Circuit Paul Ricard

Circuit guide by Chris Pollitt · dates updated 2 November 2026

Paul Ricard sits on a plateau above the Mediterranean between Marseille and Toulon. It opened in 1970, hosted the French Grand Prix on and off until 2022, and is now best known as a test venue. Its trademark is the blue and red abrasive run-off, tarmac painted with stripes that scrub off speed without the need for gravel. The circuit can be set up in 247 different configurations, but the main one is the 5.842 km F1 layout with the Mistral chicane, made up of 15 corners.

For UK track day drivers it's a big trip, but the reward is warm, dry weather when British circuits are cold and wet, which makes it a favourite for spring and autumn trips. There are car days and bike days, and the paved run-off makes it forgiving for drivers still learning their limits. The flat, wide track with good visibility suits novices, while Signes and the Beausset double right keep the experienced lot busy.

A lap of Circuit Paul Ricard

Layout: 1C-V2 (F1 layout with Mistral chicane), 5.842 km (3.63 miles)

From the line it's into the S de la Verrerie, a right-left chicane. Brake once you reach the end of the side road, make one smooth change of direction and don't take too much kerb. The car gets light over the crest, so get on the power early. Next is the Virage de l'Hôtel, a downhill right then a slower left, where a late apex is the aim, then the tight Virage du Camp right-hander, which needs first or second gear and careful traction. Sainte-Baume is a right that most cars need a lift for, followed by a flat left that opens onto the Mistral straight, so the exit from Sainte-Baume matters more than anywhere else on the lap.

The Mistral is 1.8 km long, and on the F1 layout it's broken up by the Chicane Nord, a left-right. Brake hard and in a straight line, cut the apex of the left, then release the brakes to settle the car before the right. Some organisers run without the chicane, which makes the run to Signes much faster.

Signes is a very fast right, flat in many track cars and at well over 200 km/h in GT machinery. Turn in late and use all the road. Next is the Double Droite du Beausset, a long double-apex right taken in third or fourth. There's a small dip at the second apex that can unsettle the rear, so keep the throttle steady and the steering inputs small.

Bendor is a medium-speed left that rewards a late apex and the full width of the road on exit. It's followed by Garlaban, a quick right that's flat, then the Virage du Lac, a slow left where heavy braking and patience on the throttle pay off. The lap finishes at the Virage du Pont, a tight right where traction and exit speed are everything. Use the full width and clip the inside kerb, but watch the track limits on the way out, because a clean exit here is your speed down the pit straight.

Track day tips

• Check which configuration your day runs. Paul Ricard has hundreds, and running with or without the Mistral chicane changes the lap a lot.
• The blue and red run-off areas are abrasive and will chew through tyres. A trip across them isn't free.
• The Mistral straight is long enough to cook brakes at the Chicane Nord and Signes. Fresh fluid and pads are a must.
• Provence gets hot. Watch tyre pressures, carry water and plan the driving around the heat of the afternoon in summer.
• Signes is far quicker than it looks from the Mistral. Build up to it over a few laps, and don't count on the paved run-off to save a big mistake.
• The local road down to Le Beausset is twisty and narrow, so take it easy on the way out at the end of a long day.

Getting there

Le Castellet is roughly 1,150 km from Calais, through France via Reims, Dijon and Lyon, then down the A7 towards Marseille. It's a long drive, so most UK visitors split it into two days with a stop around Dijon or Lyon. The circuit is on the D8N between Cuges-les-Pins and Le Beausset, reached from the A50 or the A52 near Aubagne. Marseille Provence airport has regular UK flights and is about an hour away. Bandol, Le Beausset and Le Castellet have hotels, and there's a hotel right by the circuit.