Circuit de Reims-Gueux
The Reims-Gueux circuit in the Marne: a triangle of public roads open from 1926 to 1972, partly listed as a historic monument today.
The Reims-Gueux circuit lay west of Reims, between the villages of Thillois and Gueux, in the Marne département. It was a triangle laid out on public roads: departmental roads and the national road 31.[1],[2]
Opened in 1926, it closed in 1972 because of financial difficulties. Its two long straights, about 2.2 kilometres each, made it one of the fastest circuits of its era.[1],[2]
At a glance
| Place | Between Thillois and Gueux, west of Reims (Marne)[1],[2] |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Endurance series | Le Mans 24 Hours (historic) |
| Period | 1926-1972 |
| Years of use | 1926 to 1972[1],[2] |
| Layout | A triangle on public roads, about 8.3 km in its final version[1],[2] |
| Present status | Grandstands and buildings listed as historic monuments (2009)[1] |
Landmarks of the circuit
- The long straights
- The circuit relied on long straights laid out on public roads, including the national road 31, which allowed very high speeds.[1],[2]
- Thillois
- The Thillois corner was reprofiled before 1954 with a larger, faster radius.[2]
Key dates
- 1926 — The circuit opens and hosts the Grand Prix de la Marne.[1],[2]
- 1952-1954 — The layout changes: bypass of Gueux in 1952, extension towards Muizon in 1953 and a final version of about 8.3 km in 1954.[1],[2]
- 1950-1966 — The circuit hosts several Formula 1 French Grands Prix, the last being the 1966 one.[1],[2]
- 1953-1967 — The 12 Hours of Reims are also run.[1]
- 1972 — The circuit closes for financial reasons.[1],[2]
- 2009 — Part of the grandstands, pits and small buildings are listed as historic monuments in May 2009; associations work to preserve them.[1],[2]
In the game
This circuit is part of the Circuit game: a heavily zoomed photo of one of its landmarks that you have to recognise. Play Circuit
Sources
The numbers in brackets refer to the sources listed at the bottom of the page.