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Le Mans 2015 (June 13-14) - Road Trip


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#1 Dennis David

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Posted 30 June 2014 - 15:09

Hi,

 

Planning on visiting next year's race so decided to start a thread. Anybody know in general when tickets usually go on sale? Plan on being there from June 6 - 17.


Edited by Dennis David, 30 June 2014 - 15:18.


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#2 Victor_RO

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Posted 30 June 2014 - 18:44

Hi,

 

Planning on visiting next year's race so decided to start a thread. Anybody know in general when tickets usually go on sale? Plan on being there from June 6 - 17.

 

ACO members - early November, rest of the world - about 3 weeks later. I suggest pre-registering with an agency for next year's race though, with 4 works teams in LMP1 it's going to be crazy in terms of speed of ticket sale.



#3 Dennis David

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Posted 30 June 2014 - 18:57

Agency for the tickets? I would rather plan the rest on my own.



#4 Dennis David

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Posted 30 June 2014 - 19:00

Victor,

 

Is this what you are talking about?

 

http://www.passion-2...htm/passion.asp



#5 Victor_RO

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Posted 30 June 2014 - 19:07

Victor,

 

Is this what you are talking about?

 

http://www.passion-2...htm/passion.asp

 

Yes, Passion 24 VIP and Gold offer early access to the official ticket office. As for agencies... I haven't used agencies yet, but the ones I've heard the best things about are http://lemansrace.com/ and http://www.1st-tickets.co.uk/.

 

Be warned though, last year the first few days of sales on the official website (for the ACO members) were quite chaotic, and various campsites and grandstands were shown as "sold out" from the very first minutes of sales.



#6 Dennis David

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Posted 30 June 2014 - 20:23

So the lower membership is not good enough?

 

Dennis



#7 Victor_RO

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Posted 01 July 2014 - 12:41

So the lower membership is not good enough?

 

Dennis

 

As far as I can tell from what's said on the website, it isn't.



#8 Dennis David

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Posted 01 July 2014 - 22:04

That's my reading as well. Thanks for the tip. I'll be joining later this month. Normally when I go to an event like this I try to view the track from a couple of vantage points. I know this is a massive track so I'm wondering If I buy a grandstand seat I would also like to walk around a little as well. So any suggestions for a grandstand seat that's near some other viewing spots and maybe some concessions as well? 

 

I know some grandstand seats go very fast so maybe some less publicized areas or hidden gems?



#9 Victor_RO

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Posted 02 July 2014 - 05:32

Even if you have a grandstand seat, it's only for the race weekend itself, apart from the two ACO grandstands (T17 and T18) all of them are open on Wednesday and Thursday. The grandstand seat is a "supplement" to the general admission ticket, and that one gets you into all of the general admission areas around the track, which cover Mulsanne, Arnage, the first of the Porsche Curves and all the way from the Karting esses/Maison Blanche down to Tertre Rouge. There is nothing stopping you from walking around the GA areas during the race if you have a grandstand seat, everyone does it. :)

 

And on Tuesday-Friday, with a general admission ticket, you can literally walk through the paddock and trip over drivers and team personnel at every step.  :up:



#10 Dennis David

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Posted 02 July 2014 - 17:03

Thanks, and Grandstands you would reccomend?



#11 Victor_RO

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Posted 02 July 2014 - 17:47

I'd say almost any of them apart from T17-T18 (unless you're an ACO member) and T22 (which, as far as I'm aware, is the only grandstand without a roof). My suggestion is to try and go for one of the permanent covered grandstands.

 

T21, T20 and T19 (the one I sat in in 2013) are the three covered grandstands that the cars pass by (in that order) from the start/finish line onwards. They're pretty good vantage points, and they are quite near a few of the gates that open at the end of the race to allow the fans to swarm onto the track for the podium.

 

T23 (the one I sat in this year) is down at the Ford Chicane. It's a very good viewing point to see the cars on the edge at medium speed, and if you're lucky you can also see various spins and crashes and traffic incidents (this year we saw the end of the Pegasus Morgan's crash in practice when trying to pass a damaged Audi).

 

Another good grandstand might be the one up at the Dunlop chicane, although I haven't sat in that one so far (but I did watch from the spectator terrace in front of the grandstand).

 

T34 (the one at the top of the pitlane building) is a very good view, but only for the pitlane and the start/finish straight. Also, the fencing at the bottom does tend to get very crowded very quickly, blocking the view of the spectators in the first two-three rows, so I would recommend sitting higher up. However, there's nothing like sitting at the far end of T34, close to the pitlane exit, when night qualifying is about to start and the whole field is lined up straining at the leash and ready to set off on what might be the fastest laps of the week.



#12 Dennis David

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Posted 03 July 2014 - 03:00

Tell me about T17-T18 as I will be a ACO member.



#13 Victor_RO

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Posted 03 July 2014 - 06:58

Really not sure about those, but I heard they have quite a few facilities inaccessible to the "general" public, since they have gated entrances and are basically incorporated into the facade of a building.



#14 Dennis David

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Posted 03 July 2014 - 15:33

Ok,

 

Maybe they are for the elite members of ACO.



#15 Dennis David

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Posted 06 July 2014 - 20:08

Ok,  my Wife's given her approval and all systems are go for Le Mans 2015



#16 Dennis David

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Posted 16 July 2014 - 02:43

Been working on my tour and will be visiting the following cities next year during my visit to Le Mans.

 

30-31 May Zurich
01-03 Jun Riquewihr (Colmar, Mulhouse)
04-06 Jun Metz
07-09 Jun Reims
10-14 Jun Chatres (Le Mans)
15-16 Jun Dijon
17-Jun Zurich

Edited by Dennis David, 16 July 2014 - 02:45.


#17 huisne

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Posted 28 November 2014 - 13:38

Hey guys - I didn't know where to write this, but I didn't want to start a new thread and this one seemed the most appropriate.

I would like to go to Le Mans in 2015. I have never been there and I don't know anyone who has. I started looking up information, but a find the website a bit confusing and I still don't really know what would be the right ticket for me and how much it would cost. 
I would like to ask the more exprerienced members to give me a little help!

I will travel from Poland. I would like to spend the whole week there, so not just the weekend. I don't need a ticket for the tribunes, general admission is OK. But I would love to visit the paddock at some point, is it possible?

Ideally I would have an accomodation in the camping area for the whole week, in a tent, because I guess this is the cheapest. But I didn’t manage to find exact information on the price, it’s all a bit confusing. 

So what kind of ticket do you recommend me and how much would it cost approximately? Is there a package for general admission+camping place? 

Thank you very much for your answer. 

 



#18 Tuboscocca

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Posted 28 November 2014 - 16:31

Hey guys - I didn't know where to write this, but I didn't want to start a new thread and this one seemed the most appropriate.

I would like to go to Le Mans in 2015. I have never been there and I don't know anyone who has. I started looking up information, but a find the website a bit confusing and I still don't really know what would be the right ticket for me and how much it would cost. 
I would like to ask the more exprerienced members to give me a little help!

I will travel from Poland. I would like to spend the whole week there, so not just the weekend. I don't need a ticket for the tribunes, general admission is OK. But I would love to visit the paddock at some point, is it possible?

Ideally I would have an accomodation in the camping area for the whole week, in a tent, because I guess this is the cheapest. But I didn’t manage to find exact information on the price, it’s all a bit confusing. 

So what kind of ticket do you recommend me and how much would it cost approximately? Is there a package for general admission+camping place? 

Thank you very much for your answer. 

 

Hi Huisne

 

That's not so complicated as you think...

First.: a general admission is fully enough. (75 Euro, for non-members). This allows you to see the testday (14 days before the race),the practices (Wednesday/Thursday) and of course the race itself. When you are in time: On Sunday/Monday before the race, there is the scutineering in the middle of the town (free). on Tuesday at the track (normally) an autographing hour. On Friday from 10-20h, you can visit the pitlane (all free!!).Or also on Friday the drivers parade through the town, interesting BUT crowded!!

But to my knowledge you can't visit the Paddock, unless invited by a team.

As for the camping, I have no expirience, but you have to book very early (BTW today the 'Billeterie' on the LeMans webpage opened), and you have to book there.

The General admission you can either book in advance or on the gate (no problem!!).

If you need further help, please contact me here or PM me..

 

Michael


Edited by Tuboscocca, 28 November 2014 - 16:32.


#19 Victor_RO

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Posted 28 November 2014 - 17:25

Sadly all the best campsites (Houx, Tertre Rouge, Maison Blanche) are all sold out on the ACO website and places there can only be acquired via agencies. Maison Blanche is also on its way out (as in gone, not existing as a campsite any longer) because of construction of a Porsche driving experience center in that area of the track.



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#20 Tuboscocca

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Posted 28 November 2014 - 17:49

Sadly all the best campsites (Houx, Tertre Rouge, Maison Blanche) are all sold out on the ACO website and places there can only be acquired via agencies. Maison Blanche is also on its way out (as in gone, not existing as a campsite any longer) because of construction of a Porsche driving experience center in that area of the track.

Victor

 

HOW did you manage to open the Le Mans website..I tried since Wednesday-- nothing works. As a member or as a non-member!!.I finally booked my tickets over the phone. Seems the new webpage doesn't work at all..OR my mistake??  NOW it opens (19.00)....but very few grandstands are still available...

 

And: campsites and grandstands are always difficult to book!!

 

Michael


Edited by Tuboscocca, 28 November 2014 - 18:05.


#21 huisne

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Posted 28 November 2014 - 22:46

Thank you very much for your answers!

So if campsites are sold out so quickly, is there a cheap(ish) option for a place to stay? Can you perhaps recommend something? I'm open to everything, the cheaper the better :) Unfortunately I can't book tickets & campsites yet as it is not 100% yet if I can go (but let's say 85 % :) ), only next month will I know for sure. 



#22 Tuboscocca

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Posted 28 November 2014 - 23:33

Thank you very much for your answers!

So if campsites are sold out so quickly, is there a cheap(ish) option for a place to stay? Can you perhaps recommend something? I'm open to everything, the cheaper the better :) Unfortunately I can't book tickets & campsites yet as it is not 100% yet if I can go (but let's say 85 % :) ), only next month will I know for sure. 

BTW there are still campingsites available i.e. Beausejour (and all yellow ones) on the webpage..

If you are prepared to travel, you can take any village/town nearby..Many spectators stay at Tours or other cities..Even Paris is ok, as you have the TGV which brings you in under 1 hour to Le Mans and the the excellent tramway to the circuit in 20 min..You see many options!!

 

Cross the fingers for the remaining 15%!!!! :drunk:

 

Michael


Edited by Tuboscocca, 28 November 2014 - 23:34.


#23 GrandPrixAdvisor

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Posted 03 December 2014 - 11:30

I'd recommend the campsite in La Suze-sur-Sarthe. Look out for the PLAQUETTE camping 2014 ANGLAIS pdf on the following webpage: http://www.lasuze.fr/tourisme/. Although the website is in French only, the campsite is pretty much solely English speaking during the weekend. Pretty clean too and the village is only a minute walk away.

 

I've used the local cab company called Taxi La Suze to go to the track.



#24 Tuboscocca

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Posted 03 December 2014 - 18:12

I'd recommend the campsite in La Suze-sur-Sarthe. Look out for the PLAQUETTE camping 2014 ANGLAIS pdf on the following webpage: http://www.lasuze.fr/tourisme/. Although the website is in French only, the campsite is pretty much solely English speaking during the weekend. Pretty clean too and the village is only a minute walk away.

 

I've used the local cab company called Taxi La Suze to go to the track.

...and a very nice village too!!

 

Michael



#25 Victor_RO

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Posted 03 December 2014 - 20:24

Victor

 

HOW did you manage to open the Le Mans website..I tried since Wednesday-- nothing works. As a member or as a non-member!!.I finally booked my tickets over the phone. Seems the new webpage doesn't work at all..OR my mistake??  NOW it opens (19.00)....but very few grandstands are still available...

 

And: campsites and grandstands are always difficult to book!!

 

Michael

 

As a non-member I could open it about 5 minutes after the ticket office opened for everyone. In the end I booked my ticket over phone+email as well... pitwalk + T34. Ended up getting ACO membership.. + ACO member-discounted price = 60 euros saved over the full price.  :clap:



#26 Tuboscocca

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Posted 03 December 2014 - 22:25

As a non-member I could open it about 5 minutes after the ticket office opened for everyone. In the end I booked my ticket over phone+email as well... pitwalk + T34. Ended up getting ACO membership.. + ACO member-discounted price = 60 euros saved over the full price.  :clap:

Victor thanks..  first of all: what's the benefit of the Pitwalk (you can do that on Friday as well-for free) Ok not quite the same...

 

 

I tried, as ACO member, on Wednesday  until Friday-nothing worked (it was confirmed on the phone).After opening for the non-members it seemed to work.I tested it, but failed to log in as ACO member..(correct ID+password)

 

Reminds us?? Untested software, open to the public..

 

Nevertheless we have our tickets/grandstands..But I wonder how many of the grandstands are already reserved/sold before they open up. There are many travel agencies/ticket sellers. So the advantage of being member is diminished here...

Best regards Michael


Edited by Tuboscocca, 03 December 2014 - 22:26.