Take a tour of France’s Circuit de Charade

Nestled in the rolling hills of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in central France and built in the shadow of a dormant volcano, the Circuit de Charade has a long and varied history across both four and two wheels.

Our brand-new Legend Driving Tour takes the scenic route to the 2026 Le Mans Classic Legend. Ahead of arrival in Le Mans, the tour will culminate with a racing school experience at this Circuit de Charade – read below to get the low down on this iconic circuit.

Circuit de Charade Profile:

Broke ground – 1957

Location – Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France

Lap length: 3.975 km (2.47 miles)

Born from the volcanoes

The circuit uniquely snakes around the volcanic slopes of the Puy de Dôme, a volcano which has laid inactive for approximately 10,700 years.

After a desire to create an iconic circuit utilising the region’s vast volcanic roads, and with backing from French tyre-supplier Michelin, the Circuit de Charade opened its doors in 1958.

The original 8.055km track featured a gigantic 51 corners and very few straights. With accompanying rollercoaster-like elevation and remarkable natural scenery, the track was coined ‘Little Nürburgring’, a reference capturing both its beauty and danger.

Premier class racing arrives at the Circuit de Charade

The FIM Road Racing World Championship (modern day MotoGP) was a regular visitor to the track after its opening. The Circuit de Charade hosted nine French Grands Prix from 1959 to 1972. Legendary two-wheelers Giacomo Agostini, Mike Hailwood and John Surtees all raced on the circuit during this period.

The Formula 1 circus arrived in 1965 with legendary two-time World Champion Jim Clark winning the inaugural race – Graham Hill and Jackie Stewart completed a remarkable British podium clean sweep. The track would go on to host three further F1 races in 1969, 1970 and 1972, with Stewart (twice) and Jochen Rindt claiming future wins.

Featuring short run-off areas, extremely close spectator zones, and volcanic rocks prone to tumbling onto the track, premier racing series had largely moved to bigger circuits by the mid-1970s amid a growing emphasis on safety.

The Sidecar World Championship, World Sportswear Championship and the French Supertouring Championship are some of the other series to have raced at the circuit in the past.

The circuit today

Faced with these challenges, the Circuit de Charade evolved, and in 1989 a new, shorter and safer 3.975km circuit was opened, incorporating sections of the original track.

This layout remains in use today and preserves the same spirit of the original course. Its 18 corners and 55 meters of elevation change continue to challenge drivers, making it an iconic track where skill, precision and respect for the circuit are still paramount.

Classic Racing School operates the circuit today, offering guests a chance to step back into the 1960s with an immersive experience driving fully restored Formula 3 and Formula Ford cars. Participants in their track day experiences don authentic 1960s race suits, gloves, watches and helmets, all under the expert guidance of professional racing instructors.

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