Race Tours - Le Mans Camping Guide

Camping at Le Mans is a unique and wonderful experience. For some, the enjoyment even surpasses that of anything that happens on the track! There is a welcoming and sociable atmosphere that runs through all of the circuit's official campsites, such that you will be caught up in the Le Mans vibe wherever you chose to throw your ground sheet. However, it must be noted that each site has its associated pros, cons and typical residents. The table below will allow you to quickly compare the sites we hope to offer in 2007 and should help you to select the most suitable option. Read on further for a detailed description of each site and click the button on the left for a suggestion of what to bring to survive the camping experience. Finally, click on the Beermountain banner at the bottom of the page for a detailed guide on how to get the most out of the Le Mans camping experience.

Site

Proximity to Village

Proximity to track

Facilities

Ground

Getting around by car

Type of camper

Houx

Good

Reserved

Houx Annexe

Average

Good

Average

Good

Party Animal

Maison Blanche

Good

Excellent

Average

Excellent

Average

Veterans

Karting Nord

Average

Good

Average

Good

Large Groups

Bleu Nord

Good

Average

Good

Average

Varied

Tertre Rouge

Adequate

Excellent

Average

Poor

Average

Hard Core Race Fans

Mulsanne

Poor

Excellent

Good

Excellent

Continental

Pincen- ardiere

Poor

Good

Average

Good

All comers

Beau- sejour

Poor

Good

Average

Good

All comers

Houx

Proximity to Village:
Camping Houx is a 10 minute walk from the Village via a footbridge over the permanent Bugatti circuit. This will bring you out in the western corner of the site, which is kept cool and dry by the shade of the pine trees that are dotted around this area. It is worth noting that Houx is within the General Enclosure area so you will need a General Enclosure ticket to gain access.

Proximity to track:
The quickest route to the circuit is back up to the village and onto the pit straight or Dunlop Chicane. Alternatively, exit the campsite via its North Easterly gate and stride out across and beyond Houx Annexe. You will find yourself at the Esses or Tertre Rouge within 15 minutes. See the where to watch section for more details.

access roads and pitches on Houx

Ground:
Houx is one of the sites with marked out and numbered pitches. In general each pitch measures 7m x 5m, with at least one side left free for vehicle access. This is to your advantage if you are arriving late and want the assurance of a reserved pitch. There is a good covering of grass across the north end of the site although the ground further south is more exposed and a bit dry in places.

Facilities:
Located in the centre of the site is a café that serves hot and cold food, water and alcohol. Adjacent to this is Houx’s permanent old shower and toilet facility that is kept reasonably clean and functional throughout the week. There is also a newer toilet block towards the south end of the site. However Houx’s real advantage over the other sites is the availability of electrical hook up. Please note the sockets are designed for French type plugs so UK adapters will be required.

modern toilet block on Houx

Getting around by car:
Houx is easy to navigate to and from by car as it is served by the roads that make up the circuit’s infrastructure. As such they wont be clogged up with through traffic. Take care on Friday afternoon/evening as the roundabout outside Houx Annexe is a traditional gathering point for inebriated petrol heads. The local police have clamped down on this in recent years though.

Typical camper:
Houx draws a typically older and quieter crowd, many of them in motor homes and making use of the electrical hook up. All this makes for a friendly, relaxed and peaceful atmosphere; an excellent place from which to base yourself at Le Mans.

Houx Annexe

Proximity to Village:
This boisterous site is a 15 minute walk from the Village via the northern loop of the Bugatti circuit or the Esses corner.

Proximity to track:
On foot, the corner at Tertre Rouge may be reached in 10 minutes with the Esses complex accessible in only 5. The Mulsanne straight stretches out beyond the trees to the East of the site and although concealed from view it provides a cacophony of noise!

Ground:
Houx Annexe is dissected by a wide walkway that links the new entrance and tram stop to the circuit. The site is actually designated as Houx Annexe Nord and Houx Annexe Sud. In 2008 Race Tours pitches were in the 'Sud' section of the site. The best pitches are those that lie within close proximity of the trees as they offer shade and some protection from the dust kicked up by all the vehicular traffic across the site. Most of the ground consists of patchy grass that will take a sturdy tent peg without any trouble although some of the ground in the more developed 'Nord' section is dusty and hard.

...and a sought after tree lined pitch

Facilities:
There are temporary shower and toilet blocks dotted around the site that are maintained to a good standard.

Getting around by car:
This site is easy to navigate to and from by car as it is served by the roads that make up the circuit’s infrastructure. As such they wont be clogged up with through traffic. Take care on Friday afternoon/evening as the roundabout outside Houx Annexe is a traditional gathering point for inebriated petrol heads. The local police have clamped down on this in recent years though.

Typical camper:
Houx Annexe is widely regarded as the wildest of the official Le Mans sites, its regulars returning each year for the non stop party atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, the site is almost exclusively British although you will find a few Europeans if you try hard enough.

Maison Blanche

Proximity to Village:
This popular site can be found on the circuit outfield beyond the grandstands that line the pit straight. From Maison Blanche, the Village may be reached on foot in only 5 minutes via a pedestrian underpass that comes out under the shadow of the media centre and the first of the pit land buildings.

viewing opportunities on Maison Blanche

Proximity to track:
The eastern edge of the campsite actually borders the circuit at the exit of the Porsche Curves, along the circuit’s final straight and down to the Ford Chicane (see the where to watch section for more details). This means that the racing (and associated noise!) is only a stones throw away and, from the prime spots, viewable from the comfort of your pitch.

Ground:
Maison Blanche is one of the sites with marked out and numbered pitches. In general each pitch measures 7m x 5m, with at least one side left free for vehicle access. This is to your advantage if you are arriving late and want the assurance of a reserved pitch. Well maintained tarmac roads criss-cross Maison Blanche (the site is used as a test circuit for the rest of the year), providing good access to the large grassy areas that make up the rest of the site. The ground is flat and well suited for pitching tents, gazebos and anything else.

camping next to the test track on Maison Blanche (24 hour circuit in the background)

Facilities:
A permanent toilet block at the vehicular entrance as well as a number of temporary toilet and shower blocks serve the site. The permanent facility can get a bit pungent towards the end of the week!

Getting around by car:
Getting around by car can sometimes be problematic as, at peak times, such as Saturday morning when the traffic often comes to a standstill outside the narrow entrance to the site.

Typical camper:
The vibrant and friendly atmosphere coupled with its close proximity to the circuit and Village established Maison Blanche as a favourite amongst the Le Mans community many years ago. As such, you will find a strong presence of Le Mans veterans here, both British and Dutch in large numbers.

Karting Nord

Proximity to Village:
Karting Nord is a 10 minute walk from the Village via a tunnel that takes you underneath the permanent Bugatti Circuit. It lies on the circuit infield at the exit of the Porsche Curves.

Karting Nord with the pit straight tribunes in the far background

Proximity to track:
The circuit passes along the western edge of the site making it possible to view the action (and certainly here it!) from the pitches closest to the campsite perimeter. The go-kart building at the southern end of the site offers good views over the Porsche Curves. Head further south and under the circuit on the public road and on foot you will reach an enclosure called Porsche Exterior within 10 minutes. See the where to watch section for more details.

a typical pitch on Karting Nord

Ground:
Karting Nord is one of the sites with marked out and numbered pitches. In general each pitch measures 7m x 5m, with at least one side left free for vehicle access. This is to your advantage if you are arriving late and want the assurance of a reserved pitch. The ground on Karting Nord is of variable quality; the few areas under the shade of the trees will take a tent peg easily but the majority of the site is made up slightly harder soil meaning hardened tent pegs and a substantial mallet are a benefit.

Facilities:
There are temporary shower and toilet blocks dotted around the site that are maintained to a good standard.

Getting around by car:
Access in and out of the site is easy as the site is served by one of the roads that make up the circuit’s infrastructure meaning it wont get clogged with through traffic. The quickest way to leave the circuit is by heading south and under the track but as this route can get clogged at busy times you may want to consider heading north via Houx Annexe.

Typical camper:
There is a lively European contingent on Karting Nord that mix happily with the British campers. You will find Dutch, Germans and Danes in abundance; the Danes in particular are notable by their extensive village of identical tents set up by their travel company. All this makes for a flavoursome yet friendly atmosphere.

Mulsanne

Proximity to Village:
Mulsanne campsite is at the southern tip of the circuit and approximately 3 Kilometres. A free bus service that operates during ‘track time’ travels on a loop between the circuit entrance, Arnage and Mulsanne. See here for more details. Right on the doorstep of the campsite can be found the village of Mulsanne itself meaning there are many amenities within a 5 minute walk of your tent, including a couple of bars, tabacs and a Champion supermarket.

Proximity to track:
The circuit runs alongside the eastern edge of the campsite meaning you will be right on top of the action. At the southernmost edge of the site is the Mulsanne corner. The tight right hander lies at the end of the famous Mulsanne straight and precedes the run down to Indianapolis, the fastest part of the circuit. There certainly won’t be a lack of noise and drama during the race at Mulsanne! There is also a big screen at Mulsanne corner to keep you informed of the running order and incidents around the rest of the circuit.

viewing opportunities on Mulsanne

camping amongst the trees on Mulsanne (the track is in stumbling distance!)

Ground:
The site is populated with trees providing many shaded grassy areas, ideal for camping. There is plenty of space on Mulsanne compared to most other sites and it generally doesn’t fill up until Friday lunchtime.

Facilities:
There are showers and toilet facilities on Mulsanne that are in service from Wednesday morning onwards when the site officially opens. They are kept clean throughout the event and the queues are short in comparison to many other sites. There is normally a bar and food stall on the site as well.

Beausejour

Proximity to Village:
Beausejour lies on the circuit infield beyond the go-kart track. You will find the entrance on the D92 very close to the point where the first of the Porsche Curves bridges the road with the site stretching out across the fields and trees towards Arnage corner. On foot the entrance is a 25 minute walk from the Village but the furthest reaches of the site are almost as far away again.

Proximity to track:
An enclosure called Porsche Exterior is situated only yards from the entrance to Beausejour. The areas near to and beyond the Village are obviously a bit of a trek on foot but there are regular shuttle buses that run between Karting Nord and the campsite when there is action on the track. If you are determined, Beausejour represents the most feasible site from which to walk to the enclosure at Arnage. See the where to watch section for more details.

Ground:
This site has a good covering of grass and the perimeter is surrounded by woodland making for a pleasant place to pitch your tent.

Facilities:
There are temporary shower and toilet blocks dotted around the site that are maintained to a good standard.

Getting around by car:
Due to Beausejour’s far proximity to the circuit’s main entrance the traffic flow in and out of the site is fairly good with the main access route that passes underneath the circuit only becoming clogged around Saturday afternoon. Even then an alternative route to the north via Houx and Houx Annexe may be sought.

Typical camper:
Beausejour is Le Mans’ newest and largest campsite. Due to its size and location it is always the last to sell out and consequently attracts a huge diversity of campers. This lends itself to a collectively sociable atmosphere