by "f86sabre" (f86sabre)
Published 05/16/2017 at 21:55
by "f86sabre" (f86sabre)
Published 05/16/2017 at 21:55
Tags: travel
; le mans
; paris airshow
STARS: 0
I have a first world problem. I have training in Toulouse, France the week before Le Mans. Now Toulouse is near the Spanish boarder and Le Mans is 90 minutes out of Paris by train. The Paris Airshow starts the Monday after Le Mans. Nominally, I would take the train from Toulouse direct to Le Mans, watch the race and head to Paris for the airshow. Problem is, I will have a week’s worth of work cloths, laptop, assuming I can travel with it, and other crap that I don’t want to lug round. I’m kind of thinking the smart money is to go up to Paris, get a hotel for Saturday-Monday night, go down to Le Mans on an early train Sunday and hang for the finish of the race. Take the train back up Sunday evening and do the airshow. I don’t get to see all the race, but I get to see a good bit of it. I would have to pay for a hotel room I’m not going to use though.
Anyone have a better plan?
"Viggen" (viggen37)
05/16/2017 at 21:57, STARS: 0
Skip the trade show, go to the most important race in the world. And I say that as an aviation fanatic.
"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
05/16/2017 at 22:01, STARS: 1
Plan 1: Pay a hotel bellhop €50 to hold your bags
Plan 2: Go to Paris and leave bag with employer
Plan 3: Realize that only robots work with Airbuses now and just go to the race.
"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
05/16/2017 at 22:02, STARS: 0
You miss understand. I’m going to do both. I have to do the weeks worth of training before the race. No getting around that, and I get to play with the A350, so bonus, but I need to figure out how to get from Toulouse, to Le Mans, to Paris with all my crap and not have to lug said crap around the race.
"barnie" (tlanarch)
05/16/2017 at 22:08, STARS: 2
Train, bus and plane terminals have storage lockers. Store yer stuff there, go to each venue. Tote yer stuff only between transportation stations. No need for a hotel room; just a tiny locker.
And I envy you this trip. Enjoy!
"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
05/16/2017 at 22:08, STARS: 0
1. Bellhop is an option. I pondered if I could find a hotel around Le Mans that would hold them.
2. Not sure if my employer would let me drop my bags, but I might be able to swing something with the line maintenance manager.
3. I’m kind of interested in the training. When one breaks and the French give us an unconcerned shrug my leadership is going to be looking at my team to help figure it out.
"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
05/16/2017 at 22:10, STARS: 1
Good point. Most US airports and stations have done away with lockers because of the terrorist threat, but we used them in Zurich a couple of months ago.
"Jcarr" (jcarr)
05/16/2017 at 22:32, STARS: 0
Watch out for falling MiG-29s.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
05/17/2017 at 00:26, STARS: 1
Better plan: give me all of your tickets and stay home. I’ll take good notes.
"Clemsie McKenzie" (thestirringcolumn)
05/17/2017 at 03:26, STARS: 1
Ok, so first of all please understand that this is in no way a promise, as I have no guarantee whatsoever that things will go according to that plan.
If I come to Le Mans for the full weekend (I might only do Sunday for thesis completion reasons), I will come by car and then either meet with my dad at the hotel he sleeps at for the night or go sleep at my grandparents’ who live at Tours, a bit more than an hour from Le Mans.
In both of these cases, I might be able to take your stuff and, worst case scenario, store it in my car for the night. Best case scenario I take everything to my grandparents’ and back.
That would probably require you to meet me in Arnage, where I park my car, to drop off then pick up your stuff, and that involves a fair bit of walking from the track.
And again, no guarantees on all that. I will know with more certainety early June, so if you still need it, you can shoot me an email at c.raoulrea [at] gmail.com, and I’ll be very happy to do what I can for you!
Worst case scenario, we still get to drink a beer on Sunday!
"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
05/17/2017 at 06:21, STARS: 0
I appreciate the consideration! I will Lee your kind offer in mind. I am also pondering the idea of sending some of my stuff home with coworkers and lightening the load considerably.
"Clemsie McKenzie" (thestirringcolumn)
05/17/2017 at 09:45, STARS: 0
Do you plan to come on Sunday only? That would actually make things easier, I’m pretty sure I’ll be at least Sunday so you’d just have to drop your things at my car in the morning and pick them up again at the end of the race. Keeping in mind that Arnage is a fair bit of walking from the track itself, though.
"f86sabre" (f86sabre)
05/17/2017 at 09:55, STARS: 0
That is a potential plan. If I do just come Sunday I would get a hotel in Paris and leave my stuff there and train down early in the morning. That is probably the easiest solution.