The epicentre of French racing, Longchamp had a rich start in life. A first meeting in 1857 was attended by Napoleon III, who had sailed down the Seine on his royal yacht to attend.
Home to arguably the most prestigious flat race in Europe, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the course has witnessed some of the sports greats landing the prize, from Dancing Brave, to Sea the Stars, to Enable. Redeveloped between 2015 and 2017, the course thrust itself into the lead as the most modern course around, but some of its intricacies remain.
ParisLongchamp, as it’s been called since the redevelopment, boasts multiple courses across the Bois de Boulogne venue, with 46 different starting positions across the tracks. Inexperienced jockeys or first-time visitors can often be caught out by the course’s “false straight” that can see a rider go for home too early, before turning for home.