The History
The circuit of Reims-Gueux is a reminder of a past era.
This fast street circuit near the Northern French city of Reims was once the stage of the French Grand Prix. Today, the pit building and the grandstands of the abandoned Circuit de Reims-Gueux are still along the public road as a motorsport monument and a reminder of a past era...
The circuit of Reims-Gueux was used for the first time in 1926 for the "Grand Prix de Marne". For this event they closed the public road and three roads formed the famous triangle shape.
Later that year the "12 Heures du Reims-Gueux" (12 Hours of Reims Gueux) was held for the very first time. Between 1950 and 1966 the French Grand Prix was held eleven times at Circuit de Reims-Gueux.
The fast triangle shaped circuit contained two long straights and a more twisty part. Originally a part of the circuit was going through the village of Gueux. Later a new version was used where the circuit turned right just before the village.
The long straights were a test for the engines but the twisty part with some very fast sweeping corners and elevation was a real challenge for the drivers. This combination made the circuit very popular. For his time Reims-Gueux had the best facilities! A big landmark was the huge score-board which could turn so that everybody on the grandstands could see it.
Reims-Gueux was very popular by the drivers and public. In spite of that Formula 1 bosses decided after the 1966 Grand Prix to move the French Grand Prix to another circuit because of the high cost of the organisation at this street circuit. Until 1972 the circuit was used for national races but on June the 11th 1972 the very last race was held there.
The major gave the order to start the demolition from all the circuit facilities immediately after the race! Fortunately for the circuit there where elections that year. A new major came and stopped the demolition! But a part of the pits was already destroyed...
More than thirty years nothing happened with the remains of the old circuit and the site was falling into ruins! Project developers already made plans to level it down and build villas on the lot.
Fortunately a group of enthusiasts founded the foundation "Les amis du Circuit de Gueux" (Friends of the Gueux Circuit) to save the remains of the old race track. The foundation got the guarantee from the current major of Gueux, owner of the site, that no more buildings would be demolished and the permission to restore the existing buildings! They also have ambitious plans to build a museum in the future.
The Explore
On a trip to France this was the one site I wanted to see and it very nearly didn’t happen. Myself @slayaaaa & @mrstewie had had an awesome 4 days in France and this was the one site on our list we hadn’t got too. Due to a late start, lunch and checking out of our hotel we were already running a little behind and a fire in Paris slowed us down even more. To cut a long story short we eventually made the ferry home with 3 minutes to spare phew!!!!
The track/buildings are awesome. If you are a petrol head then this is great. I won’t lie I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise a number of times while walking around here. I glad we decided to hit it.
The buildings are in great condition and have very little graffiti on, something I viewed as a great sign of respect.
Having walked along the track at both Brands Hatch and Silverstone, this was different. I can’t explain why but I found it emotional.
We sat in the stands and watched the cars go by for a while, some slowing do to have a look, others dropping it down a gear and nailing it.
The stands became the roof and we sat and chilled for a bit while snapping pics.
I glanced at my phone for the time and realised we had 3 hours til our ferry, and we were 2 ½ hours away from Calais. Needless to say the gear got chucked in the car and we shot off like many F1 stars had back in the day……
Enjoy the pics
The circuit of Reims-Gueux is a reminder of a past era.
This fast street circuit near the Northern French city of Reims was once the stage of the French Grand Prix. Today, the pit building and the grandstands of the abandoned Circuit de Reims-Gueux are still along the public road as a motorsport monument and a reminder of a past era...
The circuit of Reims-Gueux was used for the first time in 1926 for the "Grand Prix de Marne". For this event they closed the public road and three roads formed the famous triangle shape.
Later that year the "12 Heures du Reims-Gueux" (12 Hours of Reims Gueux) was held for the very first time. Between 1950 and 1966 the French Grand Prix was held eleven times at Circuit de Reims-Gueux.
The fast triangle shaped circuit contained two long straights and a more twisty part. Originally a part of the circuit was going through the village of Gueux. Later a new version was used where the circuit turned right just before the village.
The long straights were a test for the engines but the twisty part with some very fast sweeping corners and elevation was a real challenge for the drivers. This combination made the circuit very popular. For his time Reims-Gueux had the best facilities! A big landmark was the huge score-board which could turn so that everybody on the grandstands could see it.
Reims-Gueux was very popular by the drivers and public. In spite of that Formula 1 bosses decided after the 1966 Grand Prix to move the French Grand Prix to another circuit because of the high cost of the organisation at this street circuit. Until 1972 the circuit was used for national races but on June the 11th 1972 the very last race was held there.
The major gave the order to start the demolition from all the circuit facilities immediately after the race! Fortunately for the circuit there where elections that year. A new major came and stopped the demolition! But a part of the pits was already destroyed...
More than thirty years nothing happened with the remains of the old circuit and the site was falling into ruins! Project developers already made plans to level it down and build villas on the lot.
Fortunately a group of enthusiasts founded the foundation "Les amis du Circuit de Gueux" (Friends of the Gueux Circuit) to save the remains of the old race track. The foundation got the guarantee from the current major of Gueux, owner of the site, that no more buildings would be demolished and the permission to restore the existing buildings! They also have ambitious plans to build a museum in the future.
The Explore
On a trip to France this was the one site I wanted to see and it very nearly didn’t happen. Myself @slayaaaa & @mrstewie had had an awesome 4 days in France and this was the one site on our list we hadn’t got too. Due to a late start, lunch and checking out of our hotel we were already running a little behind and a fire in Paris slowed us down even more. To cut a long story short we eventually made the ferry home with 3 minutes to spare phew!!!!
The track/buildings are awesome. If you are a petrol head then this is great. I won’t lie I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise a number of times while walking around here. I glad we decided to hit it.
The buildings are in great condition and have very little graffiti on, something I viewed as a great sign of respect.
Having walked along the track at both Brands Hatch and Silverstone, this was different. I can’t explain why but I found it emotional.
We sat in the stands and watched the cars go by for a while, some slowing do to have a look, others dropping it down a gear and nailing it.
The stands became the roof and we sat and chilled for a bit while snapping pics.
I glanced at my phone for the time and realised we had 3 hours til our ferry, and we were 2 ½ hours away from Calais. Needless to say the gear got chucked in the car and we shot off like many F1 stars had back in the day……
Enjoy the pics
