Fastest part of the circuit to view from?

[Fab]

Originally posted by kdr
I think we might have been standing next to one another without realising!

I said that we have to make those TT caps to recognize !

Or wear a Spyker's jacket Is this thing orange !

[Cynic]

Maybe not the fastest, but one of the more spectacular points at night is the bottom of the new section (is it Tetre Rouge? I can never remember the names), especially if you sit right up near the tress on the outside of the circuit. Incidentally, last year I toyed with the idea of going down to the Porsche curves but was told there isn't a spectator area there. Some of the posts here would suggest otherwise. Is there a good viewing point at or near the curves, and if so how easy is it to get there on foot?

[kdr]

theres definitely a spectator area. easiest way i think is to walk under the tunnel that goes under the bugatti circuit, past the hospitality units that line the ford chicane, turn left then right, past the technopark "lake", turn right at the T junction, and i think the entry is just under the bridge at the porsche curves. you get this sort of view...

[bernard b]

Originally posted by kdr
... you get this sort of view...

hope we won't

I prefer sunny weather

[kdr]

lets just call it "atmospheric" bernard!

[CD_Quiksilver]

Have been reading through this thread, great advise guys.

I was planning a trip to Le Mans, this year or next, a quick question.

what are the link paths like around the circuit? I would like to drive over(to get from UK to France) and then maybe take a mountainbike in to ride around the circuit during the race, first of all would this be allowed? and second, would I be able to get around the circuit? I dont mind going a little away from 'track side' but not too far.

Thanks

Chris

[kdr]

i think riding around the outside of the circuit is ok. inside it gets a little busy and there are certain no go areas. never tried though...and would like to...over to someone with more local knowledge...

[Aysedasi]

Well, I certainly don't have any real local knowledge, but I think you'd be struggling to ride your bike anywhere near the circuit down the Mulsanne. You could probably try, but the gendarmes would be sure to point out the error of your ways.....

You'd still be able to listen to that marvellous noise though - even in a car as you approach the restaurants on the Mulsanne, or Mulsanne Corner, or the enclosure at Arnage/Indianapolis, the sound of the cars drifts through the trees....

My goodness, am I looking foward to 4 and half weeks time......

[Nick M]

It is, as has been mentioned above, a practical impossibility to ride round close to the whole circuit - the best you can hope for is to cycle between the various vantage points. Basically you can see the following sections legitimately and I've included a couple of other bits that you might be able to blag your way into !!

Main Start finish area - basically from the end of the Porsche curves into the chicanes all the way round to Tetre Rouge is readily accessible and there are plenty of really good spectating points. I believe you can also get quite a good view from the cafe on the outside of Tetre Rouge, but I've not tried it personally.

Mulsanne straight - one official access route which is to the restaurants just before the first chicane. Best view is from the tables in the Chinese restaurant !!

Mulsanne straight - there is a hotel / auberge down near the kink (between 2nd chicane and Mulsanne Corner) which you can sometimes gain access to. The owner was a bit stroppy in recent years and asked us to leave even though we just wanted to sit and have a beer. If you're not booked into the hotel or possibly just for dinner then expect to be disappointed.

Mulsanne Corner - good view of the cars braking for the corner (from the banking) and the spectator enclosure extends along the track towards Indianapolis

Indianapolis / Arnage - another proper spectator area. Easy enough to access but expect traffic on the one way system on race day

Porsche curves - the new(ish) enclose where you can see the cars on the run up from Arnage and turning right off the road section of the track into the Porsche curves. I've also seen people spectating from the grassy bank on the *inside* of the corner (opposite the formal spectator area) but that may just have been people associated with the marshalls.

Pretty much everywhere else is off limits and patrolled by marshalls / gendarmes.

The flow of traffic on the roads around the track is controlled when the race is on by virtue of some well sign-posted routes. Basically the one-way system flows in the opposite direction to the way the track runs. It's deady easy to get around, but can be a long ride if you're on a bike !! It's a BIIIIGGGG circuit !!

I'm sure there are other areas people will say you can get to, but these are the "safe" ones we found.

Bit gutted I'm not going this year. Still, 2004 is probably on the cards !!

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by Nick M


Porsche curves - ...I've also seen people spectating from the grassy bank on the *inside* of the corner (opposite the formal spectator area) but that may just have been people associated with the marshalls.

Thanks for that Nick. I saw what I took to be spectators there on the inside when I watched from the outside at the Classic last year. Anyone got any idea how they managed to get there?

[kdr]

i walked along that bank in 1998. there is an exit on the left just before you reach the bridge under the circuit...but i'm sure it has a gendarme or two on guard.

its a nice view but i'm pretty sure its for "le friends and family" now...although it can't be that far from beausoujour(?!)camp site...so there may be a way across country.

i was trying some ridiculous picture thru the armco there...more s**t than art. anyway down a little grass track came an old woman and her grandaughter in their 2cv from their country cottage...30 yards parallel to the toyota gt-one on the circuit!

[CD_Quiksilver]

Thanks for all the info!