[LM24] Le Mans 2023 - 10/11 June - Who Is Going? (Closed)

[Gerard C]

As to the most important thing in this thread, rillettes vs merguez, I'd say you can be happy till you ask how and from what they are made… So, dont ask, dont bother, eat and be happy!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Truckosaurus

That includes the Arnage and Mulsanne enclosures (although they need separate parking tickets I believe).

I think the parking there is free on Wednesday and Thursday. And even if you haven't got a ticket, €5 to an unscrupulous parking 'marshal' will probably get you in during the race.....

[Aysedasi]

I've generally been in the grandstand, either the pits grandstand (for several years) or over on the other side more recently, but I've stood many many times on the standing area in front of them (view is poor these days thanks to the fencing) and a couple of times I've watched from the beginning of the Ford Chicane. Watching from the bottom of the Esses or Tertre Rouge could be fun too.

[Gerard C]

Agreed for the Tertre Rouge esses. From the pits grandstand I dont like the sound and find the cars look really tiny.

[Mike E]

For the last few years I've watched the start from the outside of Tertre Rouge. It's brilliant. From there you can see back up to the Dunlop bridge, you're right at the edge of the track and you can really see the drivers working exiting Tertre Rouge. Also, if it's hot, there is shade under the trees.
It's my joint favourite viewing spot along with Indy/Arnage.

I have watched the start at the bottom end of the circuit once or twice but even on the first lap there is so much field spread that you lose the drama of 62 cars in your face that you get closer to the start line.

[Gerard C]

If Jimbo is still reading, three advices pro Tertre Rouge esses. Plus pits grandstand plus Indy/Arnage zone. Try to not miss the first laps and the end of the first hour when the first classifications appear on the screens. The battle for the first headlines is always fearce.

[GT6]

Well it is difficult for me not to recommend the view of the esses at tertre rouge as we camp there, so tht is were i watch the start and finish and quite a bit of the bit inbetween

[RL17]

Tertre Rouge to a couple of hundred metres south of Porsche Experience centre is pretty much continuous viewing from outside of track. Inside of track there are more gaps where you can’t view just with GA detours near Chappelle, pits area and hospitality units opposite Porsche Exp and further south. Good walking along and also crossing track at various points - once race well underway and especially Sunday morning. Sunset and dawn by Esses is good.

Area on main straight on large concrete steps opposite pits gets rammed from 3 to 4 hours before start normally - very hot and ok probably if in a group with chairs/drinks and snacks. Some of best views are either side of chicanes before Dunlop - again gets packed but more a mixture of chairs and standing.

More relaxed on banking on esses on outside of track - somewhere there with view of a big screen would be good - best to check out on Wed or Thursday practices.

May need to use zoom on camera or small binoculars for some of position ticket tape stream on screens. Head phones with a digital fm radio for RLM good too - ones at track are very expensive.

Inside of Porsche curves walkable from track by allotments (just east of road under track) especially from Karting area on inside of track.

Beer queues can be long despite high prices and toilet queues much longer.

Indianapolis at night is great for a while.

Edit: I don’t sit still for too long so need a GS for stray and finish - do love wandering around the open parts of the track and focusing on a number of the groups of cars for 3 or 4 laps before moving on to the next vantage point

[RL17]

A related question - normally 90 mins into the race all the areas opposite the pits etc have pretty much cleared out as have a lot of grandstands. Always assumed a lot of locals in front of GSs.

So will it clear out this year as much? And if there aren’t so many locals, where do all the people go?

[Gerard C]

Thanks RL17, good points again: the use of RLM, Radio Le Mans, and Sunset and Dawn enhancing the view -and pictures- depending on your location and sun orientation.

Originally Posted by RL17

And if there aren’t so many locals, where do all the people go?

No serious answer to your good question. As to beer queue and toilets it seems we could find a bridge…

[JimboCycling]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

If Jimbo is still reading, three advices pro Tertre Rouge esses. Plus pits grandstand plus Indy/Arnage zone. Try to not miss the first laps and the end of the first hour when the first classifications appear on the screens. The battle for the first headlines is always fearce.

I am still reading. Lots of great info here thanks everyone, feels much clearer now.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by RL17

Head phones with a digital fm radio for RLM good too - ones at track are very expensive.

Good point here. For those of us whose command of French is poor (even after all these years!), headphones to listen to RLM are a must. I used to wander around with them on all the time, but now I tend to put them on for 20 minutes or so every now and again to catch up on news. During the night and the early hours I tend to listen in more as it helps to keep me awake. I use full sound-deadening radio headphones which work extremely well.

Originally Posted by RL17

Indianapolis at night is great for a while.

Personally, I'd say more than just a while. If you've taken the trouble to get out there, you may as well make it worth while. Our normal plan is to head out to Arnage and Indianapolis some time after midnight. We set up 'camp' on the Indianapolis banking (which is very busy even at that time) and normally stay there until dawn comes up, then we drive out to Mulsanne Corner. The viewing there has been significantly improved up closer to the roundabout. Don't forget that while at Indianapolis you can walk round to Arnage, the slowest point on the track where you are actually very close to the cars. At night it's just sensational there.

And just to add regarding the night, please try and stay up to catch a decent amount of the night or early morning running. There is nothing quite like it. Every year I'm a broken record as far as this is concerned. You have a whole year to sleep during the night, don't miss this one by boozing all evening and snoring your way through the best part of the race.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I use full sound-deadening radio headphones which work extremely well.

Just be careful when walking around with these, you can't hear the busses or trains so you need to be fully aware of your surroundings.

[GT6]

The masses of people opposite the pits at the start/finish is always the same, in my early days in the 1980's it included me but now prefer to watch the start closer to camp rather than stand around in the blazing sun for several hours. After about 1 hour of the race all those people have moved on either to watch else where or use facilities/food and drink outlets so that area suddenly looks deserted it then starts to get busy again towards the end of the race. It is not locals it just happens that way.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Just be careful when walking around with these, you can't hear the busses or trains so you need to be fully aware of your surroundings.

Yeah, good advice.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by GT6

The masses of people opposite the pits at the start/finish is always the same, in my early days in the 1980's it included me but now prefer to watch the start closer to camp rather than stand around in the blazing sun for several hours. After about 1 hour of the race all those people have moved on either to watch else where or use facilities/food and drink outlets so that area suddenly looks deserted it then starts to get busy again towards the end of the race. It is not locals it just happens that way.

In my years with the Tourists we always stood there. Trouble is, we never got there until about 1-2 hours before the race start by which time it was packed. There were generally anything between 6-12 of us and every year we played the 'annoy the hell out of the people who got their place here 3 hours ago' game but we always seemed to manage to get a decent spot. These days there are a lot more camping chairs set up there making it even more difficult as people claim ever more space for themselves and their group. The last couple of years I went with them I just couldn't face the battle any more and I went and watched from the bank before the Ford Chicane....

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

At night it's just sensational there.And just to add regarding the night, please try and stay up to catch a decent amount of the night or early morning running. There is nothing quite like it. Every year I'm a broken record as far as this is concerned. You have a whole year to sleep during the night, don't miss this one by boozing all evening and snoring your way through the best part of the race.

Night and very early hours of the morning bring fresh air to the engines and are less demanding for the tires.

You all are writing here what could be "the" perfect guide du spectateur based on valuable and long term experience, friendship not forgetting le sens du détail. Dont even think about finding it elsewhere! Should be patented…

[Gerard C]

Thinking about your remarks about the "comfy" armchairs (mainly grandstands?) may be a little cushion, inflatable or not, could help?

[Aysedasi]

I've never used one Gerard, although last year my son, his partner and our friend AllonFS bought polystyrene seat pads (see below). The only seats I've ever suffered sitting in are the ones in the Raccordement grandstand, mainly because they have no backs and seem smaller than the seats in the other grandstands.

For our trips out to Indianapolis and Mulsanne we have camping chairs which are really quite comfortable.

[S griffin]

The seat pads are very handy. We had some at Snetterton at the weekend. Certainly prevents a numb bum. Although I'm amazed there is a grandstand where the seats don't have backs, I always thought that was a requirement!

[RL17]

Think we had 90 mins or so at Indianapolis and Arnage (yes very close) as on a minibus trip from our site.

Put stopwatch on phone when at far right of banking - watched Conway screaming in headlights blazing for 20 mins or so - 3.30 laps regular as clockwork through to the left handed as some other groups of cars - my eyes couldn’t take looking at every set of headlights!

Haven’t been to Mulsanne corner for main race but used to do go for fast plateaus 4,5 & 6 at Classic a few years back at 11pm - great corner and wonderful acceleration sights and sounds as streak off to the flat out kink.

Above bits are one of my favourite roads on Sunday post race possibly and Monday morning afterwards- Tertre Rouge to start of Porsche curves (minus chicanes and with unfortunate roundabouts at Mulsanne and Arnage corners is well worth doing.

[RL17]

Away from Le Mans the D304 from near Change on the dual carriageway to La Chartre Sur Le Loir and Hotel De France is a good trip and great road.

John Wyer’s team Astons, GT40s and 917s drove into and out of circuit/town that way and first half was on course pre WW1 I think - when Mulsanne was driven other way one time. Decent straight makes original Mulsanne look a bit short and very unstraight.

[Truckosaurus]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

....may be a little cushion, inflatable or not, could help?

Increasing your fibre intake on the run up to the event should help sort out your 'farmer giles'.

[broadrun96]

I'm guessing most area already leaving for the track soon but it appears Glickenhaus stuff is now shipping from Europe as well so no importation in a dude's luggage required for your Glickenhaus kit, as per their latest email

[rx555]

We had those seat cushion pads last time and it was a big help.

We are leaving Friday for a week in northern Italy before the race. I can hardly contain my excitement