Charade – the most beautiful circuit in the world

Perched on the hills overlooking Clermont-Ferrand, the Charade circuit has earned its place in F1 history by hosting four French Grand Prix races between 1965 and 1972. Although deemed too dangerous for single-seaters for nearly half a century, the thrill of racing still resonates through the volcanoes of Auvergne.

From the shadow of the volcanic peaks of Auvergne to the hum of electrical energy, the Charade circuit has been a tireless pioneer, constantly reshaping the history of French motorsport. Its story began in 1905, when the Michelin brothers mapped out a 137-kilometer circuit for the Gordon Bennett Cup, linking the region's dormant volcanoes. The race even inspired Michelin's first road map, a simple line tracing the route that would become legendary. Half a century later, the ambition to revive this early spirit returned to Jean Auchatraire, president of the Association Sportive de l'Automobile Club d'Auvergne (ASACA), and former driver Louis Rosier. Their plan to build a permanent circuit in the Puy-de-Dôme department ran into an unexpected obstacle: the Le Mans disaster of June 11, 1955, which claimed the lives of 135 people, prompted the French Motor Sports Federation to ban street circuits. Undeterred, the duo turned their attention to the mountains, following the federation's suggestion to create France's first high-altitude site. The search led Rosier to a rugged area southwest of Clermont-Ferrand. The president of the International Circuit Commission, Raymond Roche, initially doubted the feasibility of a construction project on volcanic slopes, but after careful study, he approved the construction of a road connecting the hill of Thèdes to the hamlet of Charade, declaring, “There, you have a magnificent circuit.” ” Work began in 1957 with a budget of 108.5 million francs (approximately $16.5 million today). Engineers widened the mountain roads, repaved them, and erected embankments along the ravines for added safety. The temporary pits and control tower were replaced by permanent facilities in 1959. When Yves Perony, Prefect of Puy-de-Dôme, cut the ribbon on July 27, 1958, the 8.055-kilometer circuit hosted the first edition of the “Trois Heures d'Auvergne pour voitures de sport” (Three Hours of Auvergne for Sports Cars). The circuit quickly gained a reputation as a playground for drivers, on a par with Spa-Francorchamps and the Nürburgring. “It was a circuit for men,” recalls historian Patrice Besqueut. “Winning there meant you really deserved it.”

Stirling Moss, who raced there in a Formula 2 event in 1959, called Charade “the most beautiful circuit in the world.” That summer, his victory was overshadowed by Ivor Bueb's violent accident on the second lap and the tragic death of the 1959 Le Mans winner a few days later. But the site's appeal remained. In 1959, it hosted its first French Motorcycle Grand Prix, won by John Surtees, who later became the only rider to win world titles in both motorcycles and cars. The “Continental Circus” returned several times, filling the calendar until 1967, then again from 1972 to 1974.

The turning point came in 1965, when the Automobile Club de France entrusted Charade with the organization of the French Formula 1 Grand Prix. The event drew huge crowds to the natural grandstands, and Prime Minister Georges Pompidou attended the F1 “grand premiere” in Auvergne, proclaiming the race a triumph for a region where motorsport had practically been born. On June 27, Jim Clark took the win ahead of Jackie Stewart and defending champion John Surtees, cementing Charade's place on the world stage. Decades later, the circuit's volcanic heritage remains its defining feature, even as it has now entered the electric age. The once-dusty asphalt now hosts silent, high-tech trials, a nod to the pioneering spirit that drove the Michelin brothers to race between the volcanoes more than a century ago. Charade endures not only as a relic of past glories, but also as a living laboratory where history, geography, and innovation intersect on the slopes of Auvergne.

When the last stone was thrown at Helmut Marko's visor in 1972, the fate of the Charade circuit seemed sealed. The Austrian rookie, who would later head Red Bull's driver academy, described the moment as a mixture of speed and danger: “I was going down a slope at 220 km/h with my eyes closed, and I had to stop the car or risk a fatal accident.” This accident, combined with the gravel-covered shoulders, triggered a boycott by drivers at the start of the 1975 season and marked the end of an era for this once-prestigious Auvergne circuit.

Charade's decline was rapid. After hosting Formula 1 in 1969, 1970, and 1972, the Grand Prix moved to the safer and wider circuits of Paul Ricard and Le Castellet. Motorcycles followed suit, even though the 1974 edition still attracted nearly 100,000 spectators. In 1988, the track was significantly shortened from 8.055 km to 3.975 km, and the abandoned sections were relegated to national road status. A new “Charade” was born in 2000, with fences, hospitality buildings, and 35 grandstands, with the aim of reviving the site for modern motorsports. The circuit's cinematic legacy adds a touch of myth to its history. John Frankenheimer's 1966 film Grand Prix chose Charade for its spectacular mountain passes, recruiting 3,000 locals as extras and featuring stars such as Françoise Hardy, Yves Montand, and a host of F1 legends, including Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Bruce McLaren, and Lorenzo Bandini. The film became a box office hit in the United States and won three Oscars, cementing Charade's place in popular culture.

Decades later, nostalgia and preservation have breathed new life into the circuit. In September 2018, organizer Claude Michy staged “Charade Heroes,” a weekend that brought together icons such as Jacques Laffite, Henri Pescarolo, Sir Jackie Stewart, and Giacomo Agostini with the cars and motorcycles that made them famous. Two years later, despite the pandemic, the event made its comeback with René Arnoux presenting Niki Lauda's 1974 Ferrari 312 B3 and Gérard Larousse demonstrating a Porsche 917. Today, Charade is moving towards a greener future. At the end of 2020, Green Corp Konnexion took control of the site with a single ambition: to transform this historic circuit into an all-electric racing center. The association plans to restore Charade to its former glory while eliminating emissions, positioning the Auvergne circuit at the forefront of sustainable motorsport.

Every year, the circuit still hosts the French Truck Grand Prix, and after a nine-year hiatus, ASACA will relaunch the French Circuit Cup in 2024. From its perilous mountainous turns to its cinematic fame and electric rebirth, Charade remains a testament to how a racing venue can evolve, survive, and reinvent itself across generations.

Restoring the circuit to its former glory is the clear goal, says Eric Boudot, CEO of GCK, in an interview with La Montagne. He outlined his plans to put the site back in the spotlight through transformation and digitization, offering a playground and workspace for all players in the new mobility sector: drones, flying taxis, autonomous shuttles, etc. The ambition is to restore its international prestige through electric competitions, while making it a dynamic hub for start-ups and a place where the public can enjoy the circuit. To attract car manufacturers and major events, the circuit will undergo major renovations, including the addition of a restaurant service. Twelve hectares of solar panels are to be installed, making Charade the world's leading green energy-producing circuit, surpassing the Indianapolis Speedway. The work is expected to be completed in 2025, with the hope that the French mountain circuit will once again host international races and regain its former status.