Where is this?

**Adam43** · 18 Jun 2003, 16:59 (Ref:635686)

I thought I'd start a little quiz (on the basis that it'll start a cool thread about how things used to be!

). I took this recently. Any guesses where it might be?

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Fan · 18 Jun 2003, 17:01 (Ref:635687)

Rouen?

**Adam43** · 18 Jun 2003, 17:08 (Ref:635695)

I'm afraid not, all the buildings at Rouen have been destroyed.

Andrew Kitson · 18 Jun 2003, 17:31 (Ref:635715)

Reims?

**Adam43** · 18 Jun 2003, 17:37 (Ref:635725)

Good guess Fan, but Andrew got it.

It is the first floor above the pits. We visited it on the way back from Le Mans. Wow. It is a fantastic place. The building have real atmosphere.

Has anyone else been?

**Adam43** · 18 Jun 2003, 17:40 (Ref:635731)

Here is some bloke soaking it all up.

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**Adam43** · 18 Jun 2003, 17:50 (Ref:635743)

A nice bit of advertising on the underneath of the grandstand roof.

The guys name behind is that of Jean-Pierre Wimille who won the GP at Reims in 1948. He also won the French GP at Montlhéry in 1936 driving a Bugatti. He shared the car with Raymond Sommer whos name also appears on that grandstand.

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Andrew Kitson · 18 Jun 2003, 20:06 (Ref:635923)

Wow! Thanks Adam for showing us. If that was over here, it would have been demolished long ago and a Tesco hyperstore or something put in its place.
You can sense the history - Fangio tearing past - even from these shots. Must be spooky being there...and can you imagine the kind of tow they used to get on that long straight?

**Adam43** · 18 Jun 2003, 20:43 (Ref:635967)

It was a magic place. Very spooky (in a good way).

The straight is unbelievable, especially in the way it passes the stationary cars in the pits. As you stand on the entry to the straight you see it stretching away (straight-away?) in to the distance with several crests and troughs. The French knew how to make circuits in those days - let the lay of the land sculpt it!

Andrew Kitson · 18 Jun 2003, 22:05 (Ref:636047)

Quote:

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
The French knew how to make circuits in those days - let the lay of the land sculpt it!

Clermont Ferrand - now there was a circuit!

To see for yourself, check out the top photo on page 64 of the (just published) July issue of Motor Sport in the Peter Westbury feature.

The Motor Sport issue with the restored 'orange' Bosch Kausen Porsche on the cover.
Mind you, when I saw it at Silverstone in '73 it was bright yellow, but that's another matter!

**Adam43** · 18 Jun 2003, 22:46 (Ref:636081)

Clermont Ferrand does look amazing. 250 miles from Le Mans. 450 miles from Calais. Hmmm it's pushing it for next year's Le Mans trip.

I got this months MotorSport in the post today. That is a good picture. It looks mightily impressive - I particularly like the other section that you can see on the opposite hillside.

The parting shot in the same magazine is also, coincidently, Reims!

And on page 65 a little shot of Nouveau Monde hairpin that comes after the great sweeping downhill section.

simon drabble · 19 Jun 2003, 07:23 (Ref:636302)

I am racing at Charade next month and cannot wait! 2 hour race so worth the long drive back! I shall go to smiths at lunchtime and get it. Chimay is the other great fun french circuit but sadly the Historiic Festival this year clashes with Brands HSCC Super Prix. Last year the local Gendarme were very relaxed with us continuing to practice after the roads had reopened to the public, can you imagine plod letting that happen here?!!

**Aysedasi** · 20 Jun 2003, 23:45 (Ref:638108)

Thanks for those pics of Reims. I've always wanted to go and visit what little is left. Anyone got any more?

Rob29 · 21 Jun 2003, 06:20 (Ref:638210)

Quote:

Originally posted by simon drabble
I am racing at Charade next month and cannot wait! 2 hour race so worth the long drive back! I shall go to smiths at lunchtime and get it. Chimay is the other great fun french circuit but sadly the Historiic Festival this year clashes with Brands HSCC Super Prix. Last year the local Gendarme were very relaxed with us continuing to practice after the roads had reopened to the public, can you imagine plod letting that happen here?!!

Chimay is in BELGIUM Simon!
That sounds like suicide to me.I was just imagining it happening in the only comparable event the British 'plod' would be involved-The Birmingham Superprix.

**Adam43** · 21 Jun 2003, 10:24 (Ref:638320)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aysedasi
Thanks for those pics of Reims. I've always wanted to go and visit what little is left. Anyone got any more?

You must go. This is not based on any facts as such, but there is a lot of work going on to the roads round there. I fear for the remains of this circuit. When I went to Rouen, I was too late for the buildings and it was very diapointing (although the fast sweepers are as scarey as they originally were!)

This is the view from the begining of the start-finish staright. THe buildings are contained in those clump of trees in the middle distance.

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**Adam43** · 21 Jun 2003, 10:25 (Ref:638321)

The old scoring board.

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**Adam43** · 21 Jun 2003, 10:28 (Ref:638322)

This on is the back of the grandstands. We stopped here because this was the road we first noticed the buildings. A truck driver came past on this smallish road, pointed at us, pointed at the building and gave us a big thumbs up!

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**Adam43** · 21 Jun 2003, 10:37 (Ref:638323)

Quote:

This is not based on any facts as such, but there is a lot of work going on to the roads round there. I fear for the remains of this circuit.

The main start finish straight is closed off, as is the sweeping climb to the N31. The Corner Muizon has been destroyed by improvements to the N31. And the final corner near Thillios has recently been destroyed for what may be a roundabout. This may then use the start-finish straight again (that's just a guess).

This is the sort of thing sort of blokes your path to the buildngs and the sweeping corners.

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**Adam43** · 21 Jun 2003, 10:38 (Ref:638324)

And to complete this self-indulgence here is a shot of the old grandstands (from the pits).

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**Adam43** · 21 Jun 2003, 10:58 (Ref:638333)

These photos are available on my site, but bigger. Soon I'll put captions under each picture to identify the corners and landmarks.

http://www.adamashmore.co.uk/photos/...ims/index.html

Jim Lamb · 22 Jun 2003, 11:10 (Ref:639076)

Adam,
I was intrigued to see your Photo's of Rheims. I have a very similar set taken back in 1997. The Flora and Fauna seems to be taking over now. It had been cut back and some attempts to tidy the place up for a 'Retro' event, which unfortunately never took place.

See www.marshalspost.com/gallery/79.html

There are also a couple of shots taken at Charade(Clermont Ferrand).

Regards,

Jim Lamb

**Adam43** · 22 Jun 2003, 12:41 (Ref:639115)

Probably mainly due to the lack of trees, it looks quite a lot newer even in 1997!

Thanks for showing us the pics.

Rob22 · 23 Jun 2003, 09:53 (Ref:639904)

Here's another "where is this" for you all to guess:

Marcel ten Caat · 23 Jun 2003, 10:24 (Ref:639924)

First guess, Nürburgring.

But doesn't look like the Nordschleife, more like the roads around the new track.

**Adam43** · 23 Jun 2003, 11:56 (Ref:640039)

Welcome to ten-tenths Rob.

It's somewhere round there Stranger. Road/Trees excellent. A circuit with character.

I love it.