Wednesday will find me on an early afternoon Chunnel train to France.
My first stop will be in the Pas de Calais region, with the second just outside Le Mans city itself, both at sites I have found using ‘Pitch-up’. You can of course drive from Calais to Le Mans in a day, but I’ve opted not to. The reason is that I’m back (for the first time in years) to pitch camp at Arnage Corner in what is now an official campsite. Twenty or so years ago, this used to be a car park but punters (such as us) used to turn it into a very unofficial campsite, very close to the track. One year, out of the blue, the ACO (the race organisers) turned it into an official campsite, which came as a big surprise to us, so we took up camping in a lady’s garden, about a mile or so down the road.
I’d always wanted to roll the clock back years to get back into the Arnarge campsite but the tickets for it sold out in seconds. That problem resolved itself through my son-in-law, who gave me the details of a ticket agency used by Ford, who seemed to be able to source difficult to find tickets for a modest fee. They have come up trumps, just as the did when we needed two tickets for a sold out car park at the north of the circuit last year. The agency is British and very efficient, with excellent communication and support.
Having secured my spot at Arnage, I am able to go down a week early to watch the full practice week. The Arnage campsite opens on the Friday at 09:00. As I haven’t used it in its official guise before, I think it’s best to be there early doors, hence my staying overnight on the Thursday near Le Mans to ease my arrival on Friday. I’m probably being over cautious but, not having done it before, discretion is the better part of valour.
As a friend, who has been coming to Le Mans since the early 70’s says, every year is something different. He’ll be back this year (I think he’s only missed three in over 50 years) along with two other friends of his / mine, who’ll be arriving on Thursday, ahead of the race weekend itself. It’ll be fun (hopefully) rolling back the clock to be at Arnage campsite again. If it all works out, great. If it doesn’t, hey-ho, there is (God willing) always 2027 to look forward to.
The Saturday after my arrival, I’ll spend pedalling into Arnage to get my shopping and / or pedalling up to the north of the circuit to see what’s changed or gone on there. Sunday sees the start of practice week itself, so I’ll wander to Indianapolis / Arnarge Corner to watch that. The full timetable is here:
www.24h-lemans.com
One way or another I’ll pass the time through until Thursday afternoon, when the three friends arrive, me having got our food for the evening ready, ahead of the four of us watching qualifying and the Hyperpole cessions at Indianapolis / Arnage. Friday we’ll go up to Arnage village for lunch at our usual cafe, sitting outside to watch the fun and games of bods and their cars arriving…. In other words, sitting around, doing nothing and talking bollox.
Saturday is the start of the 24-hour race proper at 16:00 but I plan to be up at Indianapolis much earlier to seek us a good spot, Gone are the days when we used to just roll-up at about 14:30 or later. Now it’s more akin to a military operation if you want a good spot.
Saturday night will see us having a BBQ at Arnage campsite. Sunday, probably a drive up to the north of the circuit to watch from there, before returning to Arnage for say the last hour to watch the finish there. There will be a drive / visit to Mulsanne at some point, too. Sunday night, a get together for the four of us down the road from Arnage, where the three of them are staying. Monday, we go our separate ways. Them back to the UK and me to Berlin / Poland to see the sites and sites of the Russian taking of Berlin in the Oder river / Seelow Heights battles, along with a visit to Halbe (south of Berlin) to see the site of the slaughter of a retreating German army group along with massed civilians, all trapped in the dreadful ‘Halbe Pocket’. Then to home, possibly via Spa in Belgium for the 24-hour GT race (I enjoyed it last year) which I might do again.
Anyway, God willing, plenty to look forward to. I’ll fill in the report as I go along.
Have fun, whatever you do, on two wheels or more.
My first stop will be in the Pas de Calais region, with the second just outside Le Mans city itself, both at sites I have found using ‘Pitch-up’. You can of course drive from Calais to Le Mans in a day, but I’ve opted not to. The reason is that I’m back (for the first time in years) to pitch camp at Arnage Corner in what is now an official campsite. Twenty or so years ago, this used to be a car park but punters (such as us) used to turn it into a very unofficial campsite, very close to the track. One year, out of the blue, the ACO (the race organisers) turned it into an official campsite, which came as a big surprise to us, so we took up camping in a lady’s garden, about a mile or so down the road.
I’d always wanted to roll the clock back years to get back into the Arnarge campsite but the tickets for it sold out in seconds. That problem resolved itself through my son-in-law, who gave me the details of a ticket agency used by Ford, who seemed to be able to source difficult to find tickets for a modest fee. They have come up trumps, just as the did when we needed two tickets for a sold out car park at the north of the circuit last year. The agency is British and very efficient, with excellent communication and support.
Having secured my spot at Arnage, I am able to go down a week early to watch the full practice week. The Arnage campsite opens on the Friday at 09:00. As I haven’t used it in its official guise before, I think it’s best to be there early doors, hence my staying overnight on the Thursday near Le Mans to ease my arrival on Friday. I’m probably being over cautious but, not having done it before, discretion is the better part of valour.
As a friend, who has been coming to Le Mans since the early 70’s says, every year is something different. He’ll be back this year (I think he’s only missed three in over 50 years) along with two other friends of his / mine, who’ll be arriving on Thursday, ahead of the race weekend itself. It’ll be fun (hopefully) rolling back the clock to be at Arnage campsite again. If it all works out, great. If it doesn’t, hey-ho, there is (God willing) always 2027 to look forward to.
The Saturday after my arrival, I’ll spend pedalling into Arnage to get my shopping and / or pedalling up to the north of the circuit to see what’s changed or gone on there. Sunday sees the start of practice week itself, so I’ll wander to Indianapolis / Arnarge Corner to watch that. The full timetable is here:
Le Mans 2026 Schedule & Timetable | Official Program
Full schedule for the 2026 Le Mans 24 Hours — qualifying, warm-up, race start and entertainment program. June 10–14, 2026. Official timetable.
www.24h-lemans.com
One way or another I’ll pass the time through until Thursday afternoon, when the three friends arrive, me having got our food for the evening ready, ahead of the four of us watching qualifying and the Hyperpole cessions at Indianapolis / Arnage. Friday we’ll go up to Arnage village for lunch at our usual cafe, sitting outside to watch the fun and games of bods and their cars arriving…. In other words, sitting around, doing nothing and talking bollox.
Saturday is the start of the 24-hour race proper at 16:00 but I plan to be up at Indianapolis much earlier to seek us a good spot, Gone are the days when we used to just roll-up at about 14:30 or later. Now it’s more akin to a military operation if you want a good spot.
Saturday night will see us having a BBQ at Arnage campsite. Sunday, probably a drive up to the north of the circuit to watch from there, before returning to Arnage for say the last hour to watch the finish there. There will be a drive / visit to Mulsanne at some point, too. Sunday night, a get together for the four of us down the road from Arnage, where the three of them are staying. Monday, we go our separate ways. Them back to the UK and me to Berlin / Poland to see the sites and sites of the Russian taking of Berlin in the Oder river / Seelow Heights battles, along with a visit to Halbe (south of Berlin) to see the site of the slaughter of a retreating German army group along with massed civilians, all trapped in the dreadful ‘Halbe Pocket’. Then to home, possibly via Spa in Belgium for the 24-hour GT race (I enjoyed it last year) which I might do again.
Anyway, God willing, plenty to look forward to. I’ll fill in the report as I go along.
Have fun, whatever you do, on two wheels or more.
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