84th Le Mans 2016 - 18th & 19th June

[BadDave]

A bit early I know, but the dates have been announced.







If you can't work out when that is, well, France isn't the place for you.


Boat out there is looking like £38 atm,out on Thursday 9th @ 0600hrs and back on Monday 13th @ 1800hrs if booked well in advance

Campsite, open to ideas from people. Beausejour is the easy option for a couple of reasons:

1) You can get tickets at face value without having to go through agencies(ticket touts!)
2) People with student cards can buy Race weekend tickets once you are down there at half the value you would have to buy one if you pre-ordered one, which you are forced to do if you use above mentioned 'touts.'
3) It is cheap, £50.

Downside, walking, and lots of it. So if you are fat(like tomson ) this might not be a marvelous plan.


This thread is just to generate some interest really, even if you do not fancy driving all the way down there(for money reasons perhaps) post up and you may get a space in someone elses car. This year I offered a space to a normal zoner, weirdos need not apply. The year before Ziggy offered me a space, luckerly he didn't have the same clause.


Rough costs, but bare in mind it can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be.

Fuel £120 (More if your based North of the M25)
Ferry £40 (Norfolkline- if booked in advance)
Food and drink £100
Student weekend race ticket £32 (£66)
Campsite £50

Le mans 2011...Priceless?

Text courtesy of Jon-bmw(Dates ammended)


Who's up for a long weekend in the La Sarthe region of northern France with a race thrown in??

[Ziggy]

Possibly not

May well be in Oz, on some kind of honeymoon-thing!

[Ziggy]

http://s446.photobucket.com/albums/qq18 ... 1024/LM10/

Some pics from this year

Need to add some of da-neonz etc!

[BadDave]

Possibly not

May well be in Oz, on some kind of honeymoon-thing!

Poor planning?

[Ziggy]

I know!

[JWaller360]

I didn't see any E30's at this years event, was quite saddened

[Ziggy]

Mine might have been the only e30 in our merry band, but it was definitely there!

[Jon_Bmw]

I am a possibly not this year as well.

I think I am temtped to go to the ring in something this year (2011 ) and it is one or the other.

Missed pod, missing Le mans, working with cars means 24/7 you lose interest at times.

[tomson]

I'm in this time, was gutted to miss this year

[tomson]

Jon, we could combine Le Mans and a ring trip ? I want to take my S38 Touring to the ring next year if I can...

[Jon_Bmw]

Tempting, tempting.

[BadDave]

Imminent change of circumstances means I'm unable to confirm at the moment.

Once things get sorted/settled I'll be in a better position to make a decision

[BadDave]

Jon/Tom
Have you seen this?

Ferry,camping,food,beer, GA ticket, and hotel on the way back
http://www.lemansexperience.co.uk/le-ma ... -p-28.html

OK its not the same as individual tents but could work out cheaper

[Jon_Bmw]

Right to confuse things further I think I am definately out of this years Le mans.

BUT
I am currently trying to plan a bit of a euro trip, mainly in and around Germany, that both me and my girlfriend would enjoy.

From a couple of hours research and No real experience of Germany really there seems to be lots of things I want to do there. I am quite sad and have always liked learning about WW2 and I like motorsport of course.

This is roughly what I was thinking.

1) Dunkerque
2) Nurburgring (24 hour race of 'normal' cars 25th of June)
3) Rhine River Valley (near the ring, supposedly a nice river with castles to look at)
4) BMW museum at Munich
5) Dachau concentration camp(nr munich)
6) Eagles nest (Near Salzburg)
7) Hohenwerfen Castle(schlos adler as seen in 'Where eagles dare') - n. Austria
Stelvio Pass (Italy)
9) San Bernardino Pass - mesocco, Switzerland
10) Dunkerque

That is about 1800miles and I think about 10 days worth. Very Toristy destination and route, but every one of them I am interested in(Sad). There is also some pretty bit German and French cities that could be stopped at as well.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sourc ... 130127&z=7

[BadDave]

From Werfen,I'd head Worgl via St Johann and Kitzbuhel.

Used to work in Kitz and still know a few of the people there.

Autobahn between the ring and Munich I found to be pretty dull and boring TBH.
Austria roads can be slower paced when not on the autoroutes,and you'll see more of the country at a more sedate pace.

Salzburg has a nice reasonably sized retail/shopping centre nr the airport which can take up a few hours of your time. Signposted Europarkplatz IIRC(will check the satnav).

Just priced the ferries and it works out at £50 at the mo.

[tomson]

Jon/Tom
Have you seen this?

Ferry,camping,food,beer, GA ticket, and hotel on the way back
http://www.lemansexperience.co.uk/le-ma ... -p-28.html

OK its not the same as individual tents but could work out cheaper

Cheaper ?!

[tomson]

Right to confuse things further I think I am definately out of this years Le mans.

BUT
I am currently trying to plan a bit of a euro trip, mainly in and around Germany, that both me and my girlfriend would enjoy.

From a couple of hours research and No real experience of Germany really there seems to be lots of things I want to do there. I am quite sad and have always liked learning about WW2 and I like motorsport of course.

This is roughly what I was thinking.

1) Dunkerque
2) Nurburgring (24 hour race of 'normal' cars 25th of June)
3) Rhine River Valley (near the ring, supposedly a nice river with castles to look at)
4) BMW museum at Munich
5) Dachau concentration camp(nr munich)
6) Eagles nest (Near Salzburg)
7) Hohenwerfen Castle(schlos adler as seen in 'Where eagles dare') - n. Austria
Stelvio Pass (Italy)
9) San Bernardino Pass - mesocco, Switzerland
10) Dunkerque

That is about 1800miles and I think about 10 days worth. Very Toristy destination and route, but every one of them I am interested in(Sad). There is also some pretty bit German and French cities that could be stopped at as well.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sourc ... 130127&z=7

The ring and the BMW museum are of interest to me

[gareth]

Jon, add the susten pass, grimsel pass and furka pass to that list. Trust me!
They form a loop and can be done on route in a day. This was the best bit of my european trip i did recently Better than the stelvio pass...
The most fun looking rads on this thread are the passes i mentioned above
http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... 34#1968634

[Jon_Bmw]

Gareth i've only just seen your reply. They certainly look like good routes and hardly off the beaton track in the grand scheme of things.

Anyone have any idea if any of them are passable in late April? Please bare in mind the e39 is awful in the snow.

[Peet]

I didn't see any E30's at this years event, was quite saddened

we had 2 in our group, and there was a e30 M3 on our campsite


We're off for another road trip again this year, catching the ferry over on the 6th and come back on the 13th

so far we have got, the e30 (or z3m coupe), yellow z3m coupe, mk1 Fiesta van (rally Prep'd), tiger kit car, 320d and a jag going. should be a laugh

[BadDave]

Didn't make it this yearunfortunately.
I did however watch the live feed supplied by Audi from the winning #2 car as and when I could.

Note too self.
Must go next year

[mattrs]

I went years ago when it was f40's and xj20, truly awesome!

BTW, Why is this page so wide?

[BadDave]

BTW, Why is this page so wide?

It's due to an earlier post which includes a link to google maps

[Jon_Bmw]

Holy Thread bump.

I am pretty sure I am going this year I hit 30 this year, so something to re-kindle my youth... I am going to take my little (20yr old!) cousin as he has been badgering me for years to take him.

I went for 4 years on the trot, from 2007 to 2011. It would be good to get some of the lot from those trips going...

Ziggy
Mark
Dave
Tomson
Dan318is
Cotty
Martin
Charlie
Lots of others...


Anyone fancy it? I will be going on the Thursday 16th and returning on the Sunday so it minimises time off work to 2 days. I will probably get le shuttle over as it is nearly as cheap as the ferry.

Rough idea on costs for newbies are:

Camping (Beausejour) £45
Le Shuttle (£114) / Ferry £80
Race Ticket £60 (or with my student card £30)
Fuel £100
Food and Drink £50



This is split with however many are in your car. So for me, with two in the car it is less than £200 all in. A bargain 4 day jaunt away from the wife.

[Ziggy]

Much want here. But unless something comes up that means Han's going to be away with the kids, I doubt it this year... Leo's not quite old enough (although last chance before he starts school...) and my brownie points are probably over-allocated on the year's sailing calendar!
But it isn't a solid 'no'... Unlike for Mark, who although he's actually here today, lives rather less locally these days.

Happy New Year all BTW!

[Ziggy]

P.S: remembered my password then!

[Jon_Bmw]

Excuse me Mr team member,

Can you change the title to 2016 le mans.

Is Mark based abroad now then? Bloody high profile executive!

[Ziggy]

Mark says he's a yes if he can do it for £200. That's from Melbourne...

[BadDave]

I'm a maybe at the moment.

Bought a ZX10R,got an expensive stag do in April, wedding in Somerset in May(plus associated accommodation and alcohol costs) and am in the planning stages of a possible eurotrip in August/September.

Funds could be pretty tight.

Could take the bike instead,I suppose.

[Jon_Bmw]

I've booked my camping ticket... No going back now.

See how it goes Dave over the next couple of months. On the bike you can leave it late as ferry/train companies will always fit you on.

At worst this might drag a few old schoolers out of the woodwork for some banter on here.

[Jon_Bmw]

Mark says he's a yes if he can do it for £200. That's from Melbourne...

I hope he has some air miles!

[tomson]

I reckon I'd be up for it, it was a right laugh last time, I was only looking at some old photos the other day of Daves touring and your old 540i doing donuts! Remember us trying to convince tiff he should have a go ?!

[BadDave]

I'll check to see if I can get a couple of weeks off and do a mini tour of Normandy prior to Thursday qualifying. (D-Day beaches,Pegasus bridge and U boat sub pens etc etc) instead of the Alpine passes,black forest etc.

[Jon_Bmw]

Tom,

One year we actually converted some unused camping area into a rather excellent figure of 8 drift cock track. The 760 (or 940?..) turbo estate was most excellent, thanks for the go ziggy! It was only the tight turns it struggled with the open diff, much like the 540i!

I remember tiff nearly getting killed by some animal in a zafira I think. He wasn't impressed with the FWD wronguns.

Alpine passes are good Dave, I will admit, but nothing like the suspense of when is that gas bottle on the fire going to go bang and is it going to take your head off!

[Dan318-is]

I remember Tiff's comment about your 540 Jon, wasn't it something along the lines of "Thats a fuc**** great car!". Highlight of the trip that! I also remember the Audi (almost) keeping up with an Aston just out of a toll road Shame I am a bad passenger these days!