Charade Circuit

The Charade Circuit is in Saint-Genès-Champanelle, close to Clermont-Ferrand in the Puy-de-Dôme department of the Auvergne in central France. It is also known as the Circuit Louis Rosier. Jean Auchatraire, president of the sports association of the Automobile Club of Auvergne, and the racing driver Louis Rosier laid out the course on existing roads around the extinct volcano Puy de Grave Noire. Construction began in May 1957 and the first race took place in July 1958.

The original layout measured 8.055 km, ran clockwise and had 48 corners. There were hardly any straights, but plenty of tight corners and big changes in elevation. It was described as a Nürburgring-style track with even more bends and higher speeds. At the 1969 French Grand Prix, Jochen Rindt complained of feeling sick because of the twisting layout. Even so, the circuit was fairly quick.

In the Formula One World Championship, Charade staged the French Grand Prix four times: in 1965, 1969, 1970 and 1972. The Circuit Paul Ricard hosted that race for the first time in 1971. Rocks from the mountainside repeatedly landed on the track. In 1972 ten drivers suffered punctures, and a stone kicked up ahead of Helmut Marko struck the visor of his helmet, ending his racing career. The terrain left no room for run-off areas.

The last World Championship race was held in 1972. The final race on the original track took place on 18 September 1988. A 3.975 km circuit opened in 1989, using only the southern part of the old course.