Le Mans Mayhem and Magic

So much has happened since Le Colombier and our last blog I hardly know where to begin! On our journey between the campsite and Le Mans, we parked overnight in the middle of a huge field of vines and experienced possibly the most amazing electrical storm I have ever seen. It is very humbling in a tiny tin box, all alone in the middle of France, gazing in wonder at the forked and sheet lightning dancing across a huge black sky like a procession of comets flashing horizontally, following deafening claps of thunder. Happily, the following morning the sun shone and some hours later we entered the famous Circuit des 24 Heures de Le Mans.

So much confusion, so many organisational cock-ups, so many people, so many beautiful classic cars, so much sun! Inflated prices, beautiful people, enthusiasts and anoraks, noise and more noise, speed and excitement. The overheard technical conversations were fascinating – what on earth is a manifold anyway? The place was incredible, and a difficult culture shock for two intrepid travellers now used to the calm and tranquillity of the French countryside. It was a home from home with thousands of Brits, all camping in enormous fields, showing off their precious classic vehicles, with far too few basic facilities for the numbers who gather at this Mecca every two years. We were assigned to a grassy plot right on the final bend before the last straight to the finish line – from Saturday at 4pm until Sunday at 4pm there was continual racing with the associated noise and lights. We had brilliant tickets for the grandstand right on the start and finish line and enjoyed the unique spectacle of the Le Mans start when the drivers line up opposite their cars and run across the track.

After an initial adjustment period we were swept along with the tradition and adrenaline. We met some lovely French people at the French Mercedes Club site where we were treated to free food and drink, took a trip around the track on one of the vintage buses, spoke at length in the Pits with one of the proud volunteers supporting a lovely 1965 red MGB, a past Le Mans winner, drank champagne at £10 a slurp and sat up until gone midnight watching the night races with the headlamps visible from nearly a mile away.

Unfortunately, the walk from our pitch to The Village, the centre of the action, was nearly an hour so with that and the continual noise, we were totally exhausted by the Monday morning when we drove south. Some days later we are now settling into our new campsite, Lous Suais, just east of Limoges. More of this beautiful peaceful place in the next blog. The lake is quite spectacular!