Detour #287: Speeding through the Streets of Pau-Ville, France
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One of the oldest racing circuits in the world may not have much of a future - drive it while you can.
We do love a street circuit at Detour. It’s the chance to follow in the tracks of our racing heroes, literally driving through history at every corner.
And there are few more historic circuits still in action than Pau-Ville on the edge of the Pyrenees. Racing in the region dates back to 1900 and a 190-mile road course known as Circuit du sud-ouest, where Maurice Farman in his Panhard won the “Grand Prix” – the very first time the title was used in racing.
By 1930 Grand Prix racing was the pinnacle of motor sport and the town hosted the French Grand Prix on a 16-km circuit that passed right through the centre ville and by 1933 the layout had evolved into one that’s still recognisable today.
Although the biggest annual race is still known as the Grand Prix de Pau, it has never hosted F1, with the headline competition being a battle for Formula 2, Formula 3000 or Formula 3 cars, with the World Touring Car Championship also taking to the streets. The GP de Pau Historique offered a street fight for classic racers.
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The route begins on the Avenue Gaston Lacoste, where, just a few hundred metres from the start/finish lin, is the rapid right-hander Courbe des Tribunes, followed by another short straight. At the Virage de la Gare roundabout it’s right again onto the kinked straight of Avenue Napoléon Bonarparte, before a tricky left under the bridge that carries Boulevard de Pyrenees above. Turn four is a very tight right onto Allé Alfred de Musset, where the track curves left and then takes a sweeping right at Courbe du Parc Beaumont. That leads straight into a tricky section comprising the Foch chicane, Descente Poeymirau and into the right-hand hairpin at Virage du Buisson. It’s then left and right through Descente, back onto the main straight and across the line.
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It feels narrow enough in a road car, with houses and apartment blocks right at the very edge of the road. Only as you skirt Parc Beaumont is there room to breathe, but good luck getting a view of the grand Palais Beaumont, it’ll disappear in a flash.
The fastest lap ever of the 1.714 mile circuit was by Maximilian Günther in his 2017 Dallara F316. It took just one minute 9.788 seconds. When it comes to wins Scotland’s Jim Clark holds the record with four victories.
Sadly, the future of this great track is in doubt, with the organisers facing financial troubles, but at least you’ll still be able to tackle the track in your road car for years to come.
ROADBOOK
CLASS: STREET CIRCUIT
NAME: PAUL-VILLE
ROUTE: Avenue Gaston LacostE to Avenue Gaston Lacoste
COUNTRY: France
Distance: 1.9 Miles
Pau, one of the oldest racing circuits in the world, may not have much of a future - drive it while you can.