[LM24] Booking tickets through the Tourist Office

[James_N]

Hi All,

2013 was my 7th year at Le Mans. I joined the ACO for the first time just after the 24 hours in June.

I booked through Nadine at the Tourist Office rather than the UK ticket agencies.

I didn't get my first choice of campsite, but did get Houx along with some T18 tribune tickets.

However, I've had no request to pay and no real communication from the tourist office since the start of December.

Usually with the ticket agencies, requests are all sorted and payment is sent before the new year, so now I'm getting a little worried, having heard nothing from the tourist office.

Has anyone else heard anything? I'm quite anxious to get my requests confirmed and paid for as I'm booking tickets for a few other people too, and also, i'm disabled, so need to make sure I have the right allocation and tickets to make my life easier at Le Mans.

Cheers
James

[Aysedasi]

I think Nobby and Simon need to respond to this one.........

[nobster]

I got some news today and hope to have my booking secure this week. Took a long time! Will most probably have a campsite houx ticket for sale as I already purchased a Tertre rouge ticket through an agency.

[James_N]

I badly wanted 3 x tetre rouge but didn't get it. I guess with it being a small site, aiming for 3 camping spots was pushing my luck somewhat!

I'll still be keeping an eye out on forums / ebay nearer the time.

I'll give Nadine a few more weeks before I really start panicking I guess.

[Adam43]

The following advice is based on an experience many years ago, but maybe they haven't got any better. It isn't sounding like they have!

The advice: panic now! Well chase again to stop later panicing.

One year we assumed it was alright, but then with a couple of weeks to go and no tickets they told us we had none and while they had received our order they hadn't actually done anything with it.

Best race in the world, worst ticket office.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Adam43

The following advice is based on an experience many years ago, but maybe they haven't got any better. It isn't sounding like they have!

The advice: panic now! Well chase again to stop later panicing.

One year we assumed it was alright, but then with a couple of weeks to go and no tickets they told us we had none and while they had received our order they hadn't actually done anything with it.

Best race in the world, worst ticket office.

......which is why I use an agency. It is worth a few quid more.... imo

[Adam43]

Yes, and you get better tickets!

James, I'm sure it'll get sorted and you are stressing for no reason, just play it safe and chase them.

[James_N]

Originally Posted by Mal

......which is why I use an agency. It is worth a few quid more.... imo

I agree with this, having had a friend who sorted my tickets through an agency for me for a number of years.

BUT

Why join the ACO for benefits like discounted tickets if we don't get the service that paid up members should receive?

[Adam43]

Good point! I thought that too, eventually.

[James_N]

I thought the benefits of cheaper tickets, access to the members only enclosures and the ability to get T18 tickets would be great, especially as i'm disabled, but maybe its not worth the money.

I think next year I will also go with a ticket agency

[Adam43]

T18 - that was one of the benefits I liked too. Then after two years of not getting T18 through ACO I stopped renewing my membership. Then I went through an agent and have got T18 every year!

There are other benefits. The enclosure and the pack - I liked that. I also liked being a member and supporting the club that ran this wonderful race. I do still keep the window sticker in my car though.

It's quite a few years since I stopped being a member, I had assumed it had changed. I was mellowing and thinking of joining again, but perhaps not.

[Aysedasi]

I've been a member since 1997 and will continue to renew - there are some benefits that it provides - like the use of the Club down at Dunlop - which I particularly enjoy.

I'm very lucky now that I have t'other James to rely on for tickets - he certainly comes up trumps for us! However, I relied on Brian at 1st Tickets before to good effect and if I was going it alone or without knowledgable pals like those I now travel with, I would definitely use an agency. Once a year, for me, nothing can be left to chance and I'd be perfectly happy to pay the agency mark-up to guarantee that.

I know Simon will sing Nadine's praises and I'm sure she will come up with the goods for you (and Simon!), but not knowing for sure in mid-January would be a worry for me.....

[James_N]

Brian at 1st Tickets is who my friend used too. We always got what we wanted, which is why i'm a bit annoyed with myself that I didn't just get my friend to book the tickets again through him.

We always got the same pitches and same grandstand seats. Now I have booked through the tourist office, I didn't get Tetre Rouge, and god knows where I'll be on Houx. Praying for a good spot.

If Nadine comes up trumps, i'll gladly come back and eat humble pie, but its not sounding great at the minute!

At this rate, I'll be caravanning on the side of the A28

[Mal]

I watch the agonizing will I get the tickets or won't I threads every year and feel happy, I choose to book through an agency.

[Adam43]

Hundreds of thousands go to Le Mans every year. Imagine how many try to buy tickets!

(modified TVR joke)

[GT6]

Well we will see, i am aware that as yet none of the cost from the tourist office bookings have gone through, but then again who in there right mind wants to hand over the cash before they have to, have faith all will be OK i am sure

[James_N]

Lets hope so thanks mate

[James_N]

Well there has been a monumental cock up with my tickets. My invoice only showed tribune tickets when I received it, so when I asked about my camping and entrance tickets, there was something lost in translation.

To add insult to injury, I emailed her the online banking receipt to prove I had done the bank transfer for my tribune tickets, and she told me they had changed their bank account (but were obviously still sending out invoices with the old details on!). The old bank account and new bank account appear to have the same IBAN and BIC numbers, so hopefully payment will reach her, else i'm 437 Euro down with nothing. No camping, no tribunes!

So if anyone knows of any Tetre Rouge or Houx camping tickets being sold (catch is I need 3 pitches, as we are taking 2 caravans, 2 cars and a large awning!), then please let me know (TR and Houx have electric, and i'm disabled, so these sites suit me as they are fairly close to the village and track). I could chance eBay nearer the time, but don't fancy paying the 200% profit on the tickets that the sellers ask for (but obviously willing to supply beers to anyone who can sell me some tickets!)


Many Thanks
James

[vincegail]

James and I ordered the same amount of TR campingtickets (3x), and the same amount of General Entrance tickets (4x). James also ordered 4x ACO grandstand tickets.

I got as answer: 'Thank you, I'll note your booking'
He got as answer: 'No Tertre Rouge available. Is 3x Houx OK?'
'Also, you can only order 2x ACO grandstand' per membership.'

So I gave James my membership number, so she could divide the four tickets on two accounts, but send the bill to James.

All seems well.

But it isn't. Somehow Nadine thought that our orders are one and the same and James' campingtickets are gone. All he's left with is 4 ACO grandstandtickets and no campsite.

Last time for me. She doesn't speak, read and write English that well at all and does 'thinking' on her own, and doesn't reply to e-mails , or only very late. It's very obvious she doesn't work for a private company, but some government controlled institution, because sloppy work like this would have lead to someone being fired by the former quite some time ago.

[James_N]

Thanks for explaining Vince

I guess this is what happens when I don't speak French and she doesn't speak very good English. Things get confused and misunderstood

[James_N]

Managed to book 3 x Houx none numbered pitches through Brian at 1st tickets. He has saved my bacon!

Don't know much about the none numbered pitches. I will need electric as we have 2 caravans so will probably need to take lots of cable?

[bella]

it sounds like you might want to either enlist the help of someone who speaks the native language of the event or try and remember to keep it simple next time!

glad it's been sorted out

regarding the cable, you might be able to find very site specific information about power points from other sites like beermountain.

[James_N]

Originally Posted by bella

it sounds like you might want to either enlist the help of someone who speaks the native language of the event or try and remember to keep it simple next time!

glad it's been sorted out

regarding the cable, you might be able to find very site specific information about power points from other sites like beermountain.

I normally book through a friend who camps next to me, who then arranges tickets with 1st Tickets agency. I think I will go back to doing that for 2015!

[GT6]

Don't worry James sorted things out with Vince, we should be able to get you into TR as long as you don't mind camping with a selection of Brits/dutch one of whom also has difficulty getting about so tends to not go that far from TR.

[vincegail]

Thx Simon!
Mail received and forwarded to James.