2020 will be the 10th anniversary of the Le Mans Classic - for me this event has just got better and better with age and is very different from the "normal" Le Mans 24HR
Earlier this year I offered to help David HoTWire organise this (as I was going anyway and have done every classic since 2002) but it was on the condition that I could find a suitable campsite that wasn't overcrowded with reasonable amenities and close to the circuit for the best experience.
For your first or even second experience of the Classic this is the best way to see everything - you don't want to be 20 miles outside Le Mans and driving in an out to the circuit at various times.
Now I will state I've done most of the major Le Mans Circuit campsites (Blue Nord, Maison Blanc, Houx and Houx Annex) before and when they are good they are great but when they get things wrong and you have 1500 campers sharing 3 toilets and 1 shower it is not an experience I want to repeat or would wish on anyone - it's a bit like "Beruit on a good day" and the problem is it is so variable.
So for Club Retro Rides I wanted to find a small site - privately owned with good basic amenities (brick built showers and toilets or portables to a good std) close to the circuit.
I'm pretty sure now that I have found a small site that can accommodate a reasonable group - Max 16 - 20 (preferably 2 person per tent pitch) although depending on take up from another group it could potentially cope with a few more but not more than 24 from RR at a guess for this early stage.
10 mins walk to Tetre Rouge, Mulsanne straight is also not far, its safe, its got lots of electric, it has a reasonable amount of space (ie it's not tents on top of tents) pitch size is plenty of room for a good sized tent and some sharing area with your car very close.
The butchers, tabac and bread and cake shop are all close by - you are 3 minutes drive from some excellent shops with no traffic, McDonald's 6 minutes away and next to a massive forest.
so this thread is an opening to see who might be interested - no full commitment at this stage - just call this thread a placeholder and as things develop we can firm up later
Costs for camping for Wed afternoon arrival thru to Monday morning departure will be very close to 125 Euros per pitch (so two sharing)
Ticket prices for General Admission, grandstands paddocks etc aren't released till November so as soon as they are I'll update this thread
Going as a group gives you some advantages everyone needs General Admission but for a group of 20 people you can share the cost of say 10 paddock passes between you and then just pick times when you want to do the paddocks (it's unusual for people to want to go to the paddocks twice in the weekend) so every one gets to see the paddocks for less than half the normal cost
Grandstands for the Classic I don't normally bother with as there are so many good "free" viewing areas but it can be an option for those who want to see the "Le Mans Start" or invade the track at the end of the race to see the podium celebrations.
One final point - it's a quiet site - conversation till silly hours is fine but if you want to keep everyone awake with loud music till stupid o'clock or show off your cars ECU launch control capability/or anti lag in neutral this isn't the site for you - please go elsewhere
Think RRG campsite vibe, relaxed, chilled, in good company and enjoying talking about cars and curse word when you aren't watching racing - that's how it will be
Earlier this year I offered to help David HoTWire organise this (as I was going anyway and have done every classic since 2002) but it was on the condition that I could find a suitable campsite that wasn't overcrowded with reasonable amenities and close to the circuit for the best experience.
For your first or even second experience of the Classic this is the best way to see everything - you don't want to be 20 miles outside Le Mans and driving in an out to the circuit at various times.
Now I will state I've done most of the major Le Mans Circuit campsites (Blue Nord, Maison Blanc, Houx and Houx Annex) before and when they are good they are great but when they get things wrong and you have 1500 campers sharing 3 toilets and 1 shower it is not an experience I want to repeat or would wish on anyone - it's a bit like "Beruit on a good day" and the problem is it is so variable.
So for Club Retro Rides I wanted to find a small site - privately owned with good basic amenities (brick built showers and toilets or portables to a good std) close to the circuit.
I'm pretty sure now that I have found a small site that can accommodate a reasonable group - Max 16 - 20 (preferably 2 person per tent pitch) although depending on take up from another group it could potentially cope with a few more but not more than 24 from RR at a guess for this early stage.
10 mins walk to Tetre Rouge, Mulsanne straight is also not far, its safe, its got lots of electric, it has a reasonable amount of space (ie it's not tents on top of tents) pitch size is plenty of room for a good sized tent and some sharing area with your car very close.
The butchers, tabac and bread and cake shop are all close by - you are 3 minutes drive from some excellent shops with no traffic, McDonald's 6 minutes away and next to a massive forest.
so this thread is an opening to see who might be interested - no full commitment at this stage - just call this thread a placeholder and as things develop we can firm up later
Costs for camping for Wed afternoon arrival thru to Monday morning departure will be very close to 125 Euros per pitch (so two sharing)
Ticket prices for General Admission, grandstands paddocks etc aren't released till November so as soon as they are I'll update this thread
Going as a group gives you some advantages everyone needs General Admission but for a group of 20 people you can share the cost of say 10 paddock passes between you and then just pick times when you want to do the paddocks (it's unusual for people to want to go to the paddocks twice in the weekend) so every one gets to see the paddocks for less than half the normal cost
Grandstands for the Classic I don't normally bother with as there are so many good "free" viewing areas but it can be an option for those who want to see the "Le Mans Start" or invade the track at the end of the race to see the podium celebrations.
One final point - it's a quiet site - conversation till silly hours is fine but if you want to keep everyone awake with loud music till stupid o'clock or show off your cars ECU launch control capability/or anti lag in neutral this isn't the site for you - please go elsewhere
Think RRG campsite vibe, relaxed, chilled, in good company and enjoying talking about cars and curse word when you aren't watching racing - that's how it will be