I’m thinking of taking my son to watch the le mans 24hr race. Travelling from Scotland, possibly flying, possibly driving, possibly camping – basically anything is possible.

Who’s been and what do you recommend?

Ta

Not been to the ‘proper’ Le Mans, but the classic is normally pretty good. Held every two years, amazing array of cars spanning the history of the race, open paddocks, good close racing, not mega-crowded and none of the stag-do element that the normal 24 seems to be known for. Tickets are pretty cheap, camping on site is basic but doable, the ferry / drive down is full of brits in cool cars. We’ve done the last three, would happily go again.

How old is your son?

Most of the atmosphere on/around the camp sites is built around drinking and people showing off doing burnouts.

The pitlane is open to walk up & down in the days before the race and there’s a museum. I didn’t make the driver parade in town but believe it’s worth a trip.

We just had open tickets not seated and so just mooched around the trackside viewing points with a radio to follow the action.

How old is your son?

He’s 11 – will love the burnouts and laugh at the showing off, but I take your point.

What is the parking like? Is it worth trying to get a hotel off site and come and go (will need parking), rather than camp on site?

No idea on parking I’m afraid. I’m not a seasoned visitor and have just been the once 5yrs ago.

We parked up on Thursday at the camp site and didn’t touch the car again until Sunday.

Make sure you both take a little radio so you can keep up with the action on Radio LeMans. If you get there early enough, go into town and watch the drivers parade, night qualifying and the pit lane walk.

Make sure you watch the cars going through the Porsche Curves at night and braking into the Ford Chicane. Try not to camp next to any mad Dutch people or anyone with a generator. Have a wonder around the campsites, as there are usually some interesting cars about. Make sure you are near the start finish straight at the end so you can get to see the podium.

On Friday there are normally lots of drunken fools stopping traffic somewhere and demanding burn outs – usually fairly amusing. There is often a bit of drag racing going on a camp site somewhere on Sunday night too. My favourite race was a London bus against a ’60’s fire engine! If you have a couple of “pub bikes” then they are well worth taking for getting about on.

It’s a great event and should be a great year with at least 3 manufacturers (maybe) able to win in LMP1, plus the new Nissan which is an interesting car.

Oh and if it’s hot, make sure you stay hydrated – and not just on beer!

Cheap disposable bikes to get around on, depending on which camp site you end up at it can be a 25 minute walk before you see any action.
Earplugs
Shower queue’s are long 99% of the time if you see a short queue, take a shower.

Work out which a way to find your campsite before hand there were no signs for Beausejour when I went and it took us a while going round on circles to find it.

Went to the classic last year with http://www.traveldestinations.co.uk

Stayed at their campsite right by Porsche Curves. Fenced site for security, plenty of decent clean toilets and showers.

Pub bikes ideal for getting around as it’s quite way if you want to cover much of the circuit and not just the central areas close to paddock.

I went 20 years ago and the toilets were awful, hopefully they’ve imp[roved but being France they may not have!

What is the parking like? Is it worth trying to get a hotel off site and come and go (will need parking), rather than camp on site?

If you’ve not booked a hotel, you’ll struggle to get anything within an hour or so…

I’ve been a few years ago (also did the bike 24hr a couple of times too). Not sure I’d be taking an 11 y/o, unless he is use to these kinda events – ie, long, long days.

My dad and I went a couple of years ago – drove down from Scotland! The drive down was pretty cool as the number of interesting cars and characters increases the closer you get to the circuit. It was an excellent weekend, beats the atmosphere and action from any F1 race I’ve been to. Drivers parade on the Friday is worth doing just for the break from the circuit and chance to get something better to eat! There was a lot of drunken idiots staggering about, but we were in a closed campsite (by the Porsche curves) so it was fine in there. I’d love to go back again but small kids and pets seem to be getting in the way.

I went about 2 years ago with some friends

Camped in Beausejour, but right at the back in the trees. Still very *ahem lively (blokes driving around on an old dumper with a floor above the bucket and a pub table and chairs on it) but ideal for 6 blokes on a drinking holiday.

If you can secure some space at the Pistonheads (or similar) secured camping then it’ll be much more suitable. You can go an experience the campsites without actaully living in the mayhem!

Great venue to watch during the day, found it easy to secure a spot on Porsche Curves in the evening to enjoy the racing. You’ll walk – Alot – so be prepared to leave your campsite and be gone most of the day

Once you’re french side, its a lovely drive down from Caen and its not that far from Calais. I suffered a TVR for the journey, and even that was acceptable.

Both really enjoy it, its really friendly even tho the mayhem is all around its not compulsory!

Went in 2010 with a bunch who knew their stuff – from memory, we were somewhere just on the exit of the Porsche curves, on the outside of the circuit, it would have been chosen as somewhere comparatively sedate and where you had a fighting chance of getting some kip, so I’d recommend it, handy to pop into the village for supplies and equally handy for the start/finish line. I recall them saying avoid the campsites in the middle, as that’s where the looney tunes assemble, I THINK there’s one with Ax in the title which is particularly to be avoided. But a fantastic event – only bikes would have made it better, to get round the whole track.

We have a find who rents his house out there, he’s a total nut job Fanboy.

I’d say:

*Earplugs
*Small in ear radio (or small radio with earphones, mobile will do but watch the roaming charges)
*Food, food there can be “basic” if you are into Pork/Beef & Chips then you’ll be fine but having the same diet over the three days is, erm, a little boring.
*Cash, Euros, take a lot, cards are accepted but it’s a busy old place and nothing speaks easy as a handful of *Euros in a queue for the Burger Van, or Crepe Van.
*Something to crash out on, so a simple foldable seat or foam seat thingy (from camping shops)
*An umbrella, a large and unweildly one that covers both of you, take it, it will drizzle for sure.
*Warm clothes, despite a few degrees warmer than here it gets cold, your lad will not love you for very long if he’s cold, you will not love him either if you are cold, and you will get cold.
*A Camera, or mobile with lots of space in it.
*Sturdy confortable Boots or Shoes, you’ll be walking a helluva lot.

HTH

Ah – further to the above, radio is THE essential, little pocket jobby so you can listen to Radio Le Mans. Fantastic to listen, informed, informative and knowing what’s going on makes the whole thing far more entertaining. 🙂

Good call on the folding chairs.

Thanks guys – it sounds promising although the requirement for chairs and bikes suggests a road trip may be the best approach.
I’m thinking if maybe he is a little too young though yet 😕

Well, if you’re in France, you’re not likely to be far from a Decathlon, if you want cheap bikes/chairs/archery sets/snorkels/jodphurs/football boots, etc etc etc. 🙂

Never too young to experience the SOUND of full chat V10 engines and V8 engines in the dead of night or Dawn..

And the smell.. the smell of burnt petrol, oils and candy floss !!

It’s a spectacular event, but you do have to go prepared…

Some of the best and maddest 48hrs of my life. I camped right in the middle of the Middle of the insanity. Flippin loved it, take bikes, rucksacks, radios and directors type chairs that you can strap to the top tube.

Take a proper chain, anything smaller was getting pinched as transport, it’s pretty lawless.

Geoff,

the other Geoffj here, I went and organised trips for about 5-6 years, it is a lot more civilised than it was & toilets are a lot better – my kids are a similar age and I am not sure I would take them just yet.

We camped and the weather had a tendency or blazing heat either were manageable as plenty of shade but you could end up spending a fair amount of time in a tent.

Certainly take a radio, I used to leave mine on all night and wander to & from the track during the night. Expect large, good natured but possibly fairly drunken crowds so a way to communicate if you get separated is a sensible move.

Pics & stuff to be found here – http://imnotthealien.com/cars/?page_id=4

If you’ve got a radio. It may be heresy….Leave a couple of hours early, listen to the radio on the way out, or suffer the hours of traffic delay leaving the circuit. You’ve watched 22 hours of racing, you’ll hear who’s finished first (It isn’t really that important anyway…)

Drive to Caen, find a decent hotel, have showers, proper bed, and a good meal.

Nickc +1

We did that quite a lot, as well as checking out Omaha Beach etc on the way back too

Definitely drive down – filling up at a French service station while gawping at all manner of super cars is surreal.

Definitely camp, and close to the circuit. First time we went we camped at Beausejour (I think) and it was a trot in, not too far but when you’re wandering around for 36+hours not ideal! Second (and sadly last to date) time we were at Maison Blanche which was much better and highly recommended. Map here.

I’d advise driving down Thursday as Friday is great. Get out to Arnage village and watch the cars/busses/you name it parade past, great atmosphere and really good fun for all ages IMO.

No need for grandstand tickets unless you’re feeling flush. Good spots to walk to from the grandstand and Maison Blanche are the Porsche Curves, Dunlop Curve, bottom of the Esses, and Tertre Rouge. If you have bikes/scooters then a night visit to the Arnage Corner is well worth it. Glowing brake discs on the approach and fire breathing exhausts (only from the GT classes now of course) on the exit make the whole weekend worthwhile!

The action is never ending too, since there are 4 races in one so lots of overtaking. Lights on the cars help you keep up with the leaders also, although as above a radio is a must.

As you can probably guess I could go on and on and on….. Love it and can’t wait to get back. My nippers are a bit young at 4 and 5 but by the time they’re 11 I reckon they’d love it.

I’ve been a fair few times. Don’t leave the track early, go home on Monday instead. Head into the town on Sunday evening for a civilised meal to recover for a weekend of fun.

If you are flying, look at going to Paris and picking up a hire car and giving yourself 5 hours ish to drive down.

You might be limited on camp sites choices for this year now, but with calling around the main Motorsport holiday companies.

Pack some head torches, light camping gear and get up early for the showers.

Get as much food and drink as you can from a single supermarket trip to make life easy as possible.

Ear plugs for the noise in the camsite. Watch the bumper car on the wooden track on the fairground, but don’t let your sun go on unless he wants whiplash.

Have a fantastic time!

Stayed in the grounds of a chateau with the Westfield owners club. Mad Friday is mad, obviously. Must go to the Chinese restaurant at the end of the Mulsanne. Its not great food, but your rubbing shoulders with the famous and its not expensive. We had dinner with Nigel Mansell next to us. Scarily the cars are doing 200 mph 30 yrds from your table. We went and it was stinking hot, so an umbrella is good for both weathers. It was 33 deg at the dead of night when we went. Luckily the chateau has a massive pool, a bar and a big widescreen, so we watched the last couple of hours floating around keeping cool. Also, you must go at the dead of night , as the cooler air, the smells of racing and , although dulled with diesel, sounds of the cars is just amazing.

No need for grandstand tickets unless you’re feeling flush. Good spots to walk to from the grandstand and Maison Blanche are the Porsche Curves, Dunlop Curve, bottom of the Esses, and Tertre Rouge. If you have bikes/scooters then a night visit to the Arnage Corner is well worth it. Glowing brake discs on the approach and fire breathing exhausts (only from the GT classes now of course) on the exit make the whole weekend worthwhile!

I’ll agree with all except the first point – grandstand tickets are worth it for the full experience. We were opposite the pit exit (and a large TV screen) – really good. We also were on m/c’s, and did a full tour of the circuit – stopping at all the above plus the first chicane 🙂

My neighbor won the classic one year, so I am told.
I went in 1972, met a girl in the showers on the campsite and I am still friends with her! I can’t remember much about it really, meeting Claire and waking with a dead badger on my tongue are my most vivid memories!
Nearly forgot we did see Graham Hill.
I will go again one day.

Thanks all for the extra input. I need to sit down and work out if driving is logistically doable without junior missing too much school 😯

Last year me and a mate climbed into the grandstand opposite the pit exit about 1am, if you buy a grandstand ticket they take them off of you when you go in and give you another when you exit.
As we walked out the exit and were given a ticket to use for the rest of the race 😀

I went 4 years on the bounce. First year we stayed on Bleu Nord, which was ok, but not within the confines of the circcuit. We came back on race night for a stock up, and there were locals raiding other people tents for anything they might be able to sell on.

The next 3 years we stayed on Maison Blanche, which is within the confines of the circuit, just on the outside of the Porsche Curves. This campsite is great for trackside access. It can get a bit rowdy, but is considered as being one of the more civilised sites.

If you go, don’t expect to get much sleep. There will be someone ,somewhere, playing rave music until 4 in the morning. Ear plugs are useful in that respect.

Best thing I saw, first year we went, was an old hearse doing donuts around the field next to Bleu Nord. The back door flew open, and a coffin came out. Very surreal.

If you go, don’t expect to get much sleep

+1

Went a few years back, with speedchills (good choice, Google for their website)

The 4 days was a blur of alcohol, sleep deprivation and loud music, with a bit of motor racing thrown in for good measure. There are a LOT of very drunk people there, but most are very well behaved and good humoured. It took me a full week to recover, which included my falling asleep in an management meeting at work….

The year I went was worth it if only to see Audi beat Peugot in the final laps…100,000+ frenchies with faces like a slapped arse….priceless 😉

It’s a great experience and should be on everyone’s bucket list….but not the place to take an. 11 year old IMHO

Ive been going for the last 5 years, going again this year.

You should drive….. you will not believe the pilgramage from the uk to lemans. Thursday/friday AM is best to see this. You will also not believe the sight at every service station along the autoroute….. everyone is a supercar carpark

general entry ticket is more than good enough to watch the race, plenty of great places to watch the night racing.

do your best to camp. Yes you will ruff it for a few days but its def worth it. All the atmosphere is at the circuit.I suspect your 11 yr old son will love it. Mate of mine has been taking his son since he was 5. Another mate has been taking his son since he was 8.

top tip, get to the town for the drivers parade on the friday( tram from circuit), get there early and find a space near a bar (no public wc’s anywhere) Great atmosphere. You and your lad will love it.

ill be using my fold up bike to get around….if you see me , shout up!!

it is a massive festival including all thats good and bad about them. Only this one happens to have a 24hr motor race going on at the same time….