It is one of the most mythical spots at the 24 Hours circuit. The Auberge des Hunaudières or otherwise fondly known as Chez Génissel has stood at the edge of the fastest national road in the world, the Mulsanne Straight, since the early 20th century! The story began in 1927 when François and Denise Génissel took over the inn. Their son Maurice eventually came on board and ran the establishment until 1998 when he retired at the age of 81.

Pre-WWII, the inn was, according to former Bugatti circuit director Hervé Guyomard, "the unofficial driver headquarters. They'd meet there on free practice nights and tell a bunch of lies! Each driver was trying to trick his rivals by saying he had done such a lap time when it was wrong. I was even told they'd practice refuellings on the terrace, and petrol went everywhere!" Every week, Guyomard would join the ACO president for a meal: "It was the president's canteen! There was even a private dining room. We ate well at the inn, it was a feast!"

Champagne or cognac?

Naturally, drivers continued to frequent the inn after the war. On the Friday before the race in 1949, the year the 24 Hours resumed, an anecdote for the ages took place. That year's winner Luigi Chinetti purposely got his teammate drunk on the inn's terrace so he couldn't drive in the race the next day. Guyomard: "He thought he was driving badly and was afraid he would break the rather fragile car." Mission more or less accomplished, the Brit only drove one hour 12 minutes during the race!

Over the years, a number of drivers adopted the inn as their headquarters, among them 1927 winner Sammy Davis, Maurice Trintignant and Jacky Ickx. They would also gather for the post-race dinner, including the winners (namely during the Matra years), when they'd enjoy fantastic evenings "with Champagne galore!"

The establishment welcomes everyone from teams to fans. Jean-Marc Teissèdre, creator of the 24 Hours yearbook and former journalist with "AUTOhebdo" magazine, first became a patron in 1972: "I was taken to Génissel's place to eat strawberries in the middle of the night. You could hear the roar of the Matra V12 from the Tertre Rouge to reacceleration exiting the Mulsanne corner, it was phenomenal."

Maurice Genissel | At the heart of passion for Le Mans

The Auberge des Hunaudières is such a special meeting place for competitors and spectators at the 24 Hours thanks not only to its one-of-a-kind location, but also to the personality of its owner. Maurice was such a diehard fan that he would keep his window open at night to record the sounds of the cars. One year, he discovered with horror that his daughter Isabelle had recorded over his tape with Claude François songs! "He lived for the 24 Hours of Le Mans," confirms Guyomard.

In 2007, the Auberge des Hunaudières was bought by Dominique and Nathalie Trotté, themselves great motorsport and gastronomy enthusiasts. Though less frequented by the racing world, the inn remains a legendary place for countless fans of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

PHOTOS (Copyright - ACO/Archives): LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 1982-2010 24 HOURS OF LE MANS. From top to bottom: nearly three decades separate these two photos showing Génissel's inn and the lack of changes made to one of the fastest stretches of the circuit.