Trip to France, inc. track day

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ricky s

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Hi,
I have already run this through a few people I know here, but just throwing this out there for interest.
There are now 8 people, 5 from this forum going out on Sunday September the 13th, via the tunnel and a long leisurely cruise down to an English owned hotel on the borders of Bordeaux and cognac, most are there for 4 nights, and most departing back for home on Thursday morning of the 17th. This is very much a social trip, good banter, fine eating, drinking and visiting local sites trip, this is not my party, but I have been invited along, with between the itinerary of timed things, lots of visiting out to local sites, but on the Tuesday 15th, we have already paid and secured the circuit de haute solely for our use, link below
Circuit de Haute Saintonge | Track Reviewers
The cars going within our group, Porsche 911, Jaguar Xf, BMW 335, 2 xSL55, CLK63 BS, E55 or CLS55, E55 or SLK55, not sure on the other cars identity. We then return to the same circuit on the afternoon of Wednesday 16th for a full on karting competition on their 1.5KM kart circuit.
As you can see the track will be very much under used, especially on the Tuesday, a couple of the guys going, never tracked before, so lots of room to experiment, and take your time playing out there.
Anyone with any interest to this trip, get in touch, be thinking of around the £1400-1500 cost, inc: return tunnel trip, hotel, food, drink, trackday, karting afternoon and we estimate £500 of fuel within that cost.

I would add this is not a trip to upset the local gendarmerie en route, or smash and crash our cars on track, we all want to be driving home in our pride and joys afterwards.

4 of the guys going went on this trip last year, they spent £1400, with no karting, and the Euro is now very good for us at the moment, so maybe a few £s savings to be had over my quoted figures.

We are all happy to go with our established group of 8 no, its all already paid for, but bringing a couple of extra people onboard, will 1. help lessen the cost to us, and 2. also make sure the track gets a little more used, and 3 hopefully a little more evening banter.

Should anyone be interested, please get back to me.

Regards

R
 
Hi Ricky,

Thanks for posting this, I would add that the upfront outlay for the track, karting and accommodation is circa £600-700 and getting cheaper by the day with the exchange rate.

I never really factor costs for fuel, food and drink, just sun lotion!

S
 
Hi S. how are you mate..? I look forward to your return if it happens,;)
Yes I take your point here, but always difficult to know how to front up all of the potential costs on these type of jolly's out, its either one way or the other. I recall the AMG trip we went on, a full on 3 days, but with hindsight, we all would have preferred another day there, the cost would have then risen, and would we have made that trip sold as 4 days..? We did the 3 days, it was a great trip, enjoyed especially by myself, and hopefully you other guys with the group, albeit, I did spend a lot of the time traveling on my own!!!, got lost again, LOL, and the weather on the return leg was horrendous, totally bad timing, but out of our control, but think we all really enjoyed that trip.
Hoping for better weather in France, and some sight seeing en route, fun on the track and then in the restaurants and bar!

Kind regards
R
 
Just thought I would 'bump' this tread, really a little disappointing that the hard core, 'want to be out there doing something' guys, have not seen to respond here. :cool: Along with the committed 8 no. going, there is another pondering on business commitments, so maybe a 9th, the tunnel from an enquiry yesterday, still has a few spaces available on our train out, and the hotel whilst currently geared for individual rooms, of which one is available, can alter and accommodated twin rooms, allowing further people.
This is a 4 night trip into the Cognac region of France, site seeing, great food and wine, great company, no ego busting public road maniac driving people going here, hopefully, the region will have warm dry weather, today 38 degrees, a 500m cruise down and back through the sites of France, then a whole track to ourselves, for a track day on the Tuesday and then the Wednesday afternoon karting completion, great food in between things, fast driving, cruising, great petrol head company, can it get any better, come on guys was hoping for a 10-12 no. group. ;)
 
Hi Ricky,

I fine thanks, hope you are doing likewise.

My tip for those going would be to get a toll tag for the motorways if you intend to use them.

I was in France last week and queues at the tolls were rather big, the tag lanes typically only require you to slow to 30kph and can save a lot of time when confronted with the Dutch in their caravans!

I also need to start lifting some dumbbells to prep me for the karting

S
 
Hi Ricky,

I fine thanks, hope you are doing likewise.

My tip for those going would be to get a toll tag for the motorways if you intend to use them.

I was in France last week and queues at the tolls were rather big, the tag lanes typically only require you to slow to 30kph and can save a lot of time when confronted with the Dutch in their caravans!

I also need to start lifting some dumbbells to prep me for the karting

S

Hi Simon, yes OK mate, just a little busy with work, but home early today, so have a lazy afternoon mate.
Surely the Dutch caravaners must be watching the Tour De France..? but will mention the 'toll tag' to Jet and Colin, good heads up.

Working out!!!! I was really hoping not to come last in the karting, albeit given me previous history on events, I will probably get lost, perhaps its the local beef you up centre for me now, ugh!!
 
ricky s said:
Just thought I would 'bump' this tread, really a little disappointing that the hard core, 'want to be out there doing something' guys, have not seen to respond here. :cool: Along with the committed 8 no. going, there is another pondering on business commitments, so maybe a 9th, the tunnel from an enquiry yesterday, still has a few spaces available on our train out, and the hotel whilst currently geared for individual rooms, of which one is available, can alter and accommodated twin rooms, allowing further people. This is a 4 night trip into the Cognac region of France, site seeing, great food and wine, great company, no ego busting public road maniac driving people going here, hopefully, the region will have warm dry weather, today 38 degrees, a 500m cruise down and back through the sites of France, then a whole track to ourselves, for a track day on the Tuesday and then the Wednesday afternoon karting completion, great food in between things, fast driving, cruising, great petrol head company, can it get any better, come on guys was hoping for a 10-12 no. group. ;)

No traveling that week mate but picking my new car up on the 16th so it doesn't work for me. If I could guarantee my car the week before that would be a great trip to run it in.

Have a good one.
justin
 
is the new car an AMG GT/S?
 
might be! or is !, would be my next conclusion!, nice car what ever, LOL,

Be good to see you guys some time shortly on some sort of event:thumb:
 
Sold the 55 Ricky?

No mate, the car is simply sitting on my drive currently unused, its came back from West tuning 10 days back, and whilst I have not given it the hard sell, I wanted to sell a few parts off it first, my no plate firstly, (no interest to date) then my prime Brabus brake kit, however this brake kit has turned into a saga, they were sent out to rebuild and repaint, but new parts are needed and Alcon could not supply a lot of those parts, so these missing parts are bespokely being machined and remade, dreading the bill! LOL. Lots of people interested in bits and pieces of my car, however that's not where I am at for the moment, if the French trip date arrives, I will have the car reassembled and go in my 55, if not wifey's SLK 55 will be called upon. Shame some of you AMG trip boys are not up for this French trip, more so as most of the guys know each other.

Regards R
 
Hi Ricky

Just can't plan as yet due to work etc. I had to cancel on the AMG Tour which I initially started.

I'm sure you'll have a great time with whichever car and whomever you go with

Enjoy and hopefully see you at MSL Dyno Day 9th August :)
 
colour and spec please :)

Brilliant blue
Black forged alloys
Night pack
Premuim pack
Drivers pack
Diamond black pack
Performance seats
Pearl and black nappa leather
 

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looking forward to seeing it at Bluewater :)
 

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