A quick run through for the week, and price guide based on what we used to do.....
Tuesday - Drive down to the ferry at Portsmouth, from a central meeting point (Leeds for example).
From memory, only one crossing at 8pm in the evening.
Wednesday - Arrive in St Malo 8am and depart roughly 120 miles (4 hours) to Le Mans.
Arrive about noon, set up camp and have a bbq with a few beers.
7pm to 9pm is daylight practise/qualifying. Followed by 10pm to midnight which is the night time p/q ?
Thursday - a free day until a repeat of the 7-9pm and 10-midnight practise / qualifying.
Wednesday-Thursday also includes lots of other races including classics and smaller formulas.
We usually went for a random drive somewhere, or just nursed hangovers ?
Friday - No racing but pitlane is open for autographs, photos with drivers and cars etc. Plus a driver parade in the city centre.
Saturday - Various support races in the morning, then the main event.
2pm to 2pm Sunday 24 hours of lush racing ?
After the race, wait around for a couple of hours so the majority of the traffic clears, then a steady cruise to Caen and the ferry home.......watching out for the French police, because they're utter bar stewards with the English on our way back home. We tended to avoid the most popular N138 road ?
Or just chillout another night, and catch a Monday ferry instead.
Costs - based on 2 people sharing a car and 4 people sharing a cabin on the ferry.
Ferry = £250 each
Circuit entry tickets = £70 each (Wednesday to Sunday for everything)
Grandstand seat = £70-£125 each (I'd recommend getting one, as it guarantees you a good view of the start/finish and its your spot for the full 24 hours)
Camping = £20 per person
Fuel to cover 1,000 round trip = £117 each.
Food & beer is cheap over there, with loads of bbq and beer supplies = £80
Total = £537 - £662 approx.
We have done the Dover - Calais route which looks cheaper because the ferry is the most expensive element, but then factor in extra fuel and you don't get a proper rest on the Tuesday evening. Its better to go the Portsmouth route for us Northerners
