Racing Circuits

[Julie_and_Dick]

I have found it very difficult to get a clear idea of where I will find motor racing circuits in France, except for the biggies such as Le Mans, Magny-Cours, Paul Ricard etc.
Where are the circuits which hold 'clubbie' meetings?
And does anyone have a clear idea of where the old Rouen GP circuit was, and where the later closed circuit is/was?

And a calendar of meetings would be a real bonus...

Regards,

Dick

[Will]

Not a lot of help Dick, but http://www.fisc-racing.com might help.

Will (50) - no stranger to Brands, Thruxton, Lydden etc but not much of the same here.

[Les]

Hi Dick,

I think that I am right in saying that the circuit at Rouen was or is at Les Essarts. Havn't go a map in front of me at the moment but I remember going there in the late 60s or early 70s.
This was around the time that the Honda team pulled out of F1 following a fatal crash and fire at this circuit.
I could be wrong on some of the details but I am fairly certain that it is at Les Essarts.
Reagarding club meetings. I think that they do exist. About 4 years ago I was on my way to Narbonne to pick up the motorail when I stopped for a coffee in a small town. Sitting outside a bar I could hear the sounds of cars being drinen in earnest. Having a couple of hours to spare I made my was towards the sound and found myself at a very jolly club meeting. It apeared to be the local Lotus 7/Caterham club. Nothing to pay to sit on the terrace in the sun.
It was great.

I will try and work out where it was, somewhere near Toulouse, which is not a lot of use if you live in Manche !

Regards

Les.

[moon]

Dont know where you are in france, but there is a formula 3 circuit near us at La Chatre (Indre 36).

Bob

[Weedon]

There is a small circuit just outside Mayenne on the road to Ernee its on the right as you go through a forest its called Circuit Forget. Sorry I couldn't get the accent to work over the E of Forget.
I went there last season and watched some Rally Cross, its quite a good little circuit and has a variety of different forms of racing I believe.
There is also a Moto Cross track at Ernee at which they held a World Championship round earlier this year.
If I may be allowed a claim to "fame" I once raced? in the same heat as Chris Vincent at Lydden back in the sixties and, he never lapped me. If you don't know, Chris Vincent was one of a very few world class bike-sidecar racers in the sixties who was not able to use a BMW engine as they were only supplied to german racers. Sorry to go on but bike racing is a particular favourite of mine.

[Leschirons]

If you're in the Creuse area at anytime (23) there's a race track just on the outskirts of La Chatre. It appears to do all sorts right down to taking the family Mondeo round a few times.

Keith

[Rw]

We have a house in Puy-de-Dome (63), which is home to the Charade circuit at Clermont Ferrand. According to Stirling Moss, this is the most beautiful race track he ever competed at, anywhere in the world!

Nowadays, there are often club meetings up to F3 held there and there is a racing school.

I have worked in F1 since 1988 (and still do) but I am leaving for my new French life at the end of this year, so I won't have to go too far to see some motor sport!

We also have a round of the International ice racing Andros Trophy at Super Besse each Jan or Feb and there is a round of the hillclimb championships on the spectacular Mont Dore course each summer.

If you ever need a 'fix', we are opening a B & B later this year and all of these circuits are within easy reach. Once our web site is fully up and running, I hope to have a local motorsport section on it.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

RW www.french-bedandbreakfast.com