we get or avoid?

So...how about making this thread a "Visiting LeMans Best Practices" list?

Thanks in advance!!

Dr911

My buddy Larry S from NNJR went in 2014 and wrote a 4 section series about his trip.

Here is the link for Part 1 and all the planning info:

http://fastdrivermom.com/2015/01/26/...larry-schmidt/

The link below takes you to Part 2:

http://fastdrivermom.com/2015/02/02/...rry-schmidtit/

Parts 3 & 4 cover race day and a trip to Stuttgart following the race.

E55AMG

if you really want to do it right contact peter Sontag at fast lane travel. They specialize in porsche driving trips to Germany/Europe. One of their trips is to Le Mans.

I've had peter do 2 custom trips for me and i can tell you i have NEVER experienced customer service like i received from him. Can you do a lot of this on your own - like book hotels, side trips, etc.? Sure, but i can tell you he knows everyone and every hotel/restaurant i walked into knew who i was and that i was with Peter. On one of my trips he arranged for a retired porsche exec to meet me at my hotel and take me on a personal tour of the porsche museum.

i think i posted a thread here somewhere if you look. here's a link to his site and the Le Mans trip. https://fastlanetravel.com/tours/24-hours-of-le-mans/

Iridium

Go up in the chopper. There is a field right by the track. Chasing cars down the mulsanne is awesome, especially if you get the guys who will do it right on the deck.

We pulled the doors off the chopper with my video crew. Everyone strapped onto cables in case someone bailed. Getting outrun by the cars with the chopper pinned is just awesome.

Eat in the small town at the end of the mulsanne, there are some nice cafés.

If you can get a press or photo bib, do it. You get insane access.

928cs

Well, I live in Le Mans, so here are my first advices:
- Find an hotel in town and go to the track by tramway (24mn from the center)
- Rent a car or come with a nice one. Don't go the track with it but enjoy it on the small roads around.
- Visit the camping sites. They are really funny.
- Stay here for the week.
- As a Porsche owner, try to have access to the Le Mans Porsche Experience Center. I don't know how it will work but its location is perfect to enjoy the race. It opens soon.

In fact, the race is only 24 hours but they are many things to do during the week.
Sunday\monday: technical scrutineering (in town)
Tuesday: visit the neighborhood (Loire Valley Castles, ...)
Wednesday: First test session
Thursday: Second test session
Friday: Saint-Saturnin classic British welcome+others animations at Arnage and Mulsanne
Saturday+Sunday: Race

Remember that there is the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, but also support races, with their own test sessions (C Group or historical cars most of time).

Have a look here:
http://www.24h-lemans.com/en/
http://www.classicbw.org/?ln=UK

And please remember there is no "Mulsanne straight"!
It is called "Les Hunaudières"

vbcracer

Bob, I am thinking of going next year also. This thread is a great idea.

Kein_Ersatz

Kevin Buckler of TRG has a Le Mans Package that will even get you on track in an Aston Martin this year (pre race, I think he said can include a seat in a 3 hour session) and implied in future years to, but $$$ I suspect. First class accommodations all inclusive was the elevator pitch.

NaroEscape

Yep...$95k if you use his cars and does not include airfare or lodging!!!
LeMans experience only (no driving) is $7500 pp not including airfare or lodging.

http://trg-astonmartinracing.com/pdf...R_24lemans.pdf

ir_fuel

All you need to know, and more:

http://www.beermountain.com


I used that as a guide to prepare my visit to Le Mans a couple of years ago.

NaroEscape

good information, but no lodging options since its all about camping...something we have no interest in.

Dr911

From what I've been told the campers can get a bit giddy with the party spirit.

wagongotya

no real "wrong" way to do it, just show up and enjoy the show. see you guys next week

Mike in Chi

Try to get here for lunch in the days leading up to the race.
Hotel De France in Chartre Sur Le Loir
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_d...re_sur_le_Loir)

Neat little place on a small town square. Frequented by race drivers and crew. The cars around the plaza were incredible.

Most fun of all was on the drive back to Le Mans, when we were passed by a Bentley, really hauling ***.
The driver was Derek Bell.

brake dust

Depends on how much you want to spend! I would recommend joining the ACO (costs about $200 for the year) that gives you access to their hospitality areas around the circuit. You still have to pay for food and drink ( but it's reasonably priced) free Wi-Fi (timing and scoring), television monitors and covered (it always rains at Le Mans).

Would also recommend arriving for the first practice on Wednesday evening and watching from the Mulsanne corner and Arnage areas. The crowd numbers are very low, so driving to these areas are very easy. Would not attempt driving to them during the race (unless you do it at 3:00am) unless you want to spend several hours in traffic.

Not many options for booking your own hotel in Le Mans - you'll need to do that thru a tour company. Outside of Le Mans there are plenty of options - depends how far you want to drive.

NaroEscape

thought I'd bring this back to the top since a bunch of you have had time to come back from LeMans, get caught up at work, and may be able to relive or relate their recent experiences...what was good, what to avoid, and what not to miss.