I'm interested...... we might be over there around that time anyway and it'd be rude not to!

Let me know more

Derek

It would be very rude not to!!!!!! and considering the costs involved it would be even ruder.

So what can I tell you?? 2003 the race is 14/15th June and where I booked tickets last year,  and again for next year, was http://www.justtickets.co.uk">www.justtickets.co.uk they have been excellent both last year and this, they can do the whole 9 yards for you, all you have to do is enjoy the (very fast)drive down to Le Mans which is an experience in itself given the cars on the road, pitch your tent and enjoy the show! To give you an indication of cost for 2003 my mate and I have booked  Tribune, which is a grandstand, 12 (Pits) at a cost of £94stg per ticket, this includes your general admission cost/ticket, and, we ahve booked Campsite Houx (3 nights) at a total cost of £79stg. There are ferry costs to add to this, but I think you will agree for a major Motorsport event this isn't bad.

The atmosphere is fantastic (there's about 250000 people there) and the noise............................

Last year we met up with a group of Dutch blokes and the craic was mighty, but, it seemed that there was a distinct lack of Irish people at the event even though Jonny Kane from Comber Co. Down was driving one of the MG's. There is also talk that Eddie Irvine has been offered a drive in the Bentley for 2003 if he doesn't get the Jordan seat, now that really would be good if he was driving.

If you or anyone else is interested in going I would suggest we all get there under our own steam and then make a night (or 2!!) of it while there.

If you haven't been you've just got to go!!!

Let me know if there's any more info./questions and I'll do my best to answer. 

Neville,

We'd be driving 'up' form the outskirts of Bordeaux, but I'm trying to get a few of the boys to commit & meet us there. I'll let you know when we've got some firm bookings.

What is it you'll be driving down there?

I actually cheat a bit!

I had a 323i Sport Touring which I have very recently had to get rid of, but my mate lives in England so I fly over and we go down in his E36 328 Touring, which in itself is a very nice car to do the trip in, until you see some of the other machinery blur past you on the way down!

I think you'd enjoy it in an M5 though dicing with the Ferraris.

But yeah if there is a group going  it would be good to meet for a few social beers, or red wine, when in Rome...............................

Neville

Good idea to meet up, just need to tie it all together now.

Guy's difficult to tie things together right now as the project I'm working on makes it tough to firm things like this in advance. I'm definitely going to be in France at that time and wouldn't want to miss the fun, especially if it can be with some like minded types.

As for the French roads I'll be sampling them this Saturday morning. Boat arrives at Cherbourg at 11:00 and I've 666kms of the black stuff to cover before I get home.  

Forget the Ferraris........ They're just for the rich hairdressers!!!!

Quote: Originally posted by Derek M5 on 19-December-2002

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As for the French roads I'll be sampling them this Saturday morning. Boat arrives at Cherbourg at 11:00 and I've 666kms of the black stuff to cover before I get home.  

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A friend and I will be at le Mans, camping at Lay-by Tetre Rouge with a red Z3 - can we come to the Irish party on Frid/Sat evening?

We plane to travel via Calais, camping on Thursday night near Dreux (S of Rouen) on the way out, and on Monday at Bray-sur-Somme (S of Amiens) on the return.

Mike Fishwick SW Region

Re: The speed traps............ came a cropper on the road from Libourne to Bordeaux 3 days after I bought the M5 - ironic thing being the M car was back in Dublin and I was in a gutless Laguna diesel!! They seem to favour hiding behind abandoned buildings. No points but you don't want to be parting with too many lots of 90 euros!!

My God, an Irish party!!?? would we see any of the race??

If you guys are all up for it I think it's a great idea. As for organisation to tie it all together all we would need is a date and time at a specific location which should all be easy enough. Our itinerary is go out Thursday 15.00hrs ferry Dover - Calais, stopping at the Ibis Abbeville Thursday night (last shower, decent meal and toilet before Le Mans!!) and hope to be at the track mid day Friday. We are camping at Houx.

Speed traps? Only one we saw this year was the other side of Rouen and they seemed to be targeting Lotus drivers, 4 Elises pulled over.

Killian, would you be going or is there anyone else in the Irish region interested?? Mike, the more the merrier, even though you're in a Z3 but the same applies, anyone else from the SW region going and interested in a few beers??

Be aware! They're definitely getting hot on the speed checks in France now as they're having a major clampdown at the moment. I've just got back from two weeks there and there were a lot more speed traps and checkpouints on the roads than there were last year.

I kept away from the speeding tickets this time but I still got pulled for having the driving lights on the in the daytime.... thankfully they decided that it was too much trouble to explain the problem and let me off.

That said we did have some fun with a 911 on the toll road from Bordeaux to La Rochelle on New Years Day!!

Will advise re: Le Mans closer to the time.