24 HEURES du MANS
The World’s Most Famous Motor Race Experience

Sunday, June 4 –Depart from your home for your overnight flight to France.

Monday, June 5

AM: Welcome to France – Your overnight flight from the U.S. will have you arrive early Monday morning at CDG (Charles de Gaulle) airport in Paris. You will be met by your race hosts and transferred south to Le Mans.

3.30pm: Château Arrival – Upon arrival at your Château, you will have time to unpack, perhaps take in a quick afternoon nap or relax in the gardens with drinks served on the terrace.

7.30pm:  Downtown Welcome Reception – Early evening, we head downtown for a welcome reception and a sumptuous dinner at the celebrated Michelin starred ‘Le Grenier à Sel‘ restaurant located close to the old quarter with its 15th century streets and city square where some Le Mans cars will be doing their technical checks.

10.00pm:  On Demand Shuttle Bus Returns – Your executive shuttle bus service will return you to your accommodations; other shuttles will be available for later departures.

Tuesday, June 6

9:30am:  Robin Donovan Commentated Lap – After breakfast, we head to the track where Robin will take you on spell-binding commentated laps of the circuit while revealing a few “war-stories”; he’ll explain what it is was like to drive at over 230 mph in a 1000 bhp, full ground effect Porsche 962 – in the dark, sometimes in the rain, and astonish you with his explanation of modern speeds and braking distances.  He’ll spend thirty or more fascinating minutes explaining a sub-4-minute lap!

10:30am:  Circuit Museum visit – Interactive exhibits mingle with some superb examples of the cars that have starred in the mythical race.  The museum is also home to the official ACO shop which offers a multitude of Le Mans caps, shirts, books, gifts and souvenirs.

1:00pm:  Lunch at the renown ‘Hotel de France’ – We’ll lunch at the “Hotel de France,” in the village square of La Chartre-sur-le-Loir.  This hotel was notorious as the hide-out for the 1950s Aston Martin team and the base for John Wyre’s Gulf Porsche 917 factory squad in the 1970s.  It remains the favorite place of 5x Le Mans winner, Derek Bell MBE, who stayed here with Steve McQueen while making the classic 1970 movie, Le Mans.  Many other icons have stayed here too including Sir Stirling Moss, Mario Andretti, Bobby Kennedy and Jackie Onassis.

 3:30pm:  Circuit Familiarization – We will venture into the paddock to meet to the main race team we will be supporting (Pro-Speed last year, Dempsey Racing the year before).  We will visit the pit garage to see the car being prepared and wander down the length of the pit lane to view the competition.  We’ll have coffee at our paddock hospitality venue where we will be based for final qualifying later in the week and check out our reserved grandstand seats overlooking the start/finish line.  We’ll meet “star” drivers and see the teams practising their pit-stops and driver changes.  Later in the afternoon an autograph session is held with all the drivers at the end of the pit lane.

 8:00pm:  Dinner in Le Mans Old Town – The picturesque old quarter of Le Mans city has been the setting for movies such as The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask.  Among a wonderful selection of restaurants hidden away amid the numerous stepped alleyways, we’ll dine at our favourite.  Our shuttle bus will be on call to take you back to the Château afterwards.

Wednesday, June 7

8:45am:  Depart to the Loire Valley – After breakfast, we head into the heart of the beautiful Loire Valley to the town of Saumur and the celebrated Bouvet-Ladubay wine cellars; a superb opportunity to visit one of the most famous wine regions of France and the historic Loire valley.

10:30am:  Wine Cellar Tour and Tasting with Celebrity Sommelier – Your sommelier host will take great pride in revealing Bouvet-Ladubay’s superb facilities and cellars, while teaching you the delights and intricacies of wine tasting and spitting (not compulsory!).

1:00pm:  Lunch with a View – Armed with your newly found knowledge, we then lunch at La Route du Sel, a wonderful restaurant beautifully set on banks of the Loire.  Here you will enjoy a delicious feast while enjoying stunning views from the terrace.  Your sommelier will join you to further enhance your wine and food experience.  You’ll even see him use a sword to cut the head off your champagne bottle – then try yourself! 

5:00pm:  Cruise or Snooze – Heading back from the renowned Loire Valley, you have the choice of either relaxing back at the Château, going back to the circuit for evening practice or stopping off at Arnage, the track-side village celebrated as a gathering place for race fans.

Thursday, June 8

7:30am:  Utah Beach & Pointe du Hoc – An early start will see us head to Normandy and the famous Utah Beach, where you will meet your guide, “Colonel Jack” – Lieutenant Colonel (QM) Jack A. Matthews, British Army (retired).  We will visit Pointe du Hoc, the infamous German gun position that threatened the Allied ships off Omaha Beach, heroically attacked by the elite 2nd U.S. Rangers.  You’ll see the moon-like bomb craters, ruined fortifications and bunkers that remain for all to see.

1:00pm:  Omaha, Dog Green & Coleville – We’ll head to Omaha Beach and Dog Green, where GIs of the 29th Division fought and died, as vividly and accurately portrayed in Saving Private Ryan.  After lunch at the Casino hotel, we’ll examine the issues that contributed to the horror of these landings before going on to the 1st Division – Big Red One sector.  Lastly, we will visit the Coleville U.S. Cemetery for a sober, but greatly rewarding experience that few who visit ever forget. 

8:00pm:  Final Qualifying Session 1 – Tonight is the final qualifying runs in two sessions for all cars and drivers from daylight into obligatory laps in the complete darkness.  Here the big guns vie for supremacy as the pole position shoot-out reaches its climax.  With battles throughout all 4 classes, you can witness different teams’ efforts trackside, from right inside the garages or from your pits grandstand.  During the break, enjoy a light dinner at your hospitality base in the race team paddock.

10:00pm:  Second and Final Qualifying (2 hours) – This stage of qualifying is often the most exciting.  It will be dark with last-minute scrambles for the pole and for those cars that have struggled to set a qualifying time.  Our shuttle buses will be available to return you to your Château at any time. 

Friday, June 9

10:30am:  Open Pit Garage Viewing – Friday is “open pit garages” day and the best chance to visit the pit-lane and garages while the teams practice pit-stops and make final preparations for tomorrow’s great race.  This relatively relaxed day with no on-circuit activity also offers the best opportunity to talk to the drivers, engineers and mechanics and gives you time to photograph the cars up close.

1:00pm:  Legends Lunch with Derek Bell MBE – Five-time Le Mans winner and Porsche legend Derek Bell MBE will join us for our lunch on the Mulsanne.  We will visit the landmark restaurant that sits on the narrow, tree-lined main road south of Le Mans that for one week each year becomes the infamous and mighty 230 mph+ Mulsanne.  On this “Mad Friday,” fans party along this most famous straight in the world.  You can join in the fun, or you can enjoy it from our quieter, reserved dining room with a living legend!  Wonderfully gracious and personable Derek will regale us with captivating stories from his fascinating past including driving F1 for Ferrari, his many Le Mans wins and the close friendship he made with Steve McQueen while filming the now movie classic, Le Mans. 

4:30pm:  The Grande Parade des Pilotes – After lunch, we’ll head downtown to the Grande Parade des Pilotes.  We have a privileged position on the actual start-line with private marquee, drinks, canapes and live jazz band; it’s a great opportunity to witness all the competing drivers up close as they parade through the city center in open-top vintage cars.  This grand extravaganza is a veritable cocktail of color, sight and sound as spectacular dancing girls, theatrically costumed musicians and marching bands of all descriptions compete with the roar of the crowd.

6.30pm:  Radio Le Mans Star Party – We’ll walk across the square to our VIP restaurant parade base where we will enjoy a Star Party hosted by Radio Le Mans.  Former Le Mans stars and winners drop by for interviews as we enjoy dinner followed by live music.  It’s party time for all but the team members who must be in top form for tomorrow’s event, the centenary edition of the greatest race on earth. 

Saturday, June 10

8:30am:  Circuit Transfers/Champagne Reception – After an early breakfast, we’ll transfer to the circuit to join our VIP hospitality base in the teams’ paddock – with champagne on hand to toast the team.

11:00am:  Final Preparations/Support Races – As the crowds grow, you will appreciate your privileged hospitality environment.  There still might be time to visit the pits to soak up the electric atmosphere as pre-race nervous energy builds.  Out on the circuit, priceless historic race cars from the mighty 245mph Group C era compete in the pre-Le Mans 24 Hours Historic race.

Noon:  Hospitality lunch – Lunch in your hospitality base begins while out on the grid, final preparations are made to the pre-start festivities with each team rolling out its car to make up the trademark “ear of corn” grid formation.

1:00pm:  Pre-Start Grid Walk – As tens of thousands of spectators look down from the start-line grandstands, we join the privileged few out on the grid in the very center of the pre-race festivities – mingling with the star drivers, the famous and the glamorous.

3.00pm:  RACE START – In your special seat, you will witness the amazing start, where 24 hours of sheer spectacle. drama and excitement truly begin.

7:00pm:  Helicopter Sky Stand Tour – As the race settles, our spectacular Sky Stand helicopter ride around the full 13km circuit begins.  Helicopters cannot keep up with the cars on the 230 mph plus Mulsanne Straight, but they do cut the corners better!  A relaxed buffet dinner in your hospitality base will be served from 7pm onwards, with refreshments continually available.  After dinner, the light will slowly fade, and the circuit takes on a unique and almost surreal atmosphere.  As the cars thunder into the night, a visit to the pits is a must.  We’ll stand back and observe the spectacular action-packed refueling and driver change stops.

9:30pm:  Night-time Shuttle Bus Circuit Tour – Nothing is more spectacular (and perhaps a little frightening) than to witness the greatest sports cars in the world close-up, as they appear, headlights blazing, and then disappear screaming into the darkness at speeds in excess of 220 mph.  Our shuttle bus tour will take you into the forest and to some of the most dramatic points around the circuit such as Indianapolis, Arnage and Mulsanne.  After your night-time circuit tour – the choice is yours.  You can head get back to the Château or stay as long as you wish.  We will arrange transfers throughout the night.

Sunday, June 11

09:30am:  Circuit Transfers/Final Pit-Stops – After a relatively late breakfast, we’ll return to the circuit to hear about all the drama during the night – and to check on the “retirements.”  But with the length of over four Indy car or Grand Prix races still to go, there is still plenty of action in the pits and out on the circuit.

Noon:  Lunch – Refreshments will be continually available in your VIP hospitality base in the team paddock.  A relaxed buffet lunch will be served from 12 pm onwards.

2:30pm:  Final Countdown – As the race goes into its final stages, the tension begins to mount.  Seconds can still count, and frantic last-minute pit stops often make all the difference.  As the crowds return for the final countdown, you have the luxury of witnessing it all from your seat overlooking the finish line and podium.

2:50pm:  Pit Wall – If possible, we will take you onto the pit wall for the final dash to the flag – another sensational place to be for the spectacular, crowd-cheering, wheel-spinning grand race finale.

3:00pm:  RACE FINISH – Emotions run high as the checkered flag falls.  Everyone who finishes the world’s most legendary sports car race is a winner.  In a matter of minutes, throngs of spectators will descend to join the podium celebrations.

 3:10pm:  Podium Celebrations – It’s almost impossible to comprehend the size of the crowd.  You may comfortably watch from your seat or join the throng on the track to cheer the winners on the podium.  After the national anthems are played and the photographs taken, we return to our hospitality base for a post-race champagne celebration.

 4:30pm:  Return to Château, Relax and Unwind – After our post-race celebrations at the circuit, we then return to the Château and have a quiet drink on the terrace before our final festivities begin.

7:30pm:  Post-Race Celebration Dinner – With newfound friends, we end our Le Mans week with a final celebratory get-together.  It may be a cozy, chef-prepared dinner back at the Château or sumptuous outdoor BBQ!

Monday, June 12

AM:  Departures – After breakfast, we arrange hosted high-speed TGV and/or executive coach transfers back to Charles de Gaulle airport (or to the center of Paris for anyone choosing to stay on for a few days in the city).  And with the knowledge that you have enjoyed a highly charged week full of very special, never to be forgotten experiences, we make our farewells and look forward to seeing you again soon.