Forced Last Minute Plans for France

[Saesneg Shaun]

Good people of the Forum.

Due to the total ineptidute of UPS our tickets for the LeMans MotoGP this Thursday 12th May have been lost so we can't go .
I'm gutted and apart from being 400 euros down i'm now at a loose end as we have the Eurotunnel booked for Thursday to Monday.
Any recommendations of where to go within2-3 hours of Calais? something picturesque to take the sting out of missing the race would be nice.

 

[owen_h]

How about the Champagne region around Epernay? (3 hrs according to Google)
This place was used as a club meet many years ago. I never went on the meet but did stay there independently for a couple of nights.

Staying at the estate – Champagne Nowack

Frédéric, comme beaucoup de passionnés est un collectionneur. Il chine des coupes et des flûtes à Champagne. Il y perçoit le dernier lien avec ses amateurs, le support de ses champagnes. Aidé de Corinne son épouse, précurseur de l’œnotourisme ils ouvrent en 1985 un espace d’accueil dans la...

www.champagne-nowack.com

 

[Mehdime]

Good people of the Forum.

Due to the total ineptidute of UPS our tickets for the LeMans MotoGP this Thursday 12th May have been lost so we can't go .
I'm gutted and apart from being 400 euros down i'm now at a loose end as we have the Eurotunnel booked for Thursday to Monday.
Any recommendations of where to go within2-3 hours of Calais? something picturesque to take the sting out of missing the race would be nice.

Really sorry to hear this. I might be stating the obvious here but have you contacted the organisers about this? Their website mentions that you can print your tickets at home by logging in to your account: https://www.gpfrancemoto.com/fr/faq

If that doesn't work or is not possible for you for any reason, I would hope they'd let you pickup your tickets on-site with proof of ID.

 

[Saesneg Shaun]

Really sorry to hear this. I might be stating the obvious here but have you contacted the organisers about this? Their website mentions that you can print your tickets at home by logging in to your account: https://www.gpfrancemoto.com/fr/faq

If that doesn't work or is not possible for you for any reason, I would hope they'd let you pickup your tickets on-site with proof of ID.

Thanks but these were bought from www.global-tickets.com who are now uncontactable. They don't respond to emails and their phone number is a dead end so not looking good.
Tickets only sent on the 3/5/22 then lost by UPS on the 5/5/22, pretty crap experience to be honest.

 

[Jay586]

Did you pay with a credit card? Look at making a claim with your s.75 statutory protection.

Ditto PayPal, tho obv not statutory.

 

[Saesneg Shaun]

Did you pay with a credit card? Look at making a claim with your s.75 statutory protection.

Ditto PayPal, tho obv not statutory.

Going to have to check on that as we had tickets for the 2020 race that was covid postponed and rebooked for 2022. It was paid by CC though. Is there a time linit on claims?

 

[Jay586]

Going to have to check on that as we had tickets for the 2020 race that was covid postponed and rebooked for 2022. It was paid by CC though. Is there a time linit on claims?

Don't know. Barclaycard have a very good s.75 claim FAQ, for example, so I think it would be easy to find out. MSE link added below.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/section75-protect-your-purchases/

 

[Ozzy Pete]

Going to have to check on that as we had tickets for the 2020 race that was covid postponed and rebooked for 2022. It was paid by CC though. Is there a time linit on claims?

There is a time limit I’m afraid of 120 days.

 

[Jay586]

But it's from when the problem occurred, which is now...that's what I'd argue anyway.

 

[Mr T]

Gutted for you @Saesneg Shaun so frustrating.
Hope you can enjoy an alternative trip, sorry I have no recommendations, but sometimes the unplanned trips can turn out to be the best.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

But it's from when the problem occurred, which is now...that's what I'd argue anyway.

120 days from the date of original purchase. But UPS should have some form of compensation scheme. But probably would be the actual sender that is covered. What about holiday insurance?

 

[Wrongford]

Good people of the Forum.

Due to the total ineptidute of UPS our tickets for the LeMans MotoGP this Thursday 12th May have been lost so we can't go .
I'm gutted and apart from being 400 euros down i'm now at a loose end as we have the Eurotunnel booked for Thursday to Monday.
Any recommendations of where to go within2-3 hours of Calais? something picturesque to take the sting out of missing the race would be nice.

How about Spa, Arden, Eiffel Region? Picturesque and lots of WW2/ battle of the bulge stuff to find.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Dinan, St Malo and Mount Saint Michael’s. Really nice places…

 

[The Pox]

How about Rouen, Honfleur (really nice), Caen and a bit further Bayeux - all well worth a visit...

 

[Saesneg Shaun]

Thanks for the suggestions all.
We are thinking of a road trip along the north coast toward St Malo and back. Maybe going south a bit if time allows.
Not going anywhere near LeMans!

Any recommended camp sites along our route?

 

[drdaveboycali]

id still go and pay general admission at the gate cant miss that , i went few year back on a bike and it was epic stayed at hotel oasis around 15 miles out of le mans , even had decent weather

 

[Saesneg Shaun]

id still go and pay general admission at the gate cant miss that , i went few year back on a bike and it was epic stayed at hotel oasis around 15 miles out of le mans , even had decent weather

Trouble is we had grandstand tickets which gave us access to the more civilised camping. No way would I want to put my van into the blue or haux sites.

Done a few MotoGP races around Europe before but would have been our first LeMans.

 

[drdaveboycali]

Trouble is we had grandstand tickets which gave us access to the more civilised camping. No way would I want to put my van into the blue or haux sites.

Done a few MotoGP races around Europe before but would have been our first LeMans.

yeah get that about the camping can be mad as hell in them , ive done assen and aragon as well , like to start doing more again but going to silverstone

 

[kp64zl]

The museum of the Somme in Albert is worth a visit. Lochnagar crater nearby also worth seeing.

 

[Ozzy Pete]

yeah get that about the camping can be mad as hell in them , ive done assen and aragon as well , like to start doing more again but going to silverstone

The only problem with GPs and moto GPs is not the cost of admission although that can be quite expensive, it’s where to stay within a 40 mile radius of the event. Le Mans can be an absolute nightmare for hotels and campsites unless you book a year in advance. We went to the 2018 and 2019 moto GPs in Aragon and the only campsites available were Over 40 miles away. That wasn’t so bad it was the 20 mile queue of traffic in and out plus the road closures within a 25 mile radius. If your not in a hurry then maybe a 4 - 5 hour wait for traffic to ease and roads to re open again. But saying all that it’s an experience of a lifetime. And if your over 65 absolutely free.

 

[Saesneg Shaun]

The only problem with GPs and moto GPs is not the cost of admission although that can be quite expensive, it’s where to stay within a 40 mile radius of the event. Le Mans can be an absolute nightmare for hotels and campsites unless you book a year in advance. We went to the 2018 and 2019 moto GPs in Aragon and the only campsites available were Over 40 miles away. That wasn’t so bad it was the 20 mile queue of traffic in and out plus the road closures within a 25 mile radius. If your not in a hurry then maybe a 4 - 5 hour wait for traffic to ease and roads to re open again. But saying all that it’s an experience of a lifetime. And if your over 65 absolutely free.

That was the point of booking a grandstand. It gave us access to free camping in the Expo centre. General access only have access to the blue or haux sites which I understand can be carnage.

We have had a mixed bag in the past. Catalunia, Jerez and Silverstone were reasonably civilised. Mugello was nuts. Those were camping in tents. LeMans blue site reputation is legendary.

As an update today Global Tickets have said they will arrange for us to collect replacement tickets at the track so all may not be lost. Fingers crossed

 

[Ozzy Pete]

That was the point of booking a grandstand. It gave us access to free camping in the Expo centre. General access only have access to the blue or haux sites which I understand can be carnage.

We have had a mixed bag in the past. Catalunia, Jerez and Silverstone were reasonably civilised. Mugello was nuts. Those were camping in tents. LeMans blue site reputation is legendary.

As an update today Global Tickets have said they will arrange for us to collect replacement tickets at the track so all may not be lost. Fingers crossed

Looks like all is not lost. Take plenty of € you will need them......

 

[Saesneg Shaun]

We arrived yesterday and no tickets waiting. After a night wild camping in Le Mans Airport carpark we got them this morning.
Managed to squeeze into centre de expositions campsite.

 

[Virg]

Great to hear you made it in the end!

 

[G3WRT]

yeah get that about the camping can be mad as hell in them , ive done assen and aragon as well , like to start doing more again but going to silverstone

I do not understand the blue and x sites what does this mean? too close or what? regards.