Circuit de Chimay
Circuit de Chimay at a glance
- Location
- Chimay, Hainaut Province
- Type
- street circuit
- Length
- 4.52 km (2.809 mi)
- Turns
- 23
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1926
- Owner
- Royal Moto Club Chimay
- Website
- circuit.be
Track map and layout
Circuit de Chimay is a genuine public-road street circuit: its corners and straights are ordinary Chimay-area roads, closed to traffic only for race weekends, in the tradition of old-school European road racing. The original 1926 Grand Prix des Frontières layout ran a huge 10.45 km loop out to the village of Salles and the northern point at Thiérissart before returning to town; safety concerns shortened the course over the decades, and the circuit used today is a 4.52 km, 23-corner configuration that keeps the flavour of fast, undulating public-road racing on a more manageable scale. As with most road circuits, there is minimal run-off and the lap is lined by trees, kerbs, houses and hedgerows rather than purpose-built barriers.
Named corners and sections
- Virage de Chimay (southern corner). The circuit's most southerly point, bordering the town of Chimay itself, where the lap turns back north.
- Ligne droite de Salles. A long straight running out toward the village of Salles, one of the circuit's fastest sections.
- Thiérissart. The northernmost point of the original long circuit, marking the turnaround of the classic Grand Prix des Frontières loop.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Current circuit (1995-2007, 2009-present) | 4.52 km | 4.52 km, 23-turn modern configuration used for today's racing |
| Shortened circuit (1975-1994, used again 2008) | 9.50 km | 9.5 km, 26-turn layout used for classic-bike racing in the late 20th century |
| Original Grand Prix circuit (1926-1974) | 10.45 km | 10.45 km, 21-turn full public-road loop used for the original Grand Prix des Frontières |
Events and race weekends
Chimay's motorsport tradition centres on motorcycle road racing, dating back to the Grand Prix des Frontières first run in 1926. The circuit lost top-level Grand Prix status in the 1970s on safety grounds, but has continued as a home for national and international road racing, historic and classic-bike events, most notably the Chimay Open Trophy and Classic Bikes Chimay meetings that draw large fields of vintage machinery and riders from across Europe. The International Road Racing Championship has used the circuit since 2010.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chimay Open Trophy | International classic/road racing bikes | July | traditional-bikes international trophy meeting |
| Classic Bikes Chimay | Historic motorcycle event | varies | large parade and racing event for historic motorcycles |
| International Road Racing Championship round | IRRC | varies | modern international road-racing championship round, run at Chimay since 2010 |
Getting there and parking
Chimay sits in the far south of Hainaut province, close to the French border, roughly 90 minutes south of Brussels. There is no rail station at the circuit; the nearest station with useful connections is Charleroi, from which a bus or car is needed to complete the journey. Most visitors drive in, since Chimay is a small town and race weekends close public roads that form part of the circuit itself.
- Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) · about 55 min drive
- Brussels Airport (BRU) · about 110 min drive
Parking
Parking during race weekends is informal and largely free in fields and streets around the town, but access roads fill quickly given the circuit's use of public roads through Chimay itself.
Because the circuit runs on public roads, plan around road closures on race weekends and expect a small-town atmosphere rather than a purpose-built venue with dedicated visitor infrastructure.
Hotels and camping near Circuit de Chimay
Chimay itself, known for its Trappist abbey and beer, has a modest supply of hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs that fill up for its bigger classic-bike weekends. Visitors wanting more choice typically base themselves in nearby Charleroi or across the French border in towns such as Fourmies, within easy reach of the circuit.
Where to look
Chimay town centre (closest, limited rooms), and Charleroi (around 55 minutes away, wider hotel choice) are the main options.
Camping
Informal camping is available around the circuit and in the wider Chimay area for major race weekends such as the Chimay Open Trophy, though it is modest in scale compared with Belgium's bigger international venues.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Chimay is primarily a race-weekend circuit rather than a year-round trackday venue, since it runs on public roads that are only closed to normal traffic for organised events. Track access for the public is generally limited to specific race-meeting weekends rather than open trackday sessions available at purpose-built circuits.
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outright (1974 Grand Prix des Frontières circuit) | 3:12.600 | Yvo Grauls | Chevron Group 2 | 1972 |
Spectator guide
As a public-road circuit, spectating at Chimay has an old-fashioned road-racing character: fans line the roadside, hedgerows and village streets rather than sitting in large purpose-built grandstands, giving a close, low-cost view of the action typical of European road racing's classic era.
Seating
Limited grandstand seating is set up near the start/finish area for major events; most viewing is informal roadside standing along the public-road sections.
Best places to watch
The long Salles straight and the tighter town-adjacent corners near the start/finish are popular roadside viewing spots during race weekends.
Weather
- July (Chimay Open Trophy): typical Belgian summer, highs around 20-22°C with a reasonable chance of rain
History of Circuit de Chimay
The Grand Prix des Frontières
Circuit de Chimay traces its roots to 1926, when the Royal Moto Club Chimay organised the first Grand Prix des Frontières ('Grand Prix of the Borders') on public roads looping out from the town toward Salles and Thiérissart near the French border. At over 10 km, the original circuit was among the fastest and most demanding road circuits in Europe, and it became a fixture on the pre-war and post-war European motorcycle and sports car racing calendars, drawing top international riders and drivers through the mid-20th century.
Safety concerns and shrinking layouts
As with many public-road circuits of its era, rising speeds and minimal safety margins made Chimay's full-length layout increasingly untenable by the 1970s, and top-level Grand Prix racing was discontinued there on safety grounds in the early 1970s. The circuit was progressively shortened, first to a 9.5 km configuration used through the late 20th century for classic-bike racing, and later to the current 4.52 km, 23-corner layout, which retains the character of a fast public-road circuit while reducing some of the riskiest original sections.
A living home for classic road racing
Rather than disappearing, Chimay reinvented itself as a stronghold of historic and classic motorcycle racing, hosting events such as Classic Bikes Chimay and the Chimay Open Trophy that draw large fields of vintage machinery and enthusiasts from across Europe each year. The International Road Racing Championship has run at Chimay since 2010, keeping the circuit connected to modern competitive road racing, and the town's motorcycling heritage remains a point of local pride alongside its famous Trappist brewery.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Circuit de Chimay?+
The current configuration is 4.52 km (2.809 miles) with 23 corners; the original 1926 Grand Prix des Frontières layout was much longer, at 10.45 km.
Is Circuit de Chimay a real street circuit?+
Yes. Chimay runs on public roads around the town that are closed to normal traffic only for organised race events, in the tradition of classic European road racing.
What is the Grand Prix des Frontières?+
It was the original Grand Prix held at Chimay from 1926, run on the full-length public-road circuit; the event lost top-level status in the early 1970s over safety concerns as the full layout became too fast for modern racing.
What events does Chimay host today?+
Chimay hosts classic and historic motorcycle events including the Chimay Open Trophy and Classic Bikes Chimay, plus rounds of the International Road Racing Championship, which has raced there since 2010.
Can the public do track days at Chimay?+
Not in the conventional sense. Because Chimay is a public-road circuit, access for driving or riding is generally limited to organised race-meeting weekends rather than open trackday sessions.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit Jules Tacheny Mettet · 38 km · road course
- Circuit de Folembray · 91 km · road course
- Reims-Gueux · 93 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuit des Écuyers · 120 km · road course
- Circuit Zolder · 124 km · road course
- Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps · 127 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.