24 Hour Le Mans 2013

[duncanpage]

Hi all.

I'm looking at going to the Le Mans 24 Hour race next year and wondered if anyone could give me some advice?
I've never been there before, don't know any of the campsites or which places are best to watch the racing.

I'm planning on riding down there on my ZX9R, will be using soft panniers and strapping a tent to the back seat.

What is the best way to book the tickets?
Do bikes have to pay the tolls on the motorways in France?
If anyone has been there before or even a few times in the past, how much should I expect to pay for the whole trip including meals etc? Just trying to get an idea!

[garth]

Yes you need to pay tolls. Not alot to Le Mans.

[D O G]

It's pretty dull, be prepared to get pissed.

[duncanpage]

[garth]

As an example for toll prices, I rode from Switzerland to Calais in a day and it cost me under 30 euros in tolls.

It was fucking dull though, as dirty old git just informed you.

[arry]

Go every year, it's ace. Never been on the bike though.

Peage is the way to go if you just want to get there fast; it's fairly straight forward and you can cruise legally at 82 ish mph - don't take the mick with the speeding thing, the French police are always very vigilant on Le Mans week, especially the Thursday and Friday.

With regards camping - we stay at Karting Nord which is basically right by the side of Burn Out Alley, so gives you something cool to watch on Friday night. It's also right by the side of the track, so you get the full on noise It's quick and easy to get into the track itself from there too, albeit it could do with being a bit more central, and you can make your way to Arnage from there in 20 mins which is great for seeing things like F40's doing the loop alongside the spoofs - good laugh.

The 'best' camp site is Houx TBH, but it's the most expensive usually and sells out fast.

Don't stay anywhere away from the circuit, it's not worth it.

As for beers etc - once you're all set up and dropped your stuff off, there's a Carrefour supermarket about ~10 mins up the road from the circuit so you can go stock up. It gets bloody busy as you'd expect - especially on the Friday night / Saturday morning.

It's a great 4-5 nights away and you'll meet some real characters.

[Codemonkey]

I've been a few times years ago, we used to stay away from the circuit in a little village called Ecommoy at a municipal campsite. It was nice, quiet, clean and had a decent toilet & shower block (not like the minging portaloo's which were to be found on the circuit campsites). The campsite also has a couple of large supermarket's within walking distance as well as petrol station. We kept food costs low by buying bread etc from the supermarkets & making sandwiches.

Few photo's from one of the trips:

https://indigopepper.com/photos/Events/Holidays/2001/Le%20Mans%20-%20June%202001/index.html

We used to have a great time, I'll definitely be going again some time!
____________________
Test Passed 10/05/2011 Current bike: XJ6-N

[arry]

My 2011 photos:
https://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk301/arryR32/Le%20Mans%202011/


Seems I put the 2010 ones into some generic album and I can't find them, so hey ho.

[bognorgaz]

Have been several times, always to the bikes rather than the cars, the peace is free in the way home on the bike weekend and they set up rest stops for free coffee and cake on the more fun roads. Drivers have always warned us of impending speed traps for at least a couple of miles. They're are some great roads on the way down so try and stay of the peage. We have always stayed in a local mercure hotel (shower and a chance to sleep). One word of caution always keep your documents on you when on the bike they are very hot on that.

[jimspeed]

A bunch of us goes every year since 2001, we missed this year to go to the classic instead tho, normally go on the monday overnight ferry from portsmouth and camp on houx annexe all week (we don't need sleep lol). home from home really we have a big genny and proper fridge in the van along with a satellite for the tv etc.
beer food camping and even some motorsport to watch sometimes.
some of us did get mugged in 2010 while in the town centre watching the drivers parade and one spent a night in the hospital getting his cheek stiched up .
____________________
Hyosung cruise 125(passed test on, sold) Kawasaki el 252 (better than expected but sold on) Kawasaki GPZ500S first "big"bike.(sold) ZZR600 E5..Z750 2007,ER5, currently on a 2008 Enfield bullet electra x and loving it..
,"Alpha-9: Is there any correlation between dyno rod and dyno kits?"

[duncanpage]

Thanks for all the replies.
Unfortunately my plans have been put on hold as my dad wants to go to the Isle of Man TT race instead. It turns out my brother-in-law has an uncle who lives on there so free accommodation is currently tipping the choice into it's favour!