With the thunderous engine sounds of the racing cars passing by him every few seconds, falling asleep has become an even more challenging task. He jokingly remarks, “I find myself in a peculiar state of half-awake, half-asleep.” Wrapped in a sleeping bag, he crouches over, closing his eyes whenever there’s a momentary break in the race.
I, too, made the journey to Le Mans this month and spent most of the overnight hours in my seat, gazing blankly at the race cars. Due to the scarcity of hotel rooms and their soaring prices, thousands of fans opt to camp out in the grandstands or on patches of grass overlooking the track, determined not to miss a single moment of the action. “It’s the authentic Le Mans experience,” Joulia said.
Situated at the Circuit de la Sarthe in the town of Le Mans, just an hour train ride from Paris, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is one of the world’s most extraordinary sporting events, gaining popularity after the release of the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari. This year marked its centennial, drawing a record-breaking 325,000 spectators to the circuit. Sports icons LeBron James and Tom Brady were also present (probably not sleeping in the grandstands).
The fans at Le Mans are friendly and delighted to indulge in drinks and pose for photographs. Photo: Gregory Leporati
While the fans might have been tired, imagine the fatigue experienced by the drivers. During the race, teams compete continuously for 24 hours straight, with three drivers per team taking turns behind the wheel for hours on end. Simply completing the race without any mishaps is considered a success, and winning it is one of the greatest achievements in motorsports.
As the hours passed by and night melted into morning, fans from various walks of life shared their stories and strategies for enduring this exhilarating, sleep-deprived spectacle.
’24 hours of toilet lines’
Throughout race week, the Circuit de la Sarthe’s over 13.6km track transforms into a makeshift town, complete with restaurants, shops, carnivals, and bars at every section. Rock concerts and movie marathons entertain the crowd during the race, while ticket holders can explore the free on-site museum. A shuttle bus transports fans to different parts of the track.
“There’s just too much to do in a mere 24 hours,” said Manuel Garcia, a Spaniard attending his seventh Le Mans. He had arrived a couple of days earlier with just a few changes of clothes, a small tent, and some food. “And I have a little bit of what I love the most: French wine,” he added.
Although food and beverages are available for purchase, outside food and drinks are permitted, and the concession stands offer appetizing options. Sandwiches, wraps, French pastries, salads, and other items appear fresher and perhaps healthier than what one would typically find at a stadium. As the opening ceremony commenced, building up to the 4pm start, I mapped out my day with great precision: watching the start and initial few hours from the stands, then visiting the museum and carnival areas. After enjoying some live music and the three-hour pop concert, I planned to return to the race to catch more action and chat with campers.
While food can be purchased, some fans prefer to bring their own. Photo: Gregory Leporati
Meanwhile, seasoned racegoers advised me to keep an eye out for the best restrooms. “That’s the real challenge,” Tom Sims, a UK engineer who had traveled nearly 12 hours overnight to make it to the race’s start, shared. “As I walk across the track, I mentally note which ones have the shortest queues.”
Some restrooms had lines stretching well beyond 50 people. At one point, I witnessed a woman throw her hands up in frustration and walk away, exhausted by the wait. “They should rename this event ’24 hours of toilet lines’,” she quipped.
Tents fit for a butler
While some spectators choose to lie in the grandstands or set up small tents, others take a more creative approach. There are several campgrounds scattered across the circuit, which transform into massive parties during the race’s late-night hours.
As I wandered through one camping area in a section of the track called Tertre Rouge, a group of Dutch fans invited me to join them for a beer and kebab. Their setup consisted of a massive tent, a large screen TV broadcasting the race – “I can see it better from here!” one of them claimed – speakers, and a fridge stocked with beer.
“Every year, we try to up the ante, to make it bigger and better,” said Marcel Bollen, one of the group’s unofficial leaders. “Once, we even built a beautiful table, covered it with linen and candles, and had our friend dress up as a butler to serve us.”
Europop music blared from speakers at a nearby tent, barely drowning out the constant background noise of Le Mans – the roaring engines. A group of English fans had placed a chair on top of their RV for an excellent view of the racetrack and the evening fireworks. I heard stories of other campsites featuring karaoke and smoke machines.
Camping offers the advantage of having your own shelter in case of rain. Occasional showers are common at Le Mans (and occurred several times during this year’s race). Each time it rained, fans would dart under awnings at concession stands and restaurants, while others would remain in their spots, donning ponchos and embracing the elements.
Fans will do whatever it takes to get a good view of the race cars – even scaling steep hills. Photo: Gregory Leporati
Sleeping, as I soon discovered, was considered optional. Many campers mentioned the possibility of taking short naps in their tents during the early hours of the pre-dawn. Others, traveling alone without elaborate camping setups, told me they would attempt to doze off in the back seats of their cars. Some recommended using headphones or earplugs to drown out the noise of the racing cars.
But overall, people encouraged minimizing sleep. “Who wants to sleep with all of this excitement happening?” Bollen questioned.
While camping seemed like a blast, others opted for a more conventional approach. Mark Solis from San Francisco shared that he had been fortunate enough to secure an Airbnb nearby many months in advance – back when they were still available. He planned to return to his accommodation around 1 or 2 am and come back to the race the following morning. “I enjoy camping for fun,” he explained, “but here, it’s a whole different experience. These guys are ready for anything, with their generators and TVs.”
An extra night of revelry
As the evening hours ticked away and brief rain showers came and went, groans and snores could be heard from the grandstands. Sleeping bags stirred as the sun rose over the racetrack at around 6 am, and the scent of espresso and freshly baked croissants wafted through the air near the concession stands.
A new day of racing had begun, and the excitement was palpable. Ferrari, absent from the top class of Le Mans for quite some time, staged a surprising comeback to secure victory over Toyota. As the ecstatic, sweaty, and fatigued fans gathered on the side of the track to celebrate the top finishers, it was evident that hygiene had taken a backseat for about a month.
Even as a spectator, reaching the end of the race filled me with a sense of triumph. We, too, had survived the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Once the celebrations had drawn to a close, fans flooded out of the racetrack and squeezed onto the local tram. Like myself, many were headed to the central station to catch a train back to Paris. I resisted the urge to sleep, aiming to keep my internal clock on a relatively normal schedule. Meanwhile, some campers planned to continue the party into Monday morning.
“This was incredible,” exclaimed Sebastien Dubois, a Canadian fan attending his first Le Mans. He estimated that he had slept for no more than half an hour on a grassy patch next to the track. Sporting water-resistant pants and a poncho, he endured even the rainiest parts of the race. “It was magical to close your eyes and…”
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