Le Mans 2019

My son and friends are planning to go across to Le Mans for next years race.

The plan for the three of them is to take a caravan and camp at one of the sites around the circuit. It has been suggested they travel Dover - Calais.

He came across with me for the Classic in 2010, and wants to see the real thing.

Has anybody got any suggestions for sites and routes, and good travel companies to deal with. Best regards to all friends in the Enthusiasts Club

I'm still missing my 40 even now!

Looking forwards to anybody's ideas.

Cheers,

Geoff Deakin.
 

Mike Pass

Supporter
Hi Geoff,

The NW crew usually do the Portsmouth - Caen ferry because the UK drive avoids the London area and also avoids the drive down the french coast. Less driving - more sailing. It is a straight run south to Le Mans from Caen and you can go down the autoroute or do a nice drive through the countryside and stop for lunch at Les Bagnolles de l'Orne. A satnav with european maps is very, very useful if you come across a "Route Barree" sign and get diverted off into the boonies. Ask me how I know.
On the autoroutes I use a telepeage tag device that you stick on the windscreen so i don't need to stop to pay at the autoroute toll stations which are a pain as we are on the wrong side of the car to pay - especially tedious if in a GT40 with a six point harness!

Travel without stopping on European Motorways | Telepeage | French Toll Road Tags | Spanish & Portuguese Tags | Saving You Time

I usually make time on the way back to check out the D -Day landing sites in the west of Caen, Arromanches etc.

Cheers
Mike
 
Hi Geoff,

I have camped at Classic Le Mans twice now at Nord Bleau which is just across the road from the circuit. Facilities are basic occasionally a queue for the showers etc, but with a caravan you have a level of luxuriousness above a tent. There are other campsites for example Maison Blanche which is inside the circuit.

It does get noisy as you are near the track, on the last night as racing had finished I thought I might get a good nights sleep but failed to take account of having a very loud snorer in the tent on the plot next to me which for some reason I hadn't heard on the previous nights ;). still great fun, and where else can you get a campsite with a BMW I8 parked next to a tent whilst an Austin A30 was parked next to the neighboring tent.

I went with 2 different companies the first time with Grandstand Autosports, and this time with On Site Events. Both were good and I got General entrance, Paddock entrance, Grandstand entrance, and camping tickets from them, not sure if you have to do the same for the modern Le Mans.

As Mike mentioned above, first time I went was from Portsmouth to Caen overnight on the way out, 2nd time from Portsmouth to Chebourg which is further away from Le Mans but was by the high speed Sea Cat so the crossing was very quick. Overall I think I preferred the quicker SeaCat route although there appeared to only be one sailing a day via Brittany Ferries.
 
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