GETTING TO THE CIRCUIT
Getting to the circuit
The Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans is part closed circuit, part public road, closed to traffic for the duration of the race. Account for the following road closures when planning your route:
D 338 between the Tertre Rouge roundabout at the top of the Mulsanne Straight and the roundabout at Mulsanne Corner;
D 140 between Mulsanne and Arnage Corners;
D 139 between Arnage corner and the Porsche curves (where the circuit becomes a closed track);
D 92 at the crossroads with the Mulsanne Straight.
Follow the links for details on road closures and diversions.
By road
From Paris – 205 km – 2 hours (via A11)
From Nantes – 184 km – 1 hour 55 mins (via A11)
From Rennes – 152 km – 1 hour 35 mins (via A81)
From Caen – 185 km – 1 hour 40 mins (via A88 and A28)
From Tours – 100 km – 1 hour (via A28)
From Alençon – 55 km – 40 mins (via A28)
The French Police
One thing you should be aware of when in France for the Le Mans 24 Hours weekend is the French police. Be especially vigilant in and around the circuit as the police will be out in force, so keep to the speed limit. The French Police will issue on the spot fines for speeding motorists. They are known to focus on cars with UK registration plates and will often time cars on the motorways between toll booths to work out your average speed. As you near Le Mans they will also use radar guns.
Make sure you have all your documentation with you, driving licence, insurance, tax, and MOT if your car needs one.
You must also carry two self-breathalyser kits in your car, this is now French law. Kits can be bought from retailers like Halfords, or you can also pick them up at most ferry ports. You also must carry a yellow Hi Viz jacket and a red triangle. Halfords also have a handy European Travel kit which has all the items that you need. Please check that you have all the correct documentation and the compulsory equipment in your car before you depart on your journey to Le Mans.
By train
There are several high-speed rail links to Le Mans, from Paris, the major cities in the west of France (Nantes and Rennes) as well as Lyon, Lille, Marseille and Montpellier.
From Paris Montparnasse - 54 minutes
from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport - 1 hour 40 mins
from Orly airport - 1 hour 30
From Rennes - 1 hour 15 mins
From Nantes - 1 hour 15 mins
From Lille - 2 hours 30 mins
From Lyon - 3 hours
From Marseille - 4 hours 45 mins
From Grenoble - 4 hours 15 mins
From Brussels - 3 hours 30 mins
From London - 4 hours 30 mins
Access to the circuit from Le Mans railway station via line number 1 (Antarès - MMArena) - is less than 20 minutes).
The Pays de la Loire region has a partnership with SNCF to offer a return ticket costing €5 to Le Mans from a station in the area for major events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans 24.