Ever wondered what your favorite racing driver’s accommodation is like at Le Mans? Fancy staying at the circuit itself during this monumental motorsport event? Well now you can thanks to Empire RV’s Le Mans 24-Hour Motorhome Hire!
Accommodation for Le Mans Circuit
Unsurprisingly, we would of course recommend hiring an RV for the duration of Le Mans 24-hour race (or click here if you are looking for Le Mans Classic RV hire). Imagine yourself in your own vehicle that’s super close to the circuit, hopping out to see all the action before returning to home comforts!
In addition, it’s actually not easy to find a hotel near Le Mans let alone one with availability as so many people book year on year. So not only will you have to look for hotels further away from Le Mans circuit but you’ll also be looking at several hundred Euros per night or more for a room. Translate that into a 4 or 5-night stay and it soon adds up!
Camping at Le Mans is also possible of course, so if you’re happy to rough it in a tent, camp sites are much more reasonable. A 4-night pitch at the Chanteloup, for example, would currently set you back around 125 Euros. Please bear in mind though, that a pitch is traditionally around 7 metres x 5 metres, which means that, depending on the number of vehicles you bring, you may need more than one.
Hire a Winnebago or RV for Le Mans!
The very best alternative is therefore one of our Winnebagos or American RVs, which offer brilliant value and excellent fun, especially compared to the local hotels near (or far from) the Le Mans circuit!
Our luxury American Motorhomes and RVs are also delivered to the site and will be set up and waiting for your arrival from the Thursday before the race. You can even stay until the Monday morning after the race. Throughout the event we will ensure our team are on hand to assist with fresh water and waste management. Electric facilities are also included in our luxury packages.
Ultimately, we offer a complete accommodation package so you and your fellow petrol heads can enjoy the very best accommodation within the Le Mans circuit. All of our packages come with bedding, towels, kitchenware, outside table and chairs etc.
RV Availability for Le Mans
Limited Availability: Once again this event clashes with a couple of UK music festivals, Isle of Wight and Download Festival, so we are extremely busy during this time each year so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment – just fill in the form here to get a quote.
==================
Travelling to Le Mans 24-hour Endurance Race
Each year, the meet takes place in June time and we’d advise you leave one or two days either side for travel. The ideal trip is probably Wednesday or Thursday to Monday, so you can enjoy the atmosphere and build up before the weekend, with plenty of people moving in early to get the party started.
Camping at Le Mans 24-hour
Alternatively you can camp as there are some fantastic campsites around the circuit. We’ve stayed at a few but our favourite so far has probably been the Chanteloup, which has a swimming pool, bar, restaurant, chateau and plenty of dream cars to drool over. If you want to be closer to the action (Chanteloup is up to 30mins away), there are 15 campsites on the circuit campus and numerous official camp sites nearby. The rule of thumb is that the off-circuit sites offer better facilities and transport to and from the circuit, while the on-site options have the obvious benefit of being much closer to the action, meaning you can avoid the queues.
Le Mans Tickets
Everyone who wants to watch the Le Mans 24-hour race requires an individually bar-coded general entry ticket, which provides access to the circuit and general viewing area. You can buy your tickets online from the official Le Mans site, or you can find numerous resellers and travel companies by searching online.
Grandstands
Grandstand passes are an optional extra. There are plenty to choose from, although judging by the prices, the most popular seats are those closest to the start/finish line. Again you can use the link above to buy grandstand tickets.
Where is Le Mans?
Le Mans is approximately half-way between Paris and Nantes in the west of northern France. It’s fairly easy to get to by road, and the French motorways are generally fairly clear – even on the Le Mans weekend. Our advice is to keep on the toll roads. If you’re travelling from the UK by car (our American Motorhomes and RVs will generally be delivered on site prior to your arrival) you can get to Le Mans from various different ports. Caen, Le Havre, St Malo and Cherbourg are all approximately 3 hours away from Le Mans; Roscoff (if you’re coming from Plymouth) takes about 4 hours and Calais is about 5 hours away. Ferry times and crossings vary, so it’s best to plan your journey carefully to avoid a midnight arrival!
Journey to Le Mans – Speeding
BEWARE of speeding. Many people buy, hire or borrow something exotic for the Le Mans weekend, but this fact has not escaped the French Gendarmes. They will happily issue you with a hefty fine. If you’re planning on ignoring this advice, take plenty of Euros with you!
Getting You in the Mood!
Testing starts at Le Mans a fortnight before the race to give teams a chance to make final adjustments. For anyone who loves the Le Mans 24-hour, here are a couple of videos for you.
Best Le Mans Video
This first video is one of the best Le Mans videos we’ve ever seen. It’s fairly long but it documents the unbelievable events of Le Mans 2011, where Audi scooped an amazing victory against all odds. Oone of their three cars remained intact (the two others had horrific crashes – it’s all in this film). If you don’t have a spare 13m 44secs, just watch between 9m 50secs and 11m 20secs – truly brilliant driving and amazing footage (we’ve watched it hundreds of times – especially the crazy overtake on the grass!):
Pre-Le Mans Testing Video
In preparation for the Le Mans 24-hour race, twenty teams recently went to Paul Ricard Circuit du Castellet. Over two days of testing with the FIA WEC, the track time helped them solve any technical issues before the race itself. This also helpd them prepare for the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Here’s a recent video of the testing at Le Castellet, posted by the FIA WEC:
