France Racecourse Guides
France boasts a long, storied history with the sport of horse racing. It's said that the first documented horse race took place on French soil in 1651, with King Louis XVI organising the country's first official jockey club over a century later.
The French horse racing calendar is dominated by flat racing, with many of the world's most lucrative flat races taking place in France. National Hunt racing also takes place during the spring, and many of France's best three-year-olds are sold to top trainers in Britain and Ireland.
France Racecourse Guides
- Auteuil Tips
- Chantilly Tips
- Deauville Tips
- Longchamp Tips
- Maisons-Laffitte Tips
- Saint-Cloud Tips
Track History
France's most famous racecourse is Longchamp, home of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Paris Longchamp was first opened in 1857 but was closed for a couple of years in the 2010s while the main grandstand was being upgraded.
During those years, the Arc was staged at the Chantilly racecourse in the Oise region of France. Chantilly first staged racing in 1834, making it the oldest major racecourse in the country.
Track Characteristics
The majority of racecourses in France are fairly flat, turning turf circuits. Deauville is one of the first racecourses in the country to feature a round track, a straight mile and an all-weather circuit.
Races in France are generally run to suit those coming from off the pace. Longchamp and Chantilly are fair, sweeping tracks, with a mild bias to those drawn low. Deauville's round track is very tight and the home straight is fairly short, so it pays to be up with the pace throughout and a low draw can be extremely advantageous.
Major Meetings
Longchamp Racecourse in France plays host to the most prestigious flat race in all of Europe, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Many of the finest flat horses in the world have won the Arc, and the eyes of the sporting world are often fixed on Longchamp when this race takes place on the first Sunday in October.
Around 30 Group One races take place in France during the season. Longchamp stages the French Guineas in May before the French versions of the Derby and the Oaks are run at Chantilly in June. Other famous races to be staged in France include the Prix Morny, the Prix Jacques Le Marois and the Prix Vermeille.
France Racing Tips
Whenever a major Group One race takes place on French soil, we'll have it covered. Racing fans can read our features for free on the France racing tips section of our website.
France Horse Racing Live Stream
The best place to watch horse racing would be on your television, in the comfort of your own home. Sometimes, that isn't possible. Our busy lives often get in the way, and we have to watch horse racing on the go.
Visit the horse racing live streaming page on our website to find out how you can stream France's horse racing live today.
