Audi Canada flew a small group of Canadian editors to France to experience the sights and sounds of the world's most grueling sports car race – the 90^th anniversary edition/81^st running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – in the small French town of its namesake. We leave Toronto's Person airport at 5 P.M. on the eve before the race (Friday) and change planes in Montreal, arriving at Charles de Gaule airport just outside of Paris around 8 A.M. the next morning. After a two-hour train ride and short shuttle, we arrive at Audi's trackside hotel three hours before the start of the race.

This amazing temporary structure houses its many guests – hundreds of them – all under one big roof in very small but functional rooms that are more or less designed for napping rather than all-out relaxation and vacationing. I would liken it to a tiny trade show booth with thin plastic walls, a single light and no electrical outlet. There is a single bed, a small table and a lone chair that affirm its dorm-like atmosphere; and, some Audi schwag including a jacket, hat, bath robe, shaving kit, flip flops and more. We were told to pack light, and it's easy to see why.

Don't be mistaken, these are simply the best accommodations around as the big posh hotels and luxurious chateaus are all hours from the track, and the rest of the rooms in and around the small French town of 30,000 are at capacity. Even the Audi big-wigs stay here, save for the ultra-elite execs and board members. Why? Location, location, location! In fact, the track entrance and main straightaway is less than a kilometre away, and well within view (and earshot). But, before heading out there with a few of my colleagues, a refreshing shower in the communal bathroom is in order.

“This is glamping,” says Rod Cleaver of YorkTime.com, and I couldn't agree more. Many of the more than 350,000 spectators at this year's race are staying in one of the many on-site campgrounds. It's said that more than 120,000 Brits alone make the annual pilgrimage through the “Chunnel” to watch some of the best racing on the planet. The Danes come out in force too, proud of the fact one of their own is one of the favourites. If you're not staying near or at the track, you are playing the real-life version of Frogger as the town's population swells to close to a half million people during the big event, and traffic on the grounds gets very heavy through the evening hours.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is Audi's big ticket event of the year. It is the one that Audi invests the most time, money and resources into year each year. And why not? It has won the 11 out of its last 13 starts here at the 13.6-km Circuit de la Sarthe, and is the reigning LMP1 class champion. Just like its R18 e-tron quattro prototype race cars, Audi's hospitality is second to none with no fewer than eight hospitality suites its guests can access on foot or via countless A8L W12 sedans and VW Transporter shuttles

Upon arrival at the track, a few of us ascend a spiral staircase to access the Audi Racing Club where we'll watch the end of the opening ceremonies and race start. This two-level, indoor-outdoor suite sits high above the front straightaway and boasts world-class views of the pits, the Michelin ranking tower, the Dunlop Curve as well as the whole section from Maison Blanche through the Ford Chicane as well as the front straight. Of course, there are food and drink stations serving up an assortment of good eats and fine spirits. Bean bag chairs, contemporary sofas, high boys and dinner tables are available on a first-come first-serve basis – this is the perfect place to watch the start and finish of the race.

With the race underway, a colleague and I spent the next several hours wandering around the paddock and sticking our heads into various hospitality suites, including AF Corse and SRT Motorsports where I find team boss and brand CEO, Ralph Gilles, and Beth Paretta, SRT's director of motorsports, and Tommy Kendall, driver of the No. 93 Pennzoil Ultra SRT Viper GTS-R. They're all in good spirits and just plain happy to be here at Le Mans in the Viper's return to the top-level of sports car racing.