Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours at a glance
- Location
- Magny-Cours, Nièvre
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 4.411 km (2.741 mi)
- Turns
- 17
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1960
- Owner
- Conseil Départemental de la Nièvre
- Capacity
- 139,112
- Phone
- +33 3 86 21 80 00
- Website
- circuitmagnycours.com
Track map and layout
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours runs clockwise over 4.411 km (2.741 mi) and 17 corners on almost perfectly flat terrain in the Nièvre countryside. Several corners were deliberately styled after other famous circuits during the track's late-1980s modernisation: the Estoril corner, the Adelaide hairpin and the Nürburgring and Imola chicanes all nod to international venues, giving the lap a varied, technical character despite the lack of elevation change. The layout mixes long straights into hard braking zones with a tight, technical infield, making it a demanding but fair test used widely for testing and club racing as well as international series.
Named corners and sections
- Adelaide. A slow, tight hairpin named after Adelaide's street circuit, one of the most important overtaking points on the lap.
- Estoril. A fast corner referencing Portugal's Estoril circuit, taken early in the lap at high speed.
- Nürburgring chicane. A tight chicane named for the German circuit, used to slow cars after a fast section.
- Imola chicane. A late-lap chicane referencing Italy's Imola circuit, setting up the run to the final corners.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix circuit | 4.41 km | full 17-turn F1-spec layout used for WorldSBK, GT and club racing |
Events and race weekends
Magny-Cours hosted the Formula 1 French Grand Prix every year from 1991 to 2008, giving the circuit its Grand Prix-grade infrastructure and international profile. It has been a fixture on the World Superbike Championship calendar since the 1990s and hosted the Bol d'Or endurance motorcycle race in the 2000s and 2010s. The circuit continues to host major GT, touring car and single-seater championship rounds, along with extensive year-round testing and track-day use.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Superbike Championship round | WorldSBK | varies | regular fixture on the WorldSBK calendar since the 1990s |
| GT and touring car championship rounds | various (FFSA GT, TCR France, etc.) | varies | |
| Formula 1 French Grand Prix | Formula 1 | July | hosted every year 1991-2008; not on the current F1 calendar |
Getting there and parking
Magny-Cours sits in central France, about 260 km south of Paris and 240 km northwest of Lyon, close to the city of Nevers. There is no major international airport nearby; visitors typically fly into Paris and take a train onward, with direct services from Paris Bercy to Nevers taking around two hours, or drive down via the A77 motorway. From Nevers station, local bus route 10 or a short taxi ride covers the final few kilometres to the circuit.
- Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport (CFE) · about 105 min drive
- Paris Orly Airport (ORY) · about 150 min drive
Parking
General parking is included with most event tickets in fields around the circuit; arrive early for major race weekends as approach roads can back up.
Take the train from Paris Bercy direct to Nevers (about two hours) rather than flying, then use local bus route 10 or a taxi (roughly €40-60) for the final leg to the circuit.
Hotels and camping near Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Most visitors stay either right by the circuit in Magny-Cours itself, where a handful of motorsport-themed hotels sit inside walking distance of the gates, or in the larger town of Nevers a short drive or bus ride away, which offers a wider range of hotels and B&Bs. Rooms near the circuit book out for World Superbike and major club-racing weekends.
Where to look
Hotel Le Paddock sits just outside the circuit gates; Nevers, about 12 km away, has a broader choice of hotels, B&Bs and apartments, with Moulins further south also an option for a wider search.
Camping
Campsites and caravan areas exist near the circuit for event weekends, with details published on the circuit's own accommodation pages; this is a smaller-scale camping culture than at France's bigger endurance venues.
RV
Motorhome parking is available for major events; check the circuit's official hotel and accommodation listings ahead of a visit.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Magny-Cours is one of France's busiest test and track-day venues thanks to its Grand Prix-grade facilities, hosting a steady programme of manufacturer testing, car club days and third-party trackday operators throughout the year on the full circuit. Both car and motorcycle track days are common, often run as open-pitlane sessions grouped by experience level.
Who runs days here
Typical cost: Open-pitlane car track days typically from around €200-€350 per day
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 1 (race lap record) | 1:15.377 | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari F2004 | 2004 |
Spectator guide
As a former Grand Prix venue, Magny-Cours retains substantial grandstand capacity around the pit straight and first corners, with general admission areas giving views across the flat, open infield. The lack of elevation change means fans can see several corners at once from many vantage points around the circuit.
Seating
Grandstands line the start-finish straight and the Grande Courbe leading into the first corners; general admission banking covers much of the infield.
Best places to watch
The Adelaide hairpin is a popular viewing spot for braking and overtaking action; general admission near the Grande Courbe gives sightlines across multiple corners.
Weather
- May-June (WorldSBK): mild to warm, highs typically 20-24°C with some rain risk
History of Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
From local circuit to Grand Prix venue
The circuit at Magny-Cours opened in 1960 as a modest local racing facility in the Nièvre, a rural department in central France. It remained a relatively minor venue for its first two decades, hosting French national racing rather than international events, until the regional government of the Nièvre took ownership in 1986 with ambitions of turning it into a Formula 1-grade facility.
The French Grand Prix years
A major rebuild ahead of the 1991 season brought the circuit up to Grand Prix standard, with several corners deliberately modelled on famous bends from other world circuits, including Estoril, Adelaide, the Nürburgring and Imola. Magny-Cours hosted the French Grand Prix every year from 1991 to 2008, becoming a fixture of the F1 calendar even as critics noted its relatively remote location and modest spectator atmosphere compared with more storied French venues. Michael Schumacher and Ferrari were especially successful there through the early 2000s.
Life after Formula 1
When the French Grand Prix left the calendar after 2008, Magny-Cours retained its world-class infrastructure and reinvented itself as one of Europe's leading test and development venues. It has remained a regular host of the World Superbike Championship since the 1990s, staged the Bol d'Or endurance motorcycle race through the 2000s and 2010s, and continues to run a dense annual programme of GT, touring car and club racing alongside manufacturer testing and public track days, keeping the circuit busy well beyond its Grand Prix heyday.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Magny-Cours circuit?+
The Grand Prix layout is 4.411 km (2.741 miles) with 17 corners.
Does Magny-Cours still host Formula 1?+
No. Magny-Cours hosted the French Grand Prix every year from 1991 to 2008, but it is not on the current F1 calendar.
Why are some corners at Magny-Cours named after other circuits?+
During the 1991 Grand Prix-standard rebuild, several corners were deliberately modelled on famous bends elsewhere, including the Estoril corner, the Adelaide hairpin, and chicanes named for the Nürburgring and Imola.
What is the lap record at Magny-Cours?+
The Formula 1 race lap record is 1:15.377, set by Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari F2004 during the 2004 French Grand Prix.
How do you get to Magny-Cours without a car?+
Take a train to Nevers (around two hours direct from Paris Bercy), then a local bus (route 10) or a short taxi ride covers the final few kilometres to the circuit.
Can the public drive Magny-Cours?+
Yes, the circuit runs a busy programme of car and motorcycle track days throughout the year, alongside manufacturer testing and club racing.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit de La Châtre - Maurice Tissandier · 93 km · road course
- Circuit du Mas du Clos · 122 km · road course
- Circuit de Charade · 124 km · road course
- Circuit Dijon-Prenois · 143 km · road course
- Circuit du Val de Vienne · 207 km · road course
- Circuit des Tonnes (Moto Club Brou) · 217 km · motocross
Facts checked against 5 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.