What to take to Le Mans

Packing for a motorsport event isn’t like packing for any old holiday – and Le Mans isn’t just any motorsport event…

A stroll around the campsites at the Circuit de la Sarthe is entertaining in itself. Some people bring along TVs, sofas, even a full kitchen complete with sink, fridge, chest freezer and dishwasher. This begs the question, what do people leave at ?

Not everyone takes it to the extremes, but there are a few things to remember when it comes to packing for Le Mans. Some are common sense, but each year at least one of our customers leaves something essential at home.

So here’s a list of things to make sure you have ahead of the departure to Le Mans.

Documents

Without fail somebody every year either forgets their passport or finds out that it has expired just hours before departure. This can end the trip from the UK before it even begins as you cannot travel to France without your passport. Make sure to check when your passport expires!

Losing travel tickets either before you travel or during your stay is less of a problem these days. E-tickets are easily replaced & booking numbers can be quoted in place of a piece of paper, but it is a hassle. Much better to keep them in your vehicle so they are available when you need them. Race tickets are another matter. These are not easily replaced so should be kept safe and not left on the kitchen table. Your camping pass should be hung from the rearview mirror. Entrance tickets should be kept with you (best to have them on a lanyard) so that you have them available to be scanned when you enter the circuit.

There are other documents that you shouldn’t leave home without such as your driving licence & car insurance documents. On unfamiliar roads in a foreign country, you are more likely to break the speed limit without realising. Should this happen, the Gendarmes will ask for these documents as well as money to pay the fine.

Clothing

Everybody knows the saying “It always rains at Le Mans.” Assuming 2023 was the exception, Le Mans fans should be prepared for bad weather. A warm and waterproof outer layer is very important. When the sun goes down you don’t want to have to miss the racing because you are cold or wet so pack a coat. 

There is an awful lot of walking involved in attending Le Mans. With that in mind, a good pair of boots or similar sturdy footwear is essential. Following on from that is socks. You can never have too many socks. Another essential footwear item is sandals, sliders or crocs. Some kind of slip on shoes so you can go to the showers, toilets or just nip to the car will save you so much time and bending down throughout the week.

In general, plenty of layers of clothing is highly recommended. You can always remove a layer if it is hot, or add another layer when it gets cold, so pack your back with multiple layers to stay warm or cool at Le Mans.!

Camping items

If you’re staying in our Bronze accommodation, you are unlikely to forget your tent – although it has happened. There are a few other things that are worth thinking of. You can never have enough tent pegs, and if it has been dry then something stronger than the usual metal peg is required. A mallet will also be required, because it will be difficult to get the pegs in with just your hands. Sleeping bag and pillow should go without saying, but we have been asked for spares at Le Mans, so double check before you leave. 

An airbed or sleeping mat are equally essential if you plan on getting much sleep. A torch with batteries is good. Don’t rely on your phone, because when you need it, you will probably have it charging in the car. You can survive on circuit food, but nothing beats a Le Mans barbecue. Drivers swear they can smell bacon in the morning as they blast through the Porsche Curves. 

The local supermarkets are good for all your essential food items and some of the non-essential ones too. Try and stay clear of glass bottles if you can. Camping and glass don’t mix that well and in recent years there has been a crackdown on taking glass into track-side campsites so it is best avoided. 

Essentials

These are the little things that you may not think of but will no doubt come in useful and will add to the whole Le Mans experience. A bottle opener and a tin opener for instance. It is no good returning from the shops with a tin of beans if you can’t open it. No doubt your campsite will be in the perfect location, but if it isn’t, a decent water carrier to get you back from the nearest stand-pipe will come in handy. All Travel Destinations staff are consistently asked for phone chargers. We do carry some, but often not for the right model of iPhone or Android device, so think about it before you leave and ensure you have an adapter for your car. A portable power bank will also be useful to carry around so you don’t get caught out by your phone dying.

An FM radio earpiece will be given to every Travel Destination customer so that you can tune in to Radio Le Mans throughout the week. The last thing to mention is money. Even if you forget most things you can always buy them when you are at Le Mans. Even a tent! But you shouldn’t carry around too much. Sadly things do go missing at Le Mans, and you don’t want that to be your wallet. We would recommend a small amount of cash in Euros for things like road tolls and your essentials but then have a credit card for anything else and keep that separate and safe too.

If you do need any advice or assistance when you arrive in Le Mans, our staff on the ground will be more than happy to help!