Inverness

Inverness, being the capital of, and the gateway to, the highlands of Scotland deserved a bit of a visit. We wandered along the river (Ness) into town for a bit of a look about. It was a pleasant walk despite the less than tropical weather.

Heading North

The North Coast 500 is a loop around the top of Scotland that is roughly 500 miles in length. It starts and ends in Inverness and there are some variations in the route you can take. Most people do the loop in an anti-clockwise direction and, being the rebels we are, we had decided to buck the trend and travel clockwise as it would work in with going to the Orkneys at the end of the loop. We were advised, however, to go anti-clockwise because the scenery would then grade from soft rolling hills to dramatic glacial valleys, mountains and lochs. Turns out, that was probably good advice.

We stopped off for a late lunch at Dornoch Beach at the mouth of the Dornoch Firth before pushing on a little further to a free parking site in a forested area near Little Ferry at the mouth of Loch Fleet. This spot was just south of a town called Golspie.

Just north of Golspie is Dunrobin Castle. This french-style chateau is supposed to be very impressive and they put on falconry displays in decent weather, something that we were very much interested in seeing. Unfortunately, when we arrived it was windy, cold and raining - not weather conducive to falconry displays. As we were planning to be back in this area later, we decided not to spend money in inclement weather and just continue northward.

The Whalingoe Steps

Just south of the town of Wick are the Whalingoe Steps. Without much in the way of natural harbours along this stretch of coastline, local fishermen built these steps (around 330 of them) down the cliff side to the Bink, an artificial flat area which is now grassed. The Bink sits just above the reach of the waves in a small cliffy cove and allowed them to bring their boats in for unloading their catches of haddock, cod, ling and herring. In rough weather the timber fishing boats were hauled onto the Bink by winch. The remains of a salt store at the Bink is a reminder of the efforts to preserve the catch by salting it in barrels before it was all carried by hand up the steps and taken into Wick for sale and export.

Wick

The town of Wick straddles the Wick River near its mouth and features a small harbour. Being only 26km south of John O’Groats, Wick is the last moderately sized town heading northward. The airfield at Wick supports helicopter services to and from many North Sea oil rig installations.

We stopped for the night in Wick, parking up in a free designated camping spot in the municipal carpark next to the Wick River. In this carpark we watched a pair of pipers prepare and tune their bagpipes before disappearing into the pub … presumably for some ceremonial piping.

Wick is world famous for having the shortest street in the world, at just 2.05 metres, so we go for a walk to visit it between rain showers. Wick is a cute Scottish town with stone buildings, though we found it amusing that Bridge Street (the main road) seemed to be full of Indian, Asian and takeaway food shops. Sadly, there are plenty of empty shops for lease or sale as well.

Just outside Wick lies Castle Sinclair Giringoe. This castle (well, the ruins of this castle) are what remains of a grand house originally built in the 1400s for the Sinclair family at Giringoe. Perched precariously on the cliff above the rugged North Sea coast, it must have been an interesting place to live during winter storms!

Duncansby Head

Continuing northward from Wick we arrived at Duncansby Head - the northeasternmost point of mainland Britain. Famous for overlooking the Pentland Firth (the area between the Orkney Islands and the north coast of the mainland - a notoriously dangerous and unpredictable stretch of water) and the Duncansby Stacks - two distinctively shaped rock stacks. Unfortunately, the weather was foul when we arrived at Duncansby Head with frequent rainy wind squalls coming through that were not only cold and wet but threatened to introduce us to the joys of flight. The Orkneys, despite being only a few miles away, were largely lost in the pelting rain.

From the windswept excitement of Duncansby Head we ventured down the hill to the relative calm of John O’Groats. John O’Groats is taken by many to be the northernmost part of mainland Britain, mainly due to poetic statements from people claiming that Land’s End to John O’Groats takes in the whole of Britain. The true northernmost point of mainland Britain is Dunnet Head, a few miles westward, which we will be passing later on. Of course, the Orkneys and the Shetlands are part of Britain and are further north, but for mainland Britain, Dunnet Head is the tippy top. Dunnet Head is a bird sanctuary and has a lighthouse, but other than that is just another cliffy headland.

John O’Groats got its name from a man called Jan de Groot, a dutchman, who was granted the rights by King James IV around the 1480s to run a ferry service across the Pentland Firth to the Orkney Islands.

After driving inland to circle around Loch Eribol, we emerged back onto the coast at the beautiful looking Ceannabienne Beach.

We stopped off at Smoo Cave. A small stream that drains peat land (hence the tea coloured water) drops into a limestone cave to emerge on the shoreline below. Smoo cave has a history of smuggling, skullduggery and boat building and maintenance ranging back to viking times and probably beyond.

From Smoo Cave we will be checking out Durness Beach then turning southwestward.

Next stop: NC500 Part 2, Scotland

After Dinant we headed east and stopped at some more standing stones and menhirs.

Much like Carnac, they don’t really understand the function of the menhirs or why a society would put so much effort into complex projects like this. Some of it was clearly graves for important or significant people, but the standing stones are still not understood.

After looking at a few megalithic sites, we ventured into the small town of Werix for a look around. There was a very small museum, so we had a look around, before setting out east again.

So after weeks and weeks of breaking new ground, exploring new places, meeting new people, blogging almost every day, and generally exploring through western Europe, we have circled back around to Germany.

We scooted back to Germany to claim our pfand (the recycling deposit) on some bottles and cans that we had been carrying since we left Germany, and we refilled our now empty German gas bottle. We also called into a dump station to empty our grey water and toilet cassette and to fill our freshwater tank …. and realised that we had used the same dump station just prior to leaving Germany for Belgium, Luxembourg and France.

Unfortunately while at that dump station, Steve stepped out of the van and twisted his ankle. This was not great, but it did give us the perfect excuse to just chill for a few days. We found a free campervan park within walking distance of some shops in a small German village. Later that afternoon we were quite surprised when, while it was 33 degrees C, clouds built up and next thing we had high winds and hail! The German guy in the van next to us moved his van under a motorway underpass nearby for protection, and we considered doing the same thing but then the winds died as quickly as they had come up. A short walk around revealed that the high winds had brought down several trees and branches around us, including onto the road leading into the carpark.

We decided to spend another day here until they could clear the tree off the road, and just rested up to allow Steve’s ankle to get a bit better.

After a couple of days, we headed to the Netherlands and found a reasonably priced campervan park (the Netherlands is a lot more expensive than France and Germany, and freedom camping is somewhat restricted).

Our plan at this stage was to cross into the Netherlands and activate the New Zealand bilateral visa waiver agreement. We had agreement from the Immigration officials via email, but when we tried to activate it on the phone once we arrived in the country (following the instructions we’d been given), the individual officer told us that we could not have additional time. A second email back to the immigration department told us we needed to phone, request a call back, and then make an appointment to talk to someone. Time was marching on, and we only had about 4 days left of our Schengen time, and two of those were a weekend (when surely they would be closed).

We decided that rather than trying to deal with a government department that was giving us two different answers and wasting time arguing with bureaucrats, we would just leave the Schengen zone before our visa allowance expired.

So we did. A quick trip across the Netherlands to the Hook of Holland and we put the van (and ourselves) on a ferry and arrived in Harwich, England.

After 7 long hours of the crossing, we finally got off the ferry and joined a long queue to get through immigration and into the UK. The immigration guy asked a few questions, commented on our cool kiwi passports, and let us in. Unfortunately they don’t stamp passports anymore, so we only have our entry stamp when we arrived into Frankfurt so far (the Netherlands officials didn’t give us a stamp either .. I must remember to ask next time).

After a short 30 minute drive (back to the left hand side of the road, but with Steve on the wrong side of the car!), we found the carpark of the 16th century pub where we were staying, parked up, and managed to get something to eat despite it being 9pm (they don’t eat late here like they do in the EU). The banter started about 2 minutes after we walked in the door. We stayed two nights as it was Sunday the next day, and the pub does a Sunday roast - we were hanging out for some lamb and beef! The late lunch was awesome, and we had some good laughs and beers with the publican and his family and friends.

The next morning we set off for Scotland to visit friends, and chill for a while to make sure Steve’s ankle is fully healed. We’ll be signing off for a while, but will update you all when we do something worth blogging about. For now it’s catching up with friends, reading, getting a few things sorted on the van, and figuring out where to go next! There are lots of options, including hunting haggis, and we have 3 months to travel about and have a look.

Next stop: Not sure yet … it’ll be somewhere in Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

First up was the surprising roundabout decoration on the way into town. It’s what looks like an old Lockheed Thunderbolt with Belgian markings on it. Interesting.

Next we saw 4 fighter jets flying past us and looked on google maps to see we were near an airforce base - that explains the roundabout decoration. We could hear them in the distance the whole time we were in Dinant.

We found our free park up spot just out of Dinant town (yes, it’s perilously close to Dinan in spelling …. the town in Brittany with the nautical jousting) right next to a recently harvested wheat field. Unfortunately, it seems that the standard operating practice around here after harvesting the wheat and baling the straw, is to spread a mix of manure and hay on the fields to fertilise them. We seemed to have arrived just after the muck spreading, so there was a bit of a pungent aroma at the park-up spot. Oh well, fresh country air must be good for you.

Our parking spot was a few hundred metres from the citadel that overlooks Dinant town. The idea was that we would take the cable car (or possibly the 408 steps) down from the citadel into town for a look around. The best laid plans of mice, however, go often askew (as Robbie Burns might have said if he had actually learned to write in proper English and had read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series of books).

The cable car from the citadel into town was closed for maintenance (it didn’t have any cables at all that we could see) and access to the stairs through the citadel was going to cost €15 each … which, to us, seemed a bit extortionate as this was the standard price including the cable car ride (had it been operational). Bristling with the righteous indignation that only the truly economically-minded traveller (cheap ass tourist) can muster, we decided to take the slightly longer but significantly cheaper (i.e. free) path through the forest, down the hillside and into town.

Dinant, it seems, is rather proud of one of it’s sons, Adolphe Sax (not a popular christian name these days for some reason). Antoine-Joseph Sax (known universally as Adolphe for some reason) was the son of a musical instrument maker to the Royal Court. He worked in his father’s workshop and tinkered with instruments in his spare time. He improved the bass clarinet (his modifications are still used today) and in the early 1840s invented the saxophone, patenting it in 1846 (actually its a range of instruments from the altonino saxophone to the contrabass saxophone - but these days the range is known mostly just as soprano, alto, tenor and baritone sax with the occasional very rare bass sax thrown in if you watch YouTube videos of NY subway buskers).

The town has erected various tributes to young Adolphe and his invention all over town. The house where he was born is a museum dedicated to the saxophone and the bridge over the River Meuse is adorned with many brightly coloured saxophones representing different countries (not sure why). But poor old Adolphe had to fight for his invention, launching several lawsuits for patent infringement over his lifetime and declaring bankruptcy on 3 occasions. Adolphe died in poverty in 1894 in Paris and his grave is at the cemetery at Montmatre.

And speaking of beer … we bimbled across the bridge in search of the almost mythical birthplace of Leffe beer. It’s over the river and up a wee hill.

Next stop: Circling Back.

The archaeological site of Spiennes, recognised by UNESCO in 2000, is one of the oldest and largest flint extraction centres in north-west Europe. The site, which is dotted with thousands of shafts, extends over 100 hectares. It was in operation in the Neolithic period, from 4350 to 2300 BC (in other words, 2000 years of mining and working flint in this area).

There’s also a village nearby that dates back to 4000 BC, where they had domesticated animals for food. The entire site of mines and villages encompasses 100 hectares, beneath which lie thousands of extraction shafts and workshops.

The perfect symmetry of some of the axes made at Spiennes reveals the great skill of the knappers. Thanks to this expertise, the objects produced at the mine were exchanged within a radius of 50 to 150 km.

Economical exchanges expanded as the miners and the communities became increasingly specialised. It was not uncommon in Neolithic Europe for products to spread over very large distances, up to 400 or even 500 km. From around this time, some of them - such as the jadeite axes of the northern Alps - travelled exceptional distances of up to 1,500 km from where they were made.

After an hour or two at this small but interesting museum, we braved more of the Belgian roads to visit the town of Dinant.

Next stop: Dinant, Belgium

After 6 1/2 weeks or so of France, it’s time for us to cross borders and check out a different country … except … well, the different country is Belgium and Belgium really isn’t that different to France at all. They still speak French. They eat similar food (though they do seem to be obsessed with deep fried chips). Their diesel is possibly slightly cheaper … but not much. Their supermarkets are essentially the same. Their roads are very definitely worse! … a LOT worse. They are narrow, rough, full of potholes, patches and bumps and have ragged and crumbling edges.

We knew that the gas supplies were different, so in preparation we returned our French gas bottle just before we crossed the border and switched back to our German gas bottle. We might be able to swap the German bottle in Belgium, but seeing as the German border is not far away, we might just pop across to renew our gas supply. We’re not sure at this stage.

So after some very sobering WWI tourism (but given that Steve’s Great Grandfather was injured on the Somme, returning home with chronic after effects of mustard gas exposure and PTSD, it was obligatory to pay our respects) we crossed the border into Belgium and parked up at an Aire in Tournai.

Tournai, while being a pleasant Belgian town, has no particular special significance other than for it’s Cathedral (hey, they’ve ALL got a flash church), it’s bellfry, and it’s lack of loads of tourists. It was a convenient stopping point, so we decided to have a wander and check it out.

A quick tour of a Belgian town. I wonder what else we’re going to find?

Next stop: Neolithic Flint Mine, Belgium.

So with the new ventilation grille fitted (yay, it was the right size!!) we decided to head off toward Belgium again via Picardy, northern France. Of course, this area is famous (infamous) for the carnage and human misery of static trench warfare in World War I (the Great War … though there was nothing great about it). This area, the Somme valley and then further northeast into Belgium (Ypres, Flanders, Passchendael) are synonymous with the horrors of war.

The Great War Museum is situated in Peronne. It’s supposed to be the best WWI museum (though there are several, and LOTS of monuments and significant sites within this area of countryside). Peronne celebrates the efforts of Australian troops in particular, because they were liberated in WWI from German occupation by Australian troops.

With heightened tensions in the Balkan States, a Serbian extremist (Gavrilo Princip) assassinated Arch-duke Franz Ferdinand, the heir apparent to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (although to be fair, the first attempt - a bomb - failed and it was only when the Arch-Duke demanded to visit those injured by the bomb blast that Princip accidentally found him when the Arch-Duke’s driver was embarrassingly lost on the streets of Sarajevo and stalled the car outside the cafe the failed assassin was standing in front of).

The Austrians were understandably upset by this and demanded that Serbia compensate them. Serbia refused, arguing that it had nothing to do with them, the Austrians got even more uppity, hauling Germany, Italy and Turkey into agreeing to back them up and making even more ridiculous demands of Serbia. Meanwhile Serbia were asking Russia to help defend them against unfair Austro-Hungarian aggression and at this stage Russia had defensive alliances with Britain and France.

Sternly worded letters were being thrown around like confetti and nations were taking the smallest thing to be hugely insulting, with egos pouring fuel on the fire. Within a few months of this diplomatic fustercluck, Europe dissolved into all out conflict. Belgium, trying to stay neutral, decided not to grant Germany permission to enter their lands, a refusal that Germany promptly ignored as they invaded Belgium immediately to start having a go at France. This dragged Belgium into the war, however, as Belgium is apparently a fat-reduced, slightly less effective version of France, this development made absolutely no difference, militarily, to Germany at all.

World War I saw an impressive degree of innovation and technological advance in military equipment and weaponry.

Le Quesnoy Visit.

Just up the road a little bit is the town of Quesnoy. The town is centred around a citadel (designed by the Marquis de Vauban - he keeps cropping up!) and this town was liberated from German occupation during WWI by a division of New Zealand troops. Apparently they scaled the walls of the citadel using ladders, crept into town and successfully engaged and quelled the German troops. We decided that we should find the monument and pay our respects.

There is apparently a Museum in Le Quesnoy that celebrates the NZ contribution to WWI in this area and it’s been created (at least in part) by the Weta Workshop team. We would have loved to visit it, but unfortunately it’s only open about 3 days a week.

Oh well … that’s enough of the WWI history (though there are HEAPS of sites, monuments, museums etc that we could visit). Even just a taste of it shows the horror of trench warfare, and how horrendous it was for civilians and combatants alike. This should be required research for every politician who ever even thinks of suggesting or promoting armed conflict.

Next stop: Tournai, Belgium

An overnight stop in Chartres

Bimbling northward again, with a little bit of time to fill in before we met friends in Rouen, we stopped for a night in Chartres. We parked in a free parking spot just outside the city and wandered into town for a bit of a look around. It was a 40 minute walk along the river, followed by a short climb up the hill to the Cathedral.

Time to wander back along the river to Scappa Van.

Rouen, Capital of Normandy, France

We arrived in Rouen the day before we were due to meet up with our friends, so thought we should have a wander around town to check it out.

Construction of the Gothic cathedral of Rouen began in 1145 on the remains of an early Romanesque building and was completed in around 1247. Subsequently enlarged, it reached its peak between 1468 and 1540 with the completion of the Tour Saint Romain, construction of the Tour de Beurre, complete renovation of the western façade, upgrade and decoration of the choir and, finally, renovation of the Tour Lanterne and the spire, whose wooden framework was then covered in lead. The Rouen Cathedral was said to be one of the most beautiful cathedrals in France (but don’t they all claim that title?).

The spire of 1540, known as ‘the pyramid”, was replaced after the fire of 1822 with the current cast iron spire, 151 metres in height, designed by the architect Alavoine in 1825. Completed in 1876, it was flanked by four copper pinnacles produced by the metalworker Ferdinand Marrou between 1881 and 1884. The Tour Saint Romain, built on a 12th century Romanesque substructure, houses the cathedral’s bells and carillon.

The roofs of the choir and transept, initially covered in lead, were restored in copper (which is why they are now all green) after the fire of 1822.

We decided we’d better find out what all this malarkey about a young French peasant was about, so we went for a visit of the Joan of Arc Museum.

God spoke to her one day in the garden, so she went to talk to the king. He was convinced she was the real deal. He gave her some soldiers and she went about kicking English butt. The English got revenge by putting her through a trial, finding her guilty (of course), and burning her at the stake. A decade later they did a re-trial and found her not guilty, so brought her back to life … nah, just kidding, she’s still dead. It was the ultimate cancel culture to censor her telling the truth that the English were assholes and needed to naff off back to England. They were never punished for what they did - sounds familiar ….

We caught up with our friends, picked up the brand new ventilation grille that they had for us (in exchange for some Medoc and Côte de Bordeaux wine), had drinks and dinner with them and wandered back to Scappa Van.

Next stop: Peronne, France

It’s an iconic race - the 24 Hour Le Mans endurance race. Held in mid-June every year, it literally runs for 24 hours, from midday one day till midday the next. It has been held every year since 1923. The track includes stretches of public roadway which get closed down a matter of hours before the event. The race always starts with the waving of a French flag, more recently delivered by a member of the military via a helicopter. Inside the endurance racing circuit are the Bugatti Circuit, a karting track and a “driver experience” track.

The museum, based at the Le Mans circuit, documents the history of endurance racing and presents a tip of the hat to Indycar, Formula 1, World Rally Championship and motorcycle racing.

Origins of a Legend

The first car race was organised in 1894 by the Automobile Club de France (ACF) on a 127-km stretch of road linking Paris to Rouen. It marked the beginning of motor racing. It was an immediate success and town-to-town races multiplied. The events took place on open roads, traffic being stopped only when crossing towns. But in 1903, the adventure came to an end when the Paris-Madrid race was interrupted in Bordeaux after a series of accidents, one of which cost Marcel Renault his life. The authorities now required that races be held on closed circuits.

The ACF decided to set an example and organise the first French Grand Prix. A call for tenders was sent out to select the venue. Le Mans, birthplace of the first commercially available car, emerged victorious against 16 other bids.

In subsequent years, other towns hosted the French Grand Prix, and it became a peripatetic event. But Le Mans and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) wanted to make the city a new hub for motorsport.

The goal was to create a race held annually in Le Mans.

In 1922, Georges Durand, secretary general of the ACO, went to the Paris Motor Show.

Along with Charles Faroux, editor-in-chief of L’Auto, and Émile Coquille, director of a firm of wheel manufacturers, they came up with a unique race: an endurance event reserved for models in the manufacturers’ catalogue. Lasting 24 hours, its intention was to allow manufacturers to test the reliability and safety of their vehicles, while demonstrating that the motor car was an essential innovation.

This legacy has continued since 1923.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans race extends far beyond the circuit. The event paces the rhythm of the whole city whose centre hosts two highlights of the race week: scrutineering and the parade.

Scrutineering refers to all the technical and administrative checks that cars and crews must undergo to be allowed to start. It has existed since the very first edition in 1923. It ensures that each car complies with the current regulations and that all safety requirements are met.

The very first set of regulations stated in Article 2 that “the cars entered must strictly comply with the description in the sales catalogue in all their specifications”. Today, the specifications are different, but the inspection stations have remained the same. Scrutineering begins with the checking of the weight and dimensions of the vehicle. It continues with the inspection of the underside using a hoist and ends with the inspection of the safety systems: headlights, harnesses, communications and all electronic components. The driver’s clothing may also be checked.

Held in the city over two days, scrutineering is also a rendezvous for the teams and the public. However, checks continue throughout the week, and a competitor can be disqualified up till the day after the event.

Since 1995, La Grande Parade has been held the day before the race in the heart of Le Mans. Drivers in vintage vehicles parade along a route through the city centre. To make this large gathering a success, nearly 500 volunteers, doctors, and security officers are mobilised. Every year, more than 150,000 spectators attend this parade as it’s an opportunity to get close to the heroes of the race.

The Race Start

This large room was a display about the start of the race. They used to do the iconic ‘run across the track and jump in the cars’ start. This Le Mans-style start occasionally led to dangerous behaviour. To save time, some drivers didn’t fasten their harnesses or didn’t close their doors properly. In 1968, Belgian driver Willy Mairesse suffered a serious accident on the first lap, probably due to a door not being properly closed on his Ford GT40.

The following year, another young Belgian decided to protest this ritual. At the starting signal, he walked slowly across the track, buckled up carefully, closed his door, and started last. To everyone’s surprise, he won a thrilling race by just 120 metres. Thus, Jacky Ickx claimed the first of his six victories at Le Mans. His symbolic gesture at the start marked a turning point that led to this procedure being abandoned in 1971 in favour of a rolling start.

The Rolling Start

After an attempt at a standing start in 1970, the 24 Hours of Le Mans adopted a rolling start. Drivers took their places on the grid, strapped into their cars, lined up in two rows in descending order of qualifying times. They set off on the formation lap seven and a half minutes before the actual start behind the “leading car”. The race really began when this vehicle moved aside at the approach to the timing line. The rolling start offers several advantages: it reduces the risk of collisions in the first corner and allows the cars to be unleashed in safer conditions, especially in the rain.

Since 2010, the herringbone start ritual has been revived as a nod to history. On the race director’s signal, the drivers cross the track to their cars. They then have seven minutes to strap in with the help of their mechanics. The cars then line up on the grid according to their qualifying times to prepare for the formation lap.

The Bollée Family

The Bollée family included inventors and pioneers whose work paved the way for the modern motor car. Amédée Bollée witnessed the development of the automobile and built the Obéissante: a 12-seater vehicle, now considered to be the very first steam-powered car. In 1875, he achieved the feat of traveling from Paris to Le Mans, 250 km, which he covered in 18 hours! Other models followed: La Mancelle, a vehicle for 8 people, in 1878, La Nouvelle, one of the first cars with an interior driving position, in 1880, and La Rapide, the first vehicle to reach the threshold of one kilometre travelled in 1 minutes (60km/h).

His children followed in his footsteps. Amédée Jr. carried out research on internal combustion engines and transmission systems. Léon invented numerous calculating tools. In 1896, he marketed the voiturette, a tricycle equipped with pneumatic wheels which he drove to victory in several town-to-town races. The Bollée brand disappeared when the factory closed in 1931.

The Famous Circuit

In the early days, races took place on open roads and were known as «city-to-city» events. However, they quickly proved dangerous, especially when passing through towns, communes and villages.

In 1903, the Automobile Club of France mandated that henceforth all races should be held on a closed circuit. To set an example, the ACF decided to create its own Grand Prix and launched a call for tenders to determine which city would host it. Le Mans won the bid thanks to its automotive history and the pioneering role of the Bollée family.

On June 26 and 27, 1906, the first French Grand Prix was held on the Sarthe circuit, a 103.18 km loop to be lapped 12 times over two days. Conceived as a peripatetic event, the Grand Prix took place on other circuits in subsequent years.

But the people of Le Mans wanted to see this link with the motor car continue. Georges Durand, general secretary of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, then proposed the organisation of an annual race in Le Mans making the city a centre of motor sport in France.

What also makes the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit so famous is that it is largely made up of public roads open to traffic the rest of the year. In the 1920s, the track was sometimes closed only a few minutes before the start. Today, logistics have become more complex.

Despite occasional modifications, mainly for safety reasons, the track remains faithful to its original layout. Today, it measures 13.626 km, including 9 km of departmental roads, making it one of the longest circuits in the world. To be used for the race, the road must be prepared quickly. The ability to transform it into a racetrack in a short space of time is crucial. While the first installations begin a month before the event, the final elements are only installed at the last minute. It takes a little over four hours for the specialised teams to transform the roads into a racetrack. Several hundred people are mobilised to remove street furniture, remove or replace signage, unstick white strips and add new ones, put up guardrails and fences, equip the marshals’ posts, and meticulously clean the asphalt. The kerbs, which appeared in the 1970s, are permanent fixtures.

The circuit’s temporary nature led the ACF to build a permanent track called the Bugatti circuit usable all year round for races and testing. This 4.125 km layout takes in a section of the 24 Hours circuit, notably the pit straight. Until 1965, the entire track was open to the public. Thus, it was possible to drive on it and even on the pit straight. The construction of the Bugatti circuit made it possible to protect this strategic portion, guaranteeing more races and safer use of the permanent facilities. The Bugatti layout now hosts almost 280 days of driving per year.

Racing in the Dark

Darkness is a crucial phase of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in which nighttime driving accounts for a third of the race. Between sunset and sunrise, drivers and their teams must contend with reduced visibility, cooler temperatures and increasing fatigue. With public lighting limited on the circuit, only car headlights and reflective markings allow drivers to find their marks. Traffic management becomes more complex, and any mistake can have serious consequences. Isolated in their cockpits, they dread this special moment as much as they enjoy it. In the early years, without radio communication, the driver was truly alone facing the night.

Today, the professionalisation of the sport has led drivers to adopt specific routines: blueberry cures to improve night vision, massages and reflex exercises upon waking, and the projection of white light to help sharpen vision. In the pits, technical teams double their vigilance to ensure the reliability of the cars and adapt strategies to cope with the evolution of the race. Some crews rely on the night to gain time on their rivals, while the other seek above all to avoid the pitfalls of darkness.

For spectators it’s a unique moment when the lights of the cars pierce the darkness and the atmosphere of the circuit undergoes a radical change. Concerts, funfair, it’s time for the spectacle. But for everyone, only one thing matters: to keep pushing until dawn towards the light and victory.

Equipment and Materials

Materials, textures, colours: everything has evolved on motor racing circuits. From aluminium to carbon fibre, from the thick leather of the first seats to the breathable textile of modern driver suits, each material meets a specific need: speed, performance, safety. Nomex, wood, Kevlar, carbon: behind each choice is the ingenuity of engineers to save a few grams, a few seconds. Each material tells the story of an era, a technological advance, and reminds us that the 24 Hours of Le Mans is much more than just a race: it is a true laboratory of innovation.

Workshop

The museum maintains a full workshop and all the cars are kept maintained and running as per the specifications detailed in their entry paperwork.

Behind the Scenes of the Race

While the spectators’ attention is naturally focused on the track and the pits, the success of the 24 Hours of Le Mans rests, above all, on the participation of all those involved according to a perfectly mastered organisation. No fewer than 8,000 people, a third of whom are volunteers, are mobilised behind the scenes to make this legendary race possible. Track marshals, medical staff, law enforcement, host and hostesses, controllers, firefighters, waiters, entertainers, cooks, cameramen, journalists, all contribute in their own way to offering the 300,000 spectators the best possible experience. For a week, a veritable temporary city is set up at the circuit, welcoming nearly double the population of the city of Le Mans. Everyone present must be housed, fed, welcomed, and entertained.

On the ground, coordination and communication are constant, day and night. Kilometres of cables, tents, parking lots, information points, radios, walkie-talkies, and internal applications are deployed to ensure maximum reactiveness. While cars speed by at 300 km/h, managing human flows, unforeseen weather, traffic, and all the hazards of live broadcasting is a constant challenge. While thousands of people work on the circuit during the 24 Hours of Le Mans week, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest employs a staff of 250 people on a year-round basis.This small team prepares for the event not only over several months, but also over several years so that the show never stops!

Victory

While winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans remains a rare feat, finishing the race without retiring is already a victory. Some editions have proved particularly tough: in 1970, only 7 out of the 51 starters saw the chequered flag. In the early decades, winners received their trophy directly on the track in their car.

Since the 1960s, the ceremony has taken place on a podium above the pit straight. At the end of the race, the marshals open the track, and tens of thousands of spectators flood onto it to see the podium ceremony in a festive atmosphere. For the first time in 24 hours, the three winning drivers are together and the winning car in all its glory is placed beneath the podium for everyone to admire.

Champagne houses have long been associated with motor racing, notably offering a jeroboam to the winners. In 1966, on the podium of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the cork of the bottle accidentally popped spraying the crowd: the “champagne shower” was born. The following year, Dan Gurney deliberately repeated the gesture, inaugurating a tradition that has become emblematic of motor racing victories.

Winning at Le Mans is a victory like no other. Preparations start long before the finish line in the workshops with the engineers hard at work and the rigorous preparation of the drivers. Triumphing at Le Mans means becoming an international reference in endurance racing. For a brand, it demonstrates reliability and technological mastery; for a driver, it’s the culmination of a career; and for the public, it’s sharing the emotion of a human and mechanical feat.

Indy and CanAm Cars

While the museum mostly concentrates on the history of endurance racing and the Le Mans 24 hour race in particular, it does feature a “tip of the hat” to other motor sport genres, including Indycar, CanAm, Formula 1, Paris-Dakkar, rallying and motorcycle racing.

Formula 1 Cars

Possibly the most well known class of racing, and certainly watched by hundreds of millions around the world.

The first race bearing the name “Grand Prix” was organised in Pau in 1901. Originally, this term referred to the prize given to the winner before becoming a term used for a race held on a closed circuit, whether temporary or permanent.

Affer World War II, the sporting regulations were revised. In 1946, it was established that cars entered in Grand Prix races had to meet the criteria of the pre-war “International Formula.” From 1947 onwards, this category became “International Racing Formula No. 1,” abbreviated to Formula 1. At that time, numerous Grands Prix were held across Europe, but they were not unified into a single championship.

In 1950, the FIA established the first World Drivers’ Championship. It brought together six of the most prestigious Grands Prix, all held in Europe, along with the Indianapolis 500 to emphasize the championship’s global scope. This feature remained in place until the creation of the first United States Grand Prix. In 1958, a World Constructors’ Championship was created.

Within the framework of the World Championship, a maximum number of twelve teams can be entered, each one with two drivers. The regulations require each team to be a constructor. While the purchase of certain components, such as engines, gearboxes, or specific parts is permitted, the cars must be designed and assembled by the teams themselves. A Formula 1 team typically employs over 800 people, approximately 70 to 80 of whom travel to each Grand Prix with the cars and equipment. To join the championship, a new team must undergo a lengthy approval process and pay an entry fee. However, it is possible to acquire an existing team and take its place in the championship.

Formula 1 has established itself as the pinnacle of motorsport: media exposure, major sponsorship deals, and the involvement of leading brands have transformed it into a true spectacle. The technological sophistication of cars and drivers, who have become true celebrities, have further enhanced the appeal of the races for the public. Today, Fl transcends the realm of sport: it is an industrial, economic, and cultural force, followed by nearly 850 million viewers worldwide.

World Rally Championship

Heros

A small section was dedicated to the heroes of motorsport.

The year 2002 was an exceptional season for the Micheal Schumacher.

He never failed to finish on the podium in the F2002: eleven wins, five second places and one third place in the seventeen Grand Prix races of the season. His rival Juan Pablo Montoya says: “If Michael has a bad weekend, he’ll finish second. The worst-case scenario for him is third place.” In July, with six races remaining, Schumacher had already secured first place in the world championship. He had 86 points, compared with 32 for Rubens Barrichello, his team-mate, who is second in the provisional standings. No Formula 1 driver had ever managed to secure the title so early in the season. He had thus equalled the record for the number of world titles, set in 1957 by Juan Manuel Fangio. In 2002, Scuderia Ferrari won the Constructors’ Championship with a one-two finish. The German driver won the championship again in 2003, during a season characterised by fierce competition. He celebrated his seventh title in 2004, having won thirteen of the eighteen races in the championship.

The last section of the museum is a model room. Within this room, in clear plastic cases are hundreds of 1:43 scale models of every car that entered the Le Mans 24 hour race, collected and displayed by year. It is completely mind-blowing. The podium finishing cars are displayed on little podiums as well.

The Circuit

After spending a full four hours in the museum, we staggered outside to have a quick look at the Bugatti Circuit.

There were motorcycles testing and/or getting rider experience circulating around the track.