Team Langoustine take the Nirvana road to Le Mans

[Harsh]

As mentioned in an earlier thread, PN dont have much experience with Le Mans (apart from a couple of us having been there!) so we decided not to organise a trip ourselves but instead to look at the market and pick someone with the right mix of experience and passion.

Our research has lead us to Andy and the guys at Team Langoustine.
They have a similar attitude to us here at Petrolhead Nirvana, do what you're good at and have fun doing it.

they have one of the best pitches at Le Mans and are always around if anyone needs help.

We're delighted that they have agreed to work with us and we're happy to recommend them as our preferred Le Mans operator.

no doubt the guys will be along to answer questions and help with booking.
you can book direct with them, just let them know you're a part of Petrolhead Nirvana and they'll hide you away in a dark corner...just like we do ;)

[chevy-stu]

Good work sir .... !!

Shall I start a list ??? (we all love a good list)

[jumplead]

Their site is suggesting they are sold out for their dedicated camping area.... Do PN get a special dark corner of that area, of which we need to give them the secret handshake for?

[Harsh]

i spoke to Andy this morning.

you can either give him a call or email him to let him know you're part of the PN group.

as far as i know, it's part of their main site which is a private area inside the circuit at Tertre Rouge.

Their area is surrounded by an 8ft barrier and is gated, so is as secure as can be expected at Le Mans.
They also have a decent size marquee with a bar and draught beer, private loos and showers.


now i just need to check the dates and book alongside you guys :)

[Ben-san]

I'm awfully tempted...

Having arrived on Mad Friday a couple of years ago, I'd thoroughly recommend a very early start or a stopover in Reims the night before. It took us the most of the day to travel down from Calais last time.

And as for leaving, it is a good idea to have Monday off - coming back to work after a whole night's journey back to the UK is pretty awful, especially with the mass exodus out of the area after the race. To give you an idea, we left at around 11am on Sunday, and didn't get to Calais until around 12am. I'd be very tempted to stay till Monday and take some scenic/coastal routes back to the north.

Team Langoustine have a great reputation, so I'll be going if I manage to sort my dates right.

[chevy-stu]

I'm awfully tempted...

Having arrived on Mad Friday a couple of years ago, I'd thoroughly recommend a very early start or a stopover in Reims the night before. It took us the most of the day to travel down from Calais last time.

And as for leaving, it is a good idea to have Monday off - coming back to work after a whole night's journey back to the UK is pretty awful, especially with the mass exodus out of the area after the race. To give you an idea, we left at around 11am on Sunday, and didn't get to Calais until around 12am. I'd be very tempted to stay till Monday and take some scenic/coastal routes back to the north.

Team Langoustine have a great reputation, so I'll be going if I manage to sort my dates right.

I was thinking early start Thursday, for an evening arrival, and leave monday AM to get back that night...

ferries depending by the look of it..

[HardCore Prawn]

I recommend to all, wake up in LeMans friday morning and stay until Monday morning.
The last night (Sunday) is a wonderful wind down. Good party atmosphere and a few more beers while the everyone else sits in traffic.

Loads happens on Friday. Drive the Mulsanne (very slowly), walk the pits and the drivers Parade in the afternoon. It would be a shame to miss it.

[Redex R]

Hi
is that Andy ? and were you the guy who came over at the Elvetham show and introduced yourself ? (I have the old Cortina) I agree totally the whole LeMans experience is so massive you need to max it out , definitely don,t attempt to leave on Sunday, you'll just sit in traffic and miss out on a great post race party , in fact quite a few people stay for the week , the countryside is beautiful and worth a look around if you fancy it.

A word about Mad Friday , expect some fun and also some idiots , you will get water pistolled and sometimes worse if you react badly , you need to keep your head and just smile , I didn,t expect to be asked to do burnouts in an ancient Cortina but people still stopped us and waved cards -Burn-Burn , at which point I used my newly fitted Klaxon horn which defused the situation nicely:)

Also expect some strange characters , we were held in traffic on Saturday -GET IN EARLY by the way and a weird Frenchman standing at the roadside , strangely named "Kevin" befriended us , he was shall we say a little on the high side of town. I did love these guys last year , the Raleigh Chopper Blue Arrows and also team Gulf Reliant :)

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e213/1966Rob/BlueArrows.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e213/1966Rob/2m30dvr-1.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e213/1966Rob/DSC00033Large.jpg

[HardCore Prawn]

Redex
Andy here, I think the fellow you bumped into was Pete. He is the other half of TL.

[Ben-san]

Agree with all points raised so far - a Thursday/Friday Morning till Monday affair would be best to capture the spirit of it all. It's a fantastic experience when you go with the right people.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e88/bleow/LM/eb90927b.jpg

[Blues]

Well done chaps.
My first Le Mans was 2008 - with Team Langoustine.
I'm going back with them next year too!
Great facilities, lovely bunch of folks, and a bar to die for!
I went over very early Thursday morning, took the "pretty route" off the motorways and had a great chance to test the new blower.
Do it... but be careful. You'll want to do it again!

[Ben-san]

Hey Dave!

Looking forward to good times with some quality people such as yourself.

Now, I wonder if the bosses will let me take that Thursday and Monday off...

Ahem.




:D

[Harsh]

errrrm.......

[jumplead]

certainly Ben, How About Taking The Wednesday Before To Prep And The Tuesday After To Recover Too

Efa ;)

[Harsh]

Thats a very interesting piece of translation software you've got there Ollie..........:)

[jumplead]

I know,

Want to buy a copy? Only £43,995 (this has no relation to the exact price of a lovely 355 honest)

[Harsh]

ah, in that case i refer you to my original comment.


errrm

[REECE_T]

Yep I'm very tempted by this one - details when available please :)

[chevy-stu]

missed meeting the TL guys last night, details soon please !!!

[stevieb]

Any ideas how i can get details if any camping space is avalible?

Very interested in this.

Many Thanks

Steve

[Harsh]

Steve, add your name to the list on here..

http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/torque/showthread.php?t=551

TL have allocated us a block of camping pitches at Tetre Rouge.
we're just checking numbers at the moment before putting the booking in. at this point if you put your name on the list you're pretty much guaranteed to be part of the group

[stevieb]

Harsh,

I am taking that it is the one marked 'I' on the plan..

http://www.teamlangoustine.com/_tl/static/team_langoustine_campsite_map_le_mans_24_hour.asp

Many thanks for the heads up

[HardCore Prawn]

Harsh
No, it is the one marked 'H' with the big red arrow.