Le Mans 24 Hour Race 2022 (1 Viewer)

[nexxo698]

Hi All

We (my brother and I) have just booked to go the next years 24 hour race, our first one. Going over on the Wednesday before, leaving Le Mans on the Monday after the race and having another 12 days in France. Staying in Houx campsite at the circuit.
Just wondering if anyone else on here has been with a motorhome, and what we might expect.

I'm not new to motorhoming, or camping, or traveling in France for that matter, but thinking about some forward planning, like can we fill up with water when we get there, or should we take a full tank?
I've read that we may need 50m electric cable. I have two 25m already, but are they reverse or normal?
How were the pitch layouts, we've booked two pitches as we're over 7m
Any ideal locations in Houx if we get the option, like best toilet blocks to be near. I don't want a hole in the ground!

Obviously we're going to do a food and liquid shop on the way down and we're not planning on driving out of the campsite until we're leaving.
Anything else to take into consideration? Things that are different to a normal camping trip?

TIA

Richard

 

[David and Sally]

 

[nexxo698]

Hi, I'm a long-time lurker/reader, just my first post!

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[Two on Tour]

Is the Houx the Camping du Houx campsite at the circuit, or the Houx that's North East of Chartres ?

 

[ElliesBoss]

Watching with interest! Planned going 2019, then this year and now will try again 2022.

 

[nexxo698]

Is the Houx the Camping du Houx campsite at the circuit, or the Houx that's North East of Chartres ?

Houx campsite at the circuit

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[nexxo698]

Watching with interest! Planned going 2019, then this year and now will try again 2022.

I know bookings were going very quickly as there's a lot of roll-overs so not much left for everyone else

 

[glenn2926]

Now you’ve got me thinking. I’ve always fancied attending this race and because there won’t be any cars in a few years I suppose I’d better start looking into going.
Now how to do it, motorhome or motorbike and camping?

 

[Gaston aires]

I’ve been to Le Mans camping Houx ten times but only in a tent and in the eighties/ nineties. Great fun but remember a small campsite cannot cope being invaded by 100 x the usual compliment. There were water taps here and there near the perimeter walls and I guess a motorhome would be the height of luxury. Glass beer bottle walls were built around encampments and much drinking took place.
Phil

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[Podney]

Now you’ve got me thinking. I’ve always fancied attending this race and because there won’t be any cars in a few years I suppose I’d better start looking into going.
Now how to do it, motorhome or motorbike and camping?

Helicopter and a nice hotel?

 

[glenn2926]

Helicopter and a nice hotel?

Now that sounds like a great trip. If only.

 

[The Lord Squid]

Helicopter and a nice hotel?

Now that sounds like a great trip. If only.

The drive down with other classic and sports cars is a large part of the fun for me.

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[Arthur01]

Hi All

We (my brother and I) have just booked to go the next years 24 hour race, our first one. Going over on the Wednesday before, leaving Le Mans on the Monday after the race and having another 12 days in France. Staying in Houx campsite at the circuit.
Just wondering if anyone else on here has been with a motorhome, and what we might expect.

I'm not new to motorhoming, or camping, or traveling in France for that matter, but thinking about some forward planning, like can we fill up with water when we get there, or should we take a full tank?
I've read that we may need 50m electric cable. I have two 25m already, but are they reverse or normal?
How were the pitch layouts, we've booked two pitches as we're over 7m
Any ideal locations in Houx if we get the option, like best toilet blocks to be near. I don't want a hole in the ground!

Obviously we're going to do a food and liquid shop on the way down and we're not planning on driving out of the campsite until we're leaving.
Anything else to take into consideration? Things that are different to a normal camping trip?

TIA

Richard

Hi
We have been to the event a few times - we stayed at site PZ54 it’s near the Porsche curves.
if you look at http://www.beermountain.com they have a fair amount of info re the course, the event, latest news, plus a guide to all of the sites with their location. Their guide also has a mark for the “activity “ on each site so it may help with your decision.
Regards

Arthur

 

[Detnor]

Houx is popular as it was (may have changed) the only one with ehu, and from what I remember, the power is pretty good. I'd take a polarity switch lead if it bothers you as you can't predict it.
The site is ok, from memory, if it rains a lot, the bit nearest the circuit can get a bit boggy. Don't expect much from the toilets unless they have been updated in the last couple of years, the showers were hot. Be careful on any site at Le Mans when pitching, make sure the spot is clear of debris. For some reason, the motorbike crowds like to have bonfires and what doesn't burn gets left. What you will get is an incredible experience, during the night, the noise and lights are incredible.

 

[AJM2]

I’ve been to Le Mans camping Houx ten times but only in a tent and in the eighties/ nineties. Great fun but remember a small campsite cannot cope being invaded by 100 x the usual compliment. There were water taps here and there near the perimeter walls and I guess a motorhome would be the height of luxury. Glass beer bottle walls were built around encampments and much drinking took place.
Phil

Same here, 80’s and 90’s, then went a couple of years ago for a reunion and was disappointed as the health and safety aspect, I felt, had resulted in a much more detached feeling with all the barriers and high fences.
If you do go, pace yourself to be around for the pre-dawn when the sky is starting to lighten but the cars headlights still pierce the darkness as they come over the ridge and their brakes burn red under the heavy breaking. Magical.

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[SM0129]

I previously stayed at Porche Curves, but it is a bit "remote" I now stayed at Expo for the previous 4 occasion- you can be in the circuit within 5-10 minutes and Carefour is a 15 minute walk down the road if you want fresh bread/ more stocks of beer and wine.

 

[Coolcats]

if you only ever go to one motor race in your life this is the one to go to arrive wens/Thursday watch the parade in the town centre take a radio with you and tune in to radio Le Mans

Gromett may not like this news

Hydrogen cars to be able to fight for outright Le Mans 24 Hours wins​

It is a shear spectacle if you have never been to Le-Mans it’s a fantastic race cars that are close to F1 yet race for 24 hours it’s just awesome. The weather can be blisteringly hot with drivers being taken to hospital with heat exhaustion or it can be torrential rain with challenges of another extreme.

there is a Chinese restaurant near the start of the Mulsane straight with cars throttles open at full bore just a few meters to the side of the restaurant….it’s enough to give you indigestion.

if you go get a grand stand ticket (above the garages) it’s amazing it’s brilliant

 

[highwayman]

I'll be trackside in Maison Blanc, from the Wednesday funster flag flying if you want to share a beer or three. Make sure you've plenty of booze as the track prices are a bit stiff, toilets and showers are in trailers and are OK in my opinion. As mentioned above tune in to radio le mans so you know what's happening elsewhere.
I go every year if I can help in any way just ask

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[Gaston aires]

Same here, 80’s and 90’s, then went a couple of years ago for a reunion and was disappointed as the health and safety aspect, I felt, had resulted in a much more detached feeling with all the barriers and high fences.
If you do go, pace yourself to be around for the pre-dawn when the sky is starting to lighten but the cars headlights still pierce the darkness as they come over the ridge and their brakes burn red under the heavy breaking. Magical.

I was there when the Mazda RX won. That was the noisiest car I ever heard at Le Mans. The silk cut Jag as well. I will go again 25 years on just to see the difference. We’re you there at Houx when the undertakers turned up in a hearse, unloaded two coffins which were loudspeakers and played non stop disco music down near the gate to the track ? No use complaining of the noise either. Heady days indeed.
Phil

 

[Nirvanauk]

Been a few times. Managed to get in to Manson blanc once. It’s 250,000 men behaving badly.

 

[SM0129]

I was there when the Mazda RX won. That was the noisiest car I ever heard at Le Mans. The silk cut Jag as well. I will go again 25 years on just to see the difference. We’re you there at Houx when the undertakers turned up in a hearse, unloaded two coffins which were loudspeakers and played non stop disco music down near the gate to the track ? No use complaining of the noise either. Heady days indeed.
Phil

I sadly think you will be disappointed. The Corvette and Fords used to make quite a bit of noise- the Aston also, but the LMP 1&2 are quite quiet. When the Audi used to run it sounded more like a Scalextric car than a combustion engine (I still enjoy going though)

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[Gaston aires]

I sadly think you will be disappointed. The Corvette and Fords used to make quite a bit of noise- the Aston also, but the LMP 1&2 are quite quiet. When the Audi used to run it sounded more like a Scalextric car than a combustion engine (I still enjoy going though)

I figured as much. No sneaking up to places like tertre rouge and Mulsanne straits either no doubt. I was there when one of the cars took off and flew through the air down the Mulsanne prompting them to put in a chicane the next year.

 

[Gaston aires]

The drive down with other classic and sports cars is a large part of the fun for me.

And many of the classics drove there, raced, and drove home again.

 

[Gizmouk]

Hi All

We (my brother and I) have just booked to go the next years 24 hour race, our first one. Going over on the Wednesday before, leaving Le Mans on the Monday after the race and having another 12 days in France. Staying in Houx campsite at the circuit.
Just wondering if anyone else on here has been with a motorhome, and what we might expect.

Myself and 5 pals went about 10 years ago in rental van.
Based on our experience:

I'm not new to motorhoming, or camping, or traveling in France for that matter, but thinking about some forward planning, like can we fill up with water when we get there, or should we take a full tank?
Take a a full tank, and take either containers or a waterhog - as you won't get near a tap.

I've read that we may need 50m electric cable. I have two 25m already, but are they reverse or normal?

I wouldn't rely on the site electrics. Chances are it'll be under-rated / unreliable.
We took a generator.

How were the pitch layouts, we've booked two pitches as we're over 7m

The pitches were snug - think of it like an aire. We booked 2 pitches - giving us room for the awning and a car.

Any ideal locations in Houx if we get the option, like best toilet blocks to be near. I don't want a hole in the ground!

We were in Blue Sud. A hole in the ground would be luxury compared to the site bogs. Imagine if you will a constant stream of blokes all using the loos one after another for "morning prayers" ... I'll leave you with that thought.
Use your own loo.

Obviously we're going to do a food and liquid shop on the way down and we're not planning on driving out of the campsite until we're leaving.
Anything else to take into consideration? Things that are different to a normal camping trip?

Take everything you need, and more. Once you're in, you're in.

Lock absolutely everything away whenever you're away from the MH, even for short (brave) trip the onsite loos.
Take plenty of booze. It's a party weekend, with a little racing on the side.
Take in-ear earplugs. Thank me later
Take a small radio to tune in to the race commentary.

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[glenn2926]

All this talk of how loud the cars are, were is just making me want to go in the next couple of years even more. Before it ceases to exist due to battery cars.
It is looking more and more like a lads trip. I don’t think my wife would be very interested in a 24. Hour car race.

 

[Jamesh]

Helicopter and a nice hotel?

I'm going in 2022 staying in a nice hotel, private jet from Luton...

I have two places available if anyone is interested...

Cheers James

Ps You need a private jet and Amex card

 

[Figaro]

I'd love to go Le mans never having been, this thread has got me wondering .......

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[androidGB]

sailpics I've been to Le Mans every year since 2005 and the Le Mans Classic from 2010, we always stay at Maison Blanche.

For all things Le Mans have a look at Beermountain

Andrew

 

[SpeedyDux]

I went with a mate in 2007 in my VW camper. We were on Houx. The toilet block was the "Turkish" type. EHU was limited so we had to join a daisy chain. It was a very wet Le Mans so the Houx campsite got rather muddy. It was also really noisy all night with other groups partying and loud music. Some were revving the nuts off their car engines too. A drunken Brit on the pitch opposite mine decided to "rally" his 911 round the muddy site roads in the dark, at high speed at great risk to tent campers, until there was a loud bang. I don't know what he collided with but his Porsche was in a right old mess at both ends. I wonder how he explained it to his insurers.

It was quite an experience.

I understand that the Houx is more formal now with marked pitches. Whether the ACO have updated the bog block - don't know.

 

[DBK]

I'm not new to motorhoming, or camping, or traveling in France for that matter, but thinking about some forward planning, like can we fill up with water when we get there, or should we take a full tank?
I've read that we may need 50m electric cable. I have two 25m already, but are they reverse or normal?

How were the pitch layouts, we've booked two pitches as we're over 7m

I would arrive with a full tank - there might be a queue for the tap. Not sure why you want two pitches as from google Maps its just a big grass field.

For the electric you might be wise to get one of these, even if you don't need it for Le Mans you may on any other sites you might stay at.

Amazon product ASIN B00EHI8WR4
www.amazon.co.uk/European-Adaptor-Coupler-Caravan-Camping/dp/B00EHI8WR4/

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