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From 1926 to 1966, the racetrack was one of the most important and well-known motorsport circuits in France. The route consisted of a triangular course on public roads. Among other things, eleven Formula 1 races for the Grand Prix of the Automobile Club de France were held on it, further Formula 1 and Formula 2 races, numerous sports car races and two races for the motorcycle world championship.
On July 25, 1926, a 7.826 km long triangular course was opened, which was to be traveled clockwise.
Until 1937, Marne Grand Prix races in various racing car categories took place here every year. From 1932 to 1966 there were (with interruptions) 16 rounds of the French Grand Prix, including the first French round of the newly established World Automobile Championship in 1950. Between 1952 and 1969, Formula 1, Formula 2 sports cars and, most recently, Formula 3 races were also contested at the Grand Prix. In 1946 the track was renovated for around 12 million francs. Most of it was used to repair war damage. In 1952/53 there was a fundamental conversion with a new route. The now 8.301 km long Circuit de Compétition offered a straight over two kilometers long, which further increased the already high average speeds. In addition, a little more than seven kilometers long course with a part of the old route was used as the Circuit Permanent d'Essais for test drives and smaller racing events.
From the start, the course was one of the three fastest in Europe; along with the first track versions of Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. The races were characterized by extensive slipstream duels followed by braking maneuvers before the hairpin bends. Here engine power and death courage of the drivers were demanded. These duels often ended in serious accidents. On June 30, 1956, the day before the Formula 1 Grand Prix, France's most famous racing driver at the time, Annie Bousquet, died. The accident curve was later named after her.
At the 1954 Formula 1 Grand Prix, the eventual winner of the race, Juan Manuel Fangio, achieved a premiere at the debut of the new streamlined Mercedes-Benz W196 during the practice runs: for the first time in Formula 1, an average speed of just over reached 200 km/h. The official lap record (only racing laps count here) is 2:10.5 min (average 229.013 km/h) set by Paul Hawkins. This made the circuit, next to Monza in Italy, the fastest in Europe even after more than four decades.
The high speeds and the extensive safety equipment increasingly demanded by the drivers would have required considerable modifications and investments. However, these would hardly have been refinanced with a non-permanent race track. The operator could not bear this risk alone and financial aid from the public sector could not be enforced politically. From 1970 the track was therefore no longer used for car races. On June 11, 1972, national motorcycle races were held as the last event. After that, the course was officially closed.
Parts of the pit facilities, grandstands and scoreboards can still be seen – in various stages of disrepair – from the public, and therefore easy to follow, route of the former race track. An association is currently trying to preserve or restore some of these historical witnesses; July 2005 saw a partial 'revival' of the track for the first time on the newly renovated road for a historic racing car event. At the end of 2005, Jacques Jacquet's plans were announced to build a new, permanent course in 2008 based on a design by Henri Pescarolo on the fields behind the grandstands and pit facilities built in 1960. Some of the old systems could then be used again. A corresponding agreement between the municipality and Jacquet has already been signed. Apparently, however, these plans are on the verge of failure because a landowner refuses to sell his land. In July 2006, a meeting of classic sports cars with a "12-hour race" took place in the region, which, however, was only allowed to be driven at an average speed of 50 km/h. In September 2007, after some conversion and renovation work, the first meeting of historic racing vehicles with an exhibition and demonstration drives took place on the site of the old circuit.
The preserved structures of the race track were protected in 2009 as a monument historique.
On July 25, 1926, a 7.826 km long triangular course was opened, which was to be traveled clockwise.
Until 1937, Marne Grand Prix races in various racing car categories took place here every year. From 1932 to 1966 there were (with interruptions) 16 rounds of the French Grand Prix, including the first French round of the newly established World Automobile Championship in 1950. Between 1952 and 1969, Formula 1, Formula 2 sports cars and, most recently, Formula 3 races were also contested at the Grand Prix. In 1946 the track was renovated for around 12 million francs. Most of it was used to repair war damage. In 1952/53 there was a fundamental conversion with a new route. The now 8.301 km long Circuit de Compétition offered a straight over two kilometers long, which further increased the already high average speeds. In addition, a little more than seven kilometers long course with a part of the old route was used as the Circuit Permanent d'Essais for test drives and smaller racing events.
From the start, the course was one of the three fastest in Europe; along with the first track versions of Spa-Francorchamps and Monza. The races were characterized by extensive slipstream duels followed by braking maneuvers before the hairpin bends. Here engine power and death courage of the drivers were demanded. These duels often ended in serious accidents. On June 30, 1956, the day before the Formula 1 Grand Prix, France's most famous racing driver at the time, Annie Bousquet, died. The accident curve was later named after her.
At the 1954 Formula 1 Grand Prix, the eventual winner of the race, Juan Manuel Fangio, achieved a premiere at the debut of the new streamlined Mercedes-Benz W196 during the practice runs: for the first time in Formula 1, an average speed of just over reached 200 km/h. The official lap record (only racing laps count here) is 2:10.5 min (average 229.013 km/h) set by Paul Hawkins. This made the circuit, next to Monza in Italy, the fastest in Europe even after more than four decades.
The high speeds and the extensive safety equipment increasingly demanded by the drivers would have required considerable modifications and investments. However, these would hardly have been refinanced with a non-permanent race track. The operator could not bear this risk alone and financial aid from the public sector could not be enforced politically. From 1970 the track was therefore no longer used for car races. On June 11, 1972, national motorcycle races were held as the last event. After that, the course was officially closed.
Parts of the pit facilities, grandstands and scoreboards can still be seen – in various stages of disrepair – from the public, and therefore easy to follow, route of the former race track. An association is currently trying to preserve or restore some of these historical witnesses; July 2005 saw a partial 'revival' of the track for the first time on the newly renovated road for a historic racing car event. At the end of 2005, Jacques Jacquet's plans were announced to build a new, permanent course in 2008 based on a design by Henri Pescarolo on the fields behind the grandstands and pit facilities built in 1960. Some of the old systems could then be used again. A corresponding agreement between the municipality and Jacquet has already been signed. Apparently, however, these plans are on the verge of failure because a landowner refuses to sell his land. In July 2006, a meeting of classic sports cars with a "12-hour race" took place in the region, which, however, was only allowed to be driven at an average speed of 50 km/h. In September 2007, after some conversion and renovation work, the first meeting of historic racing vehicles with an exhibition and demonstration drives took place on the site of the old circuit.
The preserved structures of the race track were protected in 2009 as a monument historique.
