Tag Archives: tickets

Speed Chills joins the Travel Destinations family

26th September 2019

Travel Destinations Ltd is pleased to confirm that the Speed Chills brand will be returning to Le Mans as part of the Travel Destinations family.

Speed Chills was set up by Directors Neil Matthews & Chris Daynes to look after race fans at Le Mans, offering a comprehensive service of travel, tickets and camping offers. In recent months Neil’s work commitments away from the company, meant he was unable to devote the time he would like to Speed Chills & its customers.

Neil Matthews said “With Speed Chills, our aim was always to put the customer at the heart of everything we did and then to surround them with rock-solid administration and the best team of like-minded people we could muster to deliver a great experience. So, when the time came to pass on the baton, there was only one organisation to work with; the team at Travel Destinations. I am confident that our customers will be extremely well looked after and the spirit in which we developed the brand will be upheld.”

Richard Webb, Director at Travel Destinations, added “We have always kept good relations with Neil and the Speed Chills team, so we were delighted when Neil approached us to continue the Speed Chills brand. We see Speed Chills as a very good fit with Travel Destinations & we look forward to welcoming Speed Chills customers to Le Mans and our other events.”

Initially Speed Chills customers will notice a face-lift to the Speed Chills website in the coming days and then all Speed Chills registered subscribers will receive a further update in the next week.

Your questions answered:

We usually book for Le Mans now, when can we book for Le Mans 2020? We are open and on sale now for the Le Mans 24 Hours & the Le Mans Classic. Initial bookings are best made by telephone by calling 01707 329988. If you have already lodged a booking request with Speed Chills, that information has been passed to Travel Destinations and we will be in touch
Can I still contact Speed Chills?
The Speed Chills brand will now be owned by Travel Destinations. Initially the Speed Chills phone number will be diverted to the Travel Destinations reservations team, who will be happy to assist.
I normally buy just my tickets through Speed Chills; can I still do this? Of course, you can still call to purchase your tickets, ultimately these will be processed via www.tickets-2-u.com, another member of the Travel Destinations family.
Will the Speed Chills private camping areas resume?
Speed Chills last offered private camping at Le Mans in 2018. Travel Destinations were actually the first company to offer private camping and continue to offer private camping at Porsche Curves. We hope that Speed Chills customers will enjoy their new home there. Travel Destinations also offers glamping and our Flexotel Village cabins, which will also be available to Speed Chills customers.
Were Speed Chills in financial difficulties?
No. Speed Chills were always successful, but Neil recognised that his time was being spent away from the business. By transferring the brand to Travel Destinations, Speed Chills customers will continue to receive a knowledgeable & experienced customer service.
In the past we travelled with Speed Chills to Daytona and hoped to return.
This is also no problem; Travel Destinations already have 2 very similar offers available for the Daytona 24 Hours & the Daytona Classic. We also have offers for Sebring & Bathurst. All Travel Destinations offers are available now on www.traveldestinations.co.uk and will also be available to Speed Chills customers
We booked through Speed Chills because they were members of ABTA so we knew our money was safe.
Travel Destinations are also ABTA bonded. We are also members of AITO and hold an ATOL license, so you can book with confidence through Travel Destinations.

For further information or to make a booking for Le Mans or any of the other Travel Destinations packages, please call Travel Destinations directly on +44 01707 329988.

www.traveldestinations.co.uk
www.lemansrace.com
www.speedchills.com
www.tickets-2-u.com

Uncategorised

Le Mans 2020: On Sale Now

16th June 2019

Plan now for Le Mans 2020

The dust has barely settled from the Le Mans 24 Hours 2019 that also marked the end of the FIA World Endurance Championship “Super Season”. Another remarkable race and a fitting end to the season. Already our thoughts are turning to Le Mans 2020 and we would love you to join us track-side. This year 252,000 spectators watched the race in person, taking in the sights, sounds and unique atmosphere around the famous Le Mans circuit. Travel Destinations are an official ticket agency for the Le Mans 24 Hours and we provide unique options enabling you to stay track-side and enjoy the best of Le Mans 2020. Most importantly we are on sale now! So you can book your Le Mans 2020 experience with us today!

Travel Destinations at Porsche Curves
Our legendary track-side campsite provides the perfect location from which to enjoy Le Mans 2020. Travel Destinations were the first people to introduce a private campsite at Le Mans exclusive for our guests and our campsite is so popular it sells out every year. The campsite’s track-side location is legendary; it is mentioned on the race commentary every year as the cars pass by. We are fortunate to be able to offer the only private viewing bank at Le Mans. The campsite provides 24 hours security, fully serviced shower/toilet facilities and a friendly cafe and bar on-site. Read more about the Travel Destinations campsite at the Porsche Curves

Travel Destinations Event Tents
We brought glamping to Le Mans five years ago and our Event Tents area has gone from strength to strength each year. Located on the infield close to our Porsche Curves campsite, our Event Tents provide pre-erected bell-tents, with carpet, mattresses and all bed linen. For those that want a comfortable, no-hassle way to enjoy Le Mans 2020, then our Event Tents can provide the solution. Located in their own secure area, the Event Tents have serviced shower & toilet blocks as well as their own hospitality marquee with cafe and bar. In addition all Event Tent guests will also have access to our private viewing bank overlooking the Porsche Curves. Read more about the Travel Destinations Event Tents

Travel Destinations Flexotel Village
The Flexotel Village is our exclusive “pop-up hotel” located in the centre of the circuit. Each Flexotel cabin provides a private, lockable bedroom with two proper beds and all bed-linen. Located at Antares, the Flexotel Village is a short walk from the start/finsh line, Tertre Rouge Corner and the circuit tram terminus. The Flexotel Village is located in its own, secure, tree-lined paddock providing an area of calm inside the hectic circuit. There are fully-serviced showers and toilets as well as a hospitality marquee on-site where the barbecue is always going. For those not wanting to camp, or for those just desiring an exclusive experience the Travel Destinations Flexotel Village will be perfect for Le Mans 2020. Read more about the Travel Destinations Flexotel Village

Circuit-run camping
Camping has long been a tradition at Le Mans and the circuit provide a number of camping areas where you can pitch your tent. Providing a festival-style vibe at Le Mans 2020, these camping areas provide basic facilities for international race fans. These areas are great for groups and experienced Le Mans attendees. They provide an economical alternative with a party-like atmosphere. Read more about the circuit-run campsites.

Travel Destinations staff can assist you with making the right choice for Le Mans 2020. They can also advise on grandstand seats and hospitality offers.

To book your place at Le Mans 2020, please call Travel Destinations (during office hours) on +44 (0)1707 329988.

Le Mans News

Le Mans Camping; track-side tradition

11th June 2019

Le Mans Camping

Camping is a tradition at Le Mans. If you want to experience all that the Le Mans 24 Hours has to offer then staying at the track is the best way to do it. No question. Often camping is a necessity as well, as more than 250,000 spectators descend on Le Mans during Le Mans week and there just aren’t enough rooms to go around. Supply and demand means that any rooms that are available are expensive and are often snapped up by corporate bookings and never go on sale to the general public. So Le Mans camping it is.

Travel Destinations have many customers that would never camp at any other time of the year, but for Le Mans it is just accepted. But then there are different types of Le Mans camping available too. It is very important to make the right choice of campsite at the circuit. The difficulty is that everyone will have a different opinion depending on their Le Mans camping experiences during their stay. At Travel Destinations, we speak to thousands of Le Mans customers every year. Sometimes we will have people in one campsite say it is the best place and rebook again, whilst others in the same campsite will choose a different one for the next year. This is one of the reasons why we speak to every customer, so that we can talk to them, find out their Le Mans Camping needs and requests and then discuss the best Le Mans camping options available.

The majority of the Le Mans camping areas at the track are run by the circuit (the ACO). Thousands of people camp in each of these areas year after year. We describe it as a motor racing Glastonbury, although actually there are twice as many people at Le Mans than the music event. But you can get the idea. The Le Mans campsites are full of tents and cars. Although there are lots of different areas, there are some things they all have in common. Each camping plot will give a 7 metre by 5 metre area. This will need to accommodate both a vehicle and tents. Each campsite will also provide shower and toilet blocks, but as with any event like this expect them to be very busy at peak times.

Each Le Mans campsite has a name and they are different prices depending on the size and location. As a rule of thumb the closer the campsite is to the start/finish straight the more expensive it will be. There are always exceptions, but that is the general rule. Perhaps the most popular circuit-run campsites are Maison Blanche, Houx & Tertre Rouge. Maison Blanche borders the track just before the Ford Chicane. It has been much reduced in recent years with the building of the new Porsche Experience Centre but it remains popular. Houx is a larger campsite in the centre of the infield. It is also a short walk to the village and the start line. Perhaps its most notable point is that Houx is the only campsite that offers access to electricity. Tertre Rouge is located adjacent to the track at the northern end of the circuit just beyond the Dunlop Bridge. It is a smaller campsite that looks down on the track which makes it very popular. Each of these campsites will often sell out a long time in advance of the race.

Beyond these three campsites are other areas such as Houx Annexe, Blue Nord & Blue Sud. Although these campsites offer similar facilities to the first three (except electricity) they are a bit further to walk to the village or start line, so therefore they aren’t as expensive. Each of these campsites will give a numbered pitch, so these are popular with campers who may be arriving later in the week as they won’t have to search for a spot. The biggest circuit-run campsite is called Beausejour. This campsite is located on the infield, with the closest part of the track being the Porsche Curves. Pitches aren’t numbered so arriving early is recommended if you want to be near the entrance. Even then a walk from the Beausejour campsite to the start line will take about 30 minutes, so bring your walking shoes with you. The campsite is huge with thousands of pitches, so usually this is the last area to sell out.

There are two other circuit run campsites that are further away from the start line than Beausejour. Both Arnage and Mulsanne campsites are located on corners and offer great views. However they are beyond walking distance from the rest of the circuit, so new visitors will need to be careful as they can be quite isolated. These areas can be popular with regular visitors that don’t mind being away from the main areas of the circuit.

So far we have only mentioned the circuit-run Le Mans camping on the track. These are cheap and cheerful, but offer little in the way of facilities and security. However there are alternatives for those people who wish to stay on circuit but would like a bit more for their money. Private campsites will offer a range of extra facilities usually including 24 hours security, private showers & toilets as well as food & drinks on-site. Even then there are differences between what each company can offer. Some private campsites are located within the ACO public areas, but are fenced off to keep them private. Others are located track-side and have no neighbours at all, so it is important to understand exactly what you are buying.

Travel Destinations were actually the first company to introduce private camping more than 15 years ago. Our private campsite at the Porsche Curves has increased in area and capacity since then but still offers the extra security, serviced showers and toilets as well as our popular marquee where our bar and food outlet can be found. It is also where we have our TV screens and evening entertainment so it is a real social hub. Our Porsche Curves campsite also has the only private viewing bank at the circuit, so our guests can get a unique view of the race.

For those that don’t enjoy camping, Travel Destinations have added Glamping and Flexotels to the on-circuit choices. Glamping is still under canvas, but the large pre-erected tents come with carpet and beds, so you don’t need to have any equipment. Similarly, the Travel Destinations Flexotel Village provides pop-up hotel rooms in the centre of the circuit so that you can return to your own bedroom and a proper bed each night. The height of luxury at Le Mans. By their nature all private areas at the circuit are going to be limited in space and more expensive than the large circuit run campsites, but it is important to note that the private campsites will sell out the quickest, so it is always important to book early. It is unlikely that there is going to be much availability as the race gets closer.

Top tips for Le Mans Camping :
• There are lots of options so it is important to do your research or speak to an official agent before you make your booking.
• Consider the distance from the campsite to the track as you will be doing a lot of walking
• Think about what you want from your experience. Is cost the priority or would you prefer security or luxury?

Travel Destinations are the largest UK Tour Operator to Le Mans. Travel Destinations are an Officially appointed Le Mans tickets agency and are a fully bonded ABTA and ATOL tour operator.
For further details visit www.lemansrace.com or call the Travel Destinations team on +44 (0)1707 329988.

Written by Richard Webb

Le Mans News

Le Mans Classic 2020 – Dates Confirmed

8th February 2019

Le Mans Classic 2020 – The 10^th Anniversary

The Le Mans Classic will return from the 3^rd – 5^th July 2020. As well as celebrating the 10^th running of this Le Mans retrospective event, the Le Mans Classic 2020 will also be preparing special commemorations to mark the 50^th anniversary of Porsche’s first victory and the 25^th anniversary of the McLaren F1 GTR’s overall win at Le Mans.

The last Le Mans Classic event, held in 2018, not only attracted nearly 200,000 spectators across the weekend, watching 550 cars compete on the track, but it also won the best Motorsport Event of the year (again!) at the 2018 International Historic Motoring Awards.

The Le Mans Classic has always focused solely on cars that previously raced at Le Mans from 1923 through to 1979. However, following the popularity of modern classics appearing at similar events such as the Spa Classic & Grand Prix de l’Age d’Or, the Le Mans Classic 2020 has added two further grids..

A real crowd pleaser are the monsters of the Group C Racing grid, that features cars that raced at le Mans between 1982 & 1993. Cars such as the Porsche 956 dominated in the early years, followed by a string of manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Jaguar and Mazda that finished with the Toyota TS010. Spectators are always excited to see and feel these legends back at Le Mans,

Bringing the Le Mans Classic in to the modern era is the Endurance Racing Legends grid. This grid features cars that graced Le Mans between 1994 and 2010. Reaching out to a younger audience that can easily remember the likes of the Audi R8 LMPs, McLaren F1 GTRs and the striking Bentley Speed 8, the Le Mans Classic is extending its audience even further.

Travel Destinations continue to be an official ticket agent for the Le Mans Classic 2020. Travel, tickets, camping, glamping and hotel accommodation for the Le Mans Classic 2020 are all on sale now!

Special Offer: All Le Mans Classic 2020 bookings confirmed with a deposit before the end of February 2019, will receive their booking at Le Mans Classic 2018 prices! Call Travel Destinations now on 01707 329988 to book your place!

Le Mans News

Le Mans 2018; An LMP1 Update

14th December 2017

When Porsche announced its withdrawal from LMP1 earlier this year, it appeared to many, to be a near-fatal blow to the future of top-line prototype racing and most notably for Le Mans 2018. But, since Porsche followed Audi in fleeing the LMP1 Hybrid ranks in exchange for a cheaper Formula E project in the wake of the emissions scandal, privateer teams and Toyota have stepped up to the plate. And to the surprise of many, everything is falling into place. Like the GTE field, LMP1 looks set to be healthy, and provide us with one of the most intriguing Le Mans 24 Hours in recent memory in 2018.

Toyota is set to return, meaning the hybrid era in LMP1 is not yet over! The Japanese marque announced its intention to return at the WEC end-of-season gala in Bahrain, meaning we will get at least two more chances to see some of the most technologically advanced racing cars at La Sarthe. It’s a decision which appears to be part of a strategy to continue racing at Le Mans into the 2020 regulations cycle, should the new rules attract other marques back to the fold.

For Le Mans 2018, Toyota is likely to come back with a two-car effort, utilising 2017 TS050 HYBRIDs with minor upgrades. In addition to the hoards of fans that will be interested in seeing Toyota as a marque try once again win its first Le Mans, it may also be a landmark race in the driver ranks. As it stands, it looks incredibly likely that two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso will commit to racing with Toyota at Le Mans and in the FIA WEC, after he tested with the team at Bahrain after the season finale.

His LMP1 debut in Sakhir was the first step in his drive at Le Mans, in his pursuit of motorsport’s ‘Triple Crown’, following on from his impressive Indy 500 debut last year, which he retired from after leading a significant portion of the race. If he does come and play, then it will certainly be unmissable, as it will be fascinating to see how he performs aboard what is a very different machine to his usual McLaren F1 car.

But who will Toyota race against? Well, over the last two months there have been a slew of announcements, the privateer grid set to rise from a single entry to more than seven; resulting in what should be an LMP1 grid for Le Mans 2018, the biggest it’s been since 2015.

This week saw Rebellion Racing throw their hat in to the ring by returning to the LMP1 class, after a short detour to win the FIA WEC LMP2 Championship in 2017. Rebellion are likely to bring 2 Oreca LMP1s to the start line in June (although this has yet to be confirmed at the time of writing). They have confirmed a driver line-up with considerable experience and well capable of being on the top step of the podium. Andre Lotterer & Neel Jani will join Bruno Senna and Mathius Beche alongside Gustavo Menezes and rookie of the year Thomas Laurent.

In the Ginetta camp, TRS Racing/Manor is the only confirmed outfit so far; the former Formula One team, with Chinese backing confirming a single LMP1 entry with Ginetta last month. The team has yet to confirm which engine or tyre supplier it will use, or whether a second car is on the cards; either way though, they’re locked in for a serious effort.

Then we have DragonSpeed, the newly-crowned ELMS champion, which is set to be the first American-flagged LMP1 effort in FIA WEC history. The team, run by Elton Julian, will race with a Dallara BR1 LMP1 chassis and a Gibson engine. The choice to go with BR Engineering’s Dallara-built chassis comes after extended talks with ORECA, though the French constructor was unable to commit to supplying the team within the required time frame.

In addition to that, SMP Racing will also compete with BR1s, though the Russian team will race with two cars, and a different engine; an updated AER P60B twin-turbo V6. The Russian team’s driver line-up should be strong for its Le Mans assault, the team having already tested the car at length, IndyCar veteran Mikhail Aleshin and ex-F1 driver Vitaly Petrov.

ByKolles has also confirmed its participation, the Austrian team making the announcement after a three-day test at Motorland Aragon last week in which it ran its Enso CLM P1/01, powered by the same NISMO engine as 2016. In Spain, ByKolles tested regular British drivers James Rossiter and Oliver Webb, in addition to single seater ace Tom Dillman, GT Asian Champion Edoardo Liberati and Mikael Grenier.

The confirmation from the team brings the total number of confirmed entries to nine for next season, although there are other programmes believed to be in the works.

Manor may run with a second Ginetta, in addition the other possible teams in talks with the Yorkshire-based marque. Ginetta is believed to still be in active discussions with its unnamed customer, which said back in the summer that it will purchase three cars, as well as a third outfit, that’s yet to make any sort of public announcement.

LMP2 constructor ORECA is also rumoured to still be working on supplying an LMP1 chassis for the ‘Super Season.’ The French company is known to have fielded interest from several teams, and is believed to favour working with just one for the upcoming season. Whether any plans come together or not though, remains to be seen, with much of its focus on the Acura Penske DPi effort that will debut at the Dyatona 24 Hours in January.

Beyond this, there are other teams within the FIA WEC and beyond that are evaluating, or have already evaluated programmes.

Nevertheless, even with what we have already confirmed, there’s nine cars on the list, a growth of five cars from this season. Within that there’s set to be a variety of chassis, and engine supplier too, which should make Le Mans as un-predictable as ever. Whether or not privateer entries can go toe-to-toe with Toyota is a question yet to be answered, but the ACO’s plan is to balance the both factory and private entries in performance terms, leaving Toyota with an advantage only in the efficiency department.

With so many new cars, and the potential for some real superstar driver talent to join the ranks, Le Mans in 2018 is set to be a corker; and with more announcements on the way, it can only get better.

Could we see more than 10 LMP1 cars on the grid at Le Mans next year? Yes, and if we do, you’ll want to be there to see how that pans out trackside!

Written by Stephen Kilbey
Photography by Dailysportscar

You can book your Le Mans 2018 tickets now by calling Travel Destinations on 0844 873 0203 or read more here.

Le Mans News

Travel Destinations at Le Mans 2018

20th November 2017

The Travel Destinations 2018 brochure is available now. It features all our events for the calendar year including the Le Mans 24 Hours & the Le Mans Classic. You can view the Travel Destinations Brochure 2018 here.

The Le Mans 24 Hours dominates our year. We begin bookings the day after the race finishes in June each year, but we can still accommodate you if you haven’t booked yet. 2018 promises to be an exciting race, with the changes at the front meaning we are guaranteed a new name on the trophy. The German manufacturers of Audi and Porsche may have gone from the top class, but Toyota will remain (they may also be bringing a F1 champion with them) and they will be challenged by an exciting new brand of LMP1 privateers.

The Germans haven’t left Le Mans. Not only will Porsche remain to contest the GTE Pro title, but they will be joined by BMW’s new M8 GTE. As if that was not enough, the British are returning to Le Mans 2018 with a brand new Aston Martin Vantage GTE. They will all be going head to head with Ford, Ferrari & Corvette for the win. What a race that will be!

Travel Destinations are the leaders at Le Mans. Not only can we provide all the circuit-run campsites at the circuit, we are also the only company to offer a private trackside campsite with a private viewing bank! Our Porsche Curves campsite has always set the standard and it benefits from 24 hours security, fully serviced showers & toilets as well as a hospitality marquee on-site.

If you can’t bring your own tent then, glamping could be the answer. Our Event Tents are unique to Travel Destinations. Located near to the Porsche Curves, these are large 5 metre diameter bell tents, complete with carpet, mattresses and all bed linen. Thy can sleep up to 4 adults and benefit from their shower & toilet blocks as well as a hospitality marquee.

For those that don’t like to camp, then our Flexotel Village is very popular. What could be better than having your own private bedroom in the centre of the Le Mans circuit? Each room sleeps two adults and their are options with ensuite bathrooms as well as shared showers & toilet blocks. Located close to the circuit tram terminus, the Flexotel Village offers an ideal solution for those travelling light and those arriving without a car.

The Le Mans Classic only happens every other year and it returns in July 2018. The Le Mans Classic sees cars that have raced at Le Mans from the 1920s through to the 1980s return to the circuit and recreate past glories. Real race cars, really racing on the full Le Mans circuit is a sight not to be missed. In addition to the action on the track there is a lot to see around it too. All our tickets include access to the paddock, where these cars from yesteryear are worked on prior to returning to the track. Elsewhere there are displays of thousands of club cars as well as boutiques and displays from manufacturers and clubs. The whole event has a retro-feel taking you back to a different era of motorsport.

Travel Destinations offer a similar selection of offers to enable customers to stay at the circuit for the Le Mans Classic as we do for the Le Mans 24 Hours. In fact we have more, with two different private trackside camping areas for the Le Mans Classic. We also offer our Event Tents & our Flexotel Village. For the Le Mans Classic we also have a variety of hotels, camping and B&B properties away from the circuit for those that don’t mind travelling in each day.

Le Mans Classic 2018 — Camping with Travel Destinations at Le Mans Classic

Travel Destinations will continue to be the leaders at Le Mans with both the 24 hours & the Le Mans Classic, but we are also at a variety of other events including Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Nurburgring 24 Hours and the Spa Classic to name just a few. Why not download our brochure and start making your 2018 plans now?

Le Mans News

Le Mans 2018 tickets & travel on sale now

30th June 2017

Le Mans 2018 tickets & travel are on sale now

The dust has just started to settle on what was a memorable Le Mans 24 Hours. Not only was the story of the race almost unbelievable at times, but the weather was hotter than most of us can remember. Just as soon as Porsche & Aston Martin were finished popping their champagne corks, we started thing about Le Mans 2018.

Travel Destinations are now open for bookings for all of our race options for the Le Mans 24 Hours 2018. Le Mans 2018 may be just under a year away, but now is the time to start planning to be track-side. All options are currently available to reserve with a small deposit, so please call us now on 0844 873 0203 to reserve your space. All our prices included travel from the UK, entrance tickets and your chosen accommodation option. International visitors are more than welcome, and prices are available without channel crossings where required. All of our private secure options at the circuit were sold out for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, so it is important to book early & avoid disappointment.

The Travel Destinations private campsite on the Porsche Curves has always set the benchmark for camping at Le Mans. Positioned track-side, our campsite is unique at Le Mans in having its own private viewing bank overlooking the Porsche Curves. The campsite is open from Wednesday before the race until the Monday after the race & benefits from 24 hours security during this time. All guests will be welcomed by our campsite team and shown to their reserved pitch. The campsite has fully serviced showers and toilets and has a large hospitality marquee where food and drinks maybe purchased over the weekend. The marquee has large screen TVs showing the race and other sporting events live over the weekend so you won’t miss a thing at Le Mans 2018.

Just a stone’s throw away from Porsche Curves are our Travel Destinations Event Tents. Commonly described as our glamping option, this area is dedicated to large pre-erected tents. Each tent is 5 metres in diameter and can sleep up to 4 people. The tent comes fully carpeted, with mattresses and all bed linen. The Event Tents are located in their own private secure area, with their own showers & toilets as well as a hospitality marquee. As well as this all guests will also have access to Travel Destinations’ private viewing bank and all the facilities at Porsche Curves. Glamping at Le Mans 2018 has never been so easy.

The Travel Destinations Flexotel Village has gone from strength to strength in recent years. This pop-up hotel is perfect for those people who don’t want to camp, but still want to enjoy the convenience and atmosphere of staying in the centre of the circuit for Le Mans 2018. Each bedroom contains two proper beds and all bed linen & towels. In their own secure paddock, just a few minutes’ walk from the start line, the Flexotel Village also has fully serviced shower & toilet blocks, as well as a hospitality marquee serving high quality food and drinks throughout the weekend. For those who wish to upgrade there are also a limited number of Flexotel rooms with ensuite bathrooms available for a supplement. Secure parking is available in the Flexotel Village but it is also convenient for those people arriving train/tram, as the Antares tram stop is just around the corner.

Of course, there are also thousands of camping pitches in the ACO circuit run campsites available for Le Mans 2018. Although these areas offer only basic facilities & no security, they are always popular and most areas will sell out. Travel Destinations has the largest allocations of pitches in all circuit run campsites, particularly in the most popular areas of Maison Blanche, Houx and Tertre Rouge. For those looking to secure these campsites we always recommend booking early. Some of the larger campsites, such as Beausejour will have better availability, just because of their scale but for the best channel crossings and times, it is good practice to book early anyway.

Grandstand seats and race weekend hospitality are also available and can be added to any of our Le Mans 2018 packages. These are ideal if you would like to get a better view of the action, or just want a different experience. We can highly recommend the hospitality with our partners at Michelin.

You can secure all your Le Mans tickets for the Le Mans 24 Hours 2018 now. A deposit at this stage will secure your booking until balances are due 10 weeks before the event. As an ABTA bonded tour operator and an official agent of for Le Mans 2018 you know you can book with Travel Destinations with confidence.

The Le Mans Classic also returns in 2018. We offer all of our usual offers and more at the Le Mans Classic. You can witness cars from the 1920s right through to the 1980s take to the track that they once called home. Visit our Le Mans Classic pages on our website to learn more about the event and Le Mans Classic tickets.

Travel Destinations remain the leaders at Le Mans!

Le Mans News

Le Mans 2017 tickets are on sale

15th December 2016

Le Mans tickets are on sale now , so Motorsport Magazine asked Richard Webb of Travel Destinations for his advice on booking.

Part one: When to book
Le Mans is the pinnacle of sports car racing. It is on the bucket list of spectators and drivers from all fields of motor sport and every June more than 250,000 race fans make the pilgrimage to Le Mans. So why is it so popular, and how can you get the most from your Le Mans experience?

Le Mans is unique. It really has to be experienced to fully appreciate the history, the challenge, the emotion and the atmosphere of the event. It is for this very reason that National Geographic rated Le Mans the number one sporting event in the world; higher even than the Olympics, the Super Bowl or the World Cup. For spectators, such a big event does provide a number of challenges. When to book, where to stay, what tickets are required, how long to stay, where to watch and what to do all needs to be considered. Often there is no right or wrong answer, just a different solution to the same problem. We at Travel Destinations talk customers through the pros and cons of the available options, having been looking after people at Le Mans for more than 20 years now. We have done everything, seen everything and can help from a position of knowledge and experience – and we’re racing fans, too. But each company is different.

We would always recommend booking early. As with any event availability is key, so the earlier you book the more choice that you have. You can turn up on the day at Le Mans and purchase an entrance ticket, but that is all that will be available; campsites and grandstands will always sell out these days. Gone are the days of turning up in your car and pitching a tent in the nearest field. Travel Destinations look after a few thousand customers at Le Mans each year, many of whom are repeat customers, and often these people will re-book immediately on their return or even on their way home from the race, which some people do. However, this isn’t always necessary unless you are particularly forgetful…

We would usually recommend that people reserve the travel, tickets and accommodation before Christmas for the following year. This will usually guarantee you everything that you want. Once the New Year comes around certain things will start to sell out. The more popular grandstands and campsites start to fill up, although there will always be something available until April and May. We do even make some very late bookings in the first week of June, but by then there is no choice – you simply get what is left. So in short, the time to book is now.

Once you have decided that you want to go to Le Mans then you need to act. Now, the first thing most people do is surf the internet. You will find endless forums and message boards offering opinions on where is the best place and who are the best company. However, there are really only two things that you should look for when purchasing tickets for Le Mans.

The first is to look for an official agent logo. You will see this on all pages on our site. The logo means that the company is licensed to sell tickets directly from the race organizers; the ACO. Anyone without that logo is ultimately buying tickets and reselling without authorization. That is ticket touting and is effectively illegal. Not only that but you run the risk of not receiving the correct tickets, or in some cases, any tickets at all. So message one has to be always look for that logo.

The second thing to look for – and this applies for any travel that you may choose to book – is check whether the company is bonded in any way. The most well-known of these is ABTA and ATOL. These logos show that the company you are booking through has been authorized to sell travel packages and that they have all the insurances in place to do so. Sadly there are many companies that will claim your money is safe if you book with them, but ultimately you should ask more questions before you book. Le Mans is a holiday, in the same was a cruise round the Mediterranean, flights around the world, or a week in Majorca. You book your holidays through a specialist travel company & Le Mans should be no different. We recommend looking for the logos – if they aren’t there or you are not sure, don’t book.

The internet is great for many things, but for Le Mans it can cause issues if you don’t know what you are doing, or the website is in a foreign language. Sometimes it is best to speak to someone and ask some questions. We actively encourage our customers to call us even if they have been to Le Mans many times before. Things are always changing at the circuit so you can’t just presume things will be the same as the last visit. In recent years some campsites have been built on and closed or reduced in size. New campsites have opened and others have changed the facilities on offer. All our staff have been to Le Mans so can speak from experience, they are also kept up to date with current events at the circuit so they can pass on that information directly. Ticking a box on a website can’t do that.

Top tips for booking tickets for Le Mans:
• Only purchase from an official agent.
• Check for financial bonding if booking travel (look for the logos!)
• Speak to the company. If they can’t answer the phone or don’t know the answers to your questions, try someone who can.

Travel Destinations are the largest UK Tour Operator to Le Mans.
Travel Destinations are also an officially appointed ticket agency for Le Mans and are a fully bonded ABTA and ATOL tour operator.
All our Le Mans options are available to view on this website or call us now for more details or call 0844 873 0203.

This article first appeared on Motorsport Magazine‘s online content & is the first in a series of guest blogs by Richard about Le Mans.

Le Mans News

Sun shines on the Le Mans Classic

13th July 2016

The sun shines on the Le Mans Classic

On Sunday at 4pm, the flag came down on the 8th running of Le Mans Classic. This biennial event celebrates the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours and has grown in stature and crowd numbers on each occasion.

This year’s event was blessed by exceptional weather, as crowds in excess of 123,000 witnessed a full weekend retracing the history of the greatest endurance race in the world over the period 1923 to 1993. 550 cars took to the track, with 1000 drivers, including 10 former Le Mans winners, navigated the circuit in race conditions. In addition to the racing cars, a further 8500 cars represented 180 makes’ clubs assembled to display their vehicles around the Bugatti circuit. Important notice was taken of the celebration of BMW’s centenary and the 50th anniversary of the Ford GT40’s first victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours with appropriate displays. Concourse competitions, the Le Mans Heritage Club, the “Little Big Mans” children’s race, a special exhibition devoted to racing team transporters and a host of other entertainment and activities in the main village meant that all the right ingredients were in place to make this huge celebration of motor sport.

Among the innovations this year was the opening of the circuit on Friday morning representing an additional five hours of track time so that more practice session could be scheduled, as well as the Group C races with an entry of almost 40 cars represented. There was also the magnificent field of the Jaguar Classic Challenge with around 60 cars representing the Coventry make. Victory in this event went to British driver Andy Wallace (19 starts in the Le Mans 24 Hours including outright victory in 1988) at the wheel of the Jaguar D-Type that won Le Mans in 1955.

At 4pm on Saturday American music star (and motorsport fan) Pharrell Williams waved the French flag to begin the 24hrs of racing around the full 13,629-km circuit. These races were divided in to 6 grids covering the period 1923 to 1981. Each grid took to the circuit in day and night across the Saturday and Sunday.

Travel Destinations are official agents for the Le Mans Classic and are proud to have been involved in the Le Mans Classic since its inception in 2002. This year travel Destinations looked after guests from many different car clubs including the MG Owners’ Club, Morgan Sports Car Club, Jaguar Enthusiasts’ club and the TR Register. With 2 private trackside campsites, a further “glamping” site and our Flexotel Village (pop-up hotel) all on the circuit, Travel Destinations also looked after more guests on the circuit than ever at the Le Mans Classic. We extend a big thank you to all those who booked through Travel Destinations & we hope that you can join us again soon.

The 8th Le Mans Classic consolidated the success of the previous events thanks to the attendance of its faithful fans and the beautiful weather. The good news is that the Le Mans Classic will return in 2018 for the 9th edition, but for those that can’t wait that long for your historic motorsport fix, perhaps you might like to join Travel Destinations at the Spa Classic in May 2017.

Le Mans News

Le Mans Tickets

11th August 2015

You can book your Le Mans tickets now through Travel Destinations. The confirmed dates for the Le Mans 24 Hours are the 18th & 19th June 2016. Prices will be published later this year but the 2015 prices will remain on this website to use as a guide. The Le Mans Classic dates are confirmed as the 8th – 10th July 2016. Prices for this event are already available on this website.

For many the search for the right Le Mans tickets can be confusing. A quick search of the web can provide many contradictory opinions on the best way to obtain Le Mans tickets and what are the best Le Mans tickets to have. With this in mind we take a simple look below at the different options available and try to answer many of the questions about Le Mans tickets that we get asked every year.

When should I book Le Mans tickets?
The Le Mans 24 Hours is attended by more than 250,000 people each year. Clearly there is a big demand for Le Mans tickets. Generally ticket prices are published in the autumn, but it is still possible to make a provisional reservation before then. Travel Destinations opens provisional reservations the day after the race. This enables those returning from this year’s race to repeat their reservation if they wish. Generally we recommend booking Le Mans tickets before Christmas if possible. This will give you the best choice of availability and you shouldn’t miss out on what you want. Of course Travel Destinations still make bookings right up until the week of the race, but availability will be restricted the closer we get to Le Mans.

What Le Mans tickets do I need?
A lot depends on what you want to do and see, but the minimum that you require is a general admission / entrance ticket (“Enceinte General”) for every person in your party. This allows you pedestrian access to all the public areas of the circuit. This includes the village area and the viewing banks and steps between Porsche Curves and the Tertre Rouge Corner. It also allows access to the viewing areas at Arnage and Mulsanne corners which can be accessed by a free bus service from the main entrance to the circuit. In addition to the general admission ticket you can choose to add a grandstand seat ticket to your booking. This will give a you a reserved seat for the Saturday and Sunday. Even if you choose to have a grandstand seat you will still need to have a general entrance ticket. All Travel Destinations offers include a general entrance ticket.

Why should I book Le Mans tickets through Travel Destinations?
There are a number of companies that advertise selling Le Mans tickets, however you should only buy Le Mans tickets from the circuit itself or from an official Le Mans tickets agency. Travel Destinations are an official Le Mans tickets agency & have been working with the circuit for more than 20 years. Travel Destinations are also an ABTA and ATOL bonded tour operator enabling us to offer the best selection of travel and accommodation options for Le Mans. By being an ABTA and ATOL bonder tour operator you can make your booking with Travel Destinations knowing that your money is safe and that you can book with confidence. All Travel Destinations employees have been to Le Mans on many occasions and can talk to you from experience about what Le Mans is like and which ticket options are best for you. Travel Destinations staff are present at the circuit and offer a support service for all our customer.

How many Le Mans camping tickets do I need?
You will need at least one Le Mans camping pass for each vehicle that you are taking in to the campsite. One camping ticket generally entitles you to a 7m x 5m camping pitch. If you require more space then you can add additional camping tickets to your booking. Most of the campsites now have marked pitches and have numbered plots, however a few remain that are not numbered. Circuit run campsites are basic and have very few facilities. If you require better facilities such as security, fully serviced showers and toilets and a hospitality marquee, then we recommend the Travel Destinations private trackside campsite at the Porsche Curves.

What is the best grandstand ticket to have at Le Mans?
There is no right or wrong answer to this as it is really down to personal preferences and what you wish to see. You may not even need to add a grandstand seat depending on what you want to see. The majority of grandstands are located on the start-finish straight either above or opposite the pit lane. Being above the pits (tribune 34) gives a good view of the start and the finish, but you cannot see in to the garages. From the grandstands opposite the pit lane you will be able to see in to the garages as well. These are normally the most expensive and in demand seats. As an alternative you may look to try seats on the Ford Chicane (Tribune 23) or by the famous Dunlop Bridge (Tribunes 4 & 5) as these offer good views of the esses, curves or chicane. However you cannot see the garages from these stands.

Do I need to be a Le Mans member?
You can become a member of the ACO (the Automobile Club de l’Ouest) but it is not necessary to be a member to purchase Le Mans tickets through Travel Destinations.

Do you only sell Le Mans tickets to people in the UK?
Travel Destinations may be based in the UK but we sell Le Mans tickets to people from all around the world. Our largest market is the UK but we have many customers from all across Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, China, Brazil and many other countries around the world. Although many of our prices include options for Channel crossings from the UK, all of these options are also available without UK travel if this is not required.

Do you sell Le Mans tickets on their own?
Travel Destinations is a tour operator and us such our offers include accommodation, tickets and usually travel. However our sister company is a ticket agency and so can sell the tickets on their own. Le Mans ticket only sales may not have the same availability as offers via Travel Destinations, but if this is the right thing for you please visit www.tickets-2-u.com for more details on individual Le Mans ticket prices.

What is the best way to book Le Mans tickets with you?
All of Travel Destinations Le Mans ticket offers are created bespoke for you. This means that we can tailor make each booking to your requirements, using our experience and understanding of Le Mans. The best way to do this is to speak with you, so we encourage everyone to contact us by telephone to discuss the best option available. We can then talk you through the process. From the UK the best number to call is 0844 873 0203 and from outside the UK you can call +44 1707 329988. If this is not possible then simple questions can also be asked via emailing info@traveldestinations.co.uk

We hope that whatever Le Mans tickets option you choose, that you can join Travel Destinations at the next Le Mans 24 Hours.