Circuit de Lédenon

Circuit guide by Chris Pollitt · dates updated 2 November 2026

Lédenon is in the garrigue hills of the Gard, about 20 km from Nîmes and close to the Pont du Gard. It started life as a motocross track and was approved as a road circuit in June 1973. The circuit calls itself the hilliest, twistiest and most technical track in France, and having seen the gradients, it's hard to argue. It's also one of the few circuits in France that runs anticlockwise.

The lap is only 3.151 km, but it's packed with steep climbs, blind crests and downhill braking zones, and the track is narrow in places at 9 to 12 metres wide. It's a big favourite for bikes, and the French Superbike championship races here, along with French GT and single-seater series. Car drivers love it too. Novices will be fine with tuition, but the elevation changes make it a hard one to learn on your own, and the south of France sunshine is a decent bonus.

A lap of Circuit de Lédenon

Layout: Full circuit, 3.151 km (1.96 miles)

The best-known corner on the lap is the Triple Gauche, a long left-hander that tightens twice, so it's really three corners in one. Get your entry speed right and stay patient on the throttle, because the corner keeps closing on you. Next is the Virage du Pont, a long right entered on a 6 per cent downhill slope with a strong climb on exit. Hold the car steady on the way in and use the hill to help it hook up on the way out.

La Carrierasse is a nearly blind left of around 180 degrees on a slight downslope, and it pitches you into a steep descent of about 12 per cent. At the bottom, Le Camion is a fast right of about 45 degrees. It needs a stable car, because the next bend arrives straight away. Le Cavalet, a right, scrubs off speed at the start of a climb of about 10 per cent that takes you up to the highest part of the circuit.

Le Gauche is an easier left that sets you up for La Servie, a tight and tricky left that costs a lot of speed. It's important to get it right, because it leads onto the final descent. The descent itself isn't a single corner but a sequence of weight transfers on a steep downhill section where a mistake gets punished. Keep everything smooth, avoid sudden inputs and don't brake mid-corner.

The lap ends with La Cuvette, a 90-degree left at the bottom of the descent. The surface is bumpy and can be dirty, so brake in a controlled way, but carry enough speed to make the climb back up to the pit straight. That's a lot to take in on a lap of just over three kilometres.

Track day tips

• With more lefts than rights and an anticlockwise lap, the right-hand tyres take most of the load. Check their pressures and wear first.
• The descent before La Cuvette catches people out. Get your braking done early and keep the car settled over the bumps.
• It's narrow in places, so take care on mixed-speed days and give quicker cars or bikes room on the straights.
• Summer in the Gard is hot. Pack plenty of water and keep an eye on tyre pressures and brake temperatures through the afternoon.
• With all the elevation, sighting laps or tuition make a big difference here. Ask your organiser what's on offer before you book.
• Noise limits vary by event, so check yours with the organiser before you travel.

Getting there

Lédenon is roughly 1,000 km from Calais, most of it on motorways via Paris, Lyon and the A7 down the Rhône valley, so it's an overnight trip for most people. Leave the A9 near Remoulins, and the circuit is a short drive along local roads. For flights, Montpellier and Marseille both have UK routes, about an hour and an hour and a half away respectively. TGV trains also run to Nîmes and Avignon. Nîmes, Uzès and Remoulins have a good choice of hotels, gîtes and B&Bs.