Circuit Dijon-Prenois
Circuit Dijon-Prenois at a glance
- Location
- Prenois, Côte-d'Or
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.801 km (2.362 mi)
- Turns
- 12
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1972
- Owner
- Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de la Côte-d'Or
- Capacity
- 45,000
- Phone
- +33 3 80 35 39 00
- Website
- circuitdijon-prenois.com
Track map and layout
Circuit Dijon-Prenois runs clockwise over 3.801 km (2.362 mi) and 12 corners through undulating countryside about 15 minutes from Dijon. Its rolling, hilly profile gives the lap a genuinely three-dimensional character rare among French circuits of its era, mixing fast sweeps with tighter technical sections and a 1.2 km straight that offers a strong overtaking opportunity into the first corners. The circuit was extended and reprofiled in 1976 ahead of Formula 1's return, easing earlier congestion issues on the original tighter layout, and it remains a demanding, driver-focused track valued by club racers and track-day drivers for its flow.
Named corners and sections
- Courbe de Pouas. A fast, sweeping right-hander leading into the circuit's undulating middle sector, testing commitment through changes in camber.
- Parabolique. A long, constant-radius corner in the circuit's closing sequence, demanding a smooth, patient line.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix circuit | 3.80 km | current full 12-turn layout |
| Short circuit | 3.29 km | 8-turn shorter configuration used for some club and support races |
Events and race weekends
Dijon-Prenois hosted the Formula 1 French Grand Prix on several occasions through the 1970s and 1980s (1974, 1977, 1979, 1981 and 1984) and the one-off 1982 Swiss Grand Prix, staged there because Switzerland itself banned circuit racing. Its most celebrated moment came at the 1979 French Grand Prix, when Gilles Villeneuve and René Arnoux fought wheel-to-wheel for second place over the closing laps in one of the most replayed battles in F1 history. Today the circuit hosts French national championship racing including the FFSA GT Championship, Porsche Carrera Cup France and French F4, alongside the historic Grand Prix de l'Âge d'Or meeting.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FFSA GT Championship round | FFSA GT | varies | |
| Porsche Carrera Cup France round | Porsche Carrera Cup France | varies | |
| French F4 Championship round | French F4 | varies | |
| Grand Prix de l'Âge d'Or | Historic racing | June | major historic racing meeting |
Getting there and parking
Dijon-Prenois sits about 15 minutes northwest of Dijon in Burgundy. The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Dole-Jura, roughly 50 minutes to the southwest; Lyon-Saint Exupéry, just over two hours south, offers a far wider range of international connections. Dijon-Ville station is a major SNCF hub with TGV services to Paris, Strasbourg and the south of France, from where a taxi or hire car covers the short final leg to the circuit.
- Dole-Jura Airport (DLE) · about 50 min drive
- Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) · about 125 min drive
Parking
General parking is included with most event tickets in fields around the circuit; arrive early for major club-racing or historic race weekends.
Take a TGV to Dijon-Ville (well served from Paris in about 1.5 hours) and hire a car or taxi for the final 15-20 minutes to the circuit, which has no direct rail link.
Hotels and camping near Circuit Dijon-Prenois
Most visitors base themselves in Dijon itself, about 15 minutes away, which offers a large choice of hotels and the wider appeal of the city and its Burgundy wine region. There is no significant trackside camping culture at Dijon-Prenois comparable to France's bigger endurance venues, so a hotel in Dijon or the surrounding villages is the standard option.
Where to look
Dijon city centre, about 15 minutes' drive away, has the widest choice of hotels; options closer to the circuit include Hotel Castel Burgond and the Château de Gilly in the surrounding Burgundy countryside.
Camping
No large official campsite at the circuit; some event-specific parking for caravans may be arranged for major meetings, but this is not a camping-oriented venue.
RV
No dedicated year-round motorhome facilities; check specific event listings for any temporary arrangements.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Dijon-Prenois is a popular French track-day venue thanks to its flowing, undulating layout, hosting coached driving courses (stages de pilotage), open-pitlane track days and passenger laps for both cars and motorcycles throughout the year. Providers range from driving schools offering structured coaching to open trackday operators running unrestricted sessions on the full circuit.
Who runs days here
- Nomad Driving Eventboth
- Cascad'Events (stage de pilotage Dijon-Prenois)car
- BMC Moto (stage de pilotage moto)motorcycle
Typical cost: Coached stage de pilotage sessions typically from around €150-€300; open-pitlane car track days from roughly €200-€350 per day
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 1 / open-wheel (BOSS GP, Grand Prix circuit) | 1:02.985 | Ingo Gerstl | — | 2015 |
| Group C (Grand Prix circuit) | 1:08.973 | Jean-Louis Schlesser | — | 1990 |
Spectator guide
Dijon-Prenois's hilly terrain gives spectators unusually good natural vantage points, with several viewing areas overlooking multiple corners at once thanks to the circuit's elevation changes. Grandstands are concentrated around the start-finish straight and first corners, while general admission banking on the surrounding hillside covers much of the rest of the lap.
Seating
Grandstands line the start-finish straight; general admission hillside areas give panoramic views over the circuit's undulating middle and closing sectors.
Best places to watch
The hillside general admission areas overlooking Courbe de Pouas and the circuit's middle sector offer some of the best value views of several corners at once.
Weather
- June (Grand Prix de l'Âge d'Or): warm, highs typically 22-26°C with occasional summer storms
History of Circuit Dijon-Prenois
A Burgundy circuit built for Formula 1
Circuit Dijon-Prenois opened in 1972 in the hills of Burgundy, close to Dijon, built to a standard capable of attracting international motorsport. Its hilly, flowing layout stood out among French circuits of the era, and after an extension and reprofiling in 1976, it was judged ready to host Formula 1, joining the rotation of French circuits alongside Paul Ricard and, later, Magny-Cours.
The 1979 French Grand Prix and the Villeneuve-Arnoux duel
Dijon-Prenois's defining moment came at the 1979 French Grand Prix. While Jean-Pierre Jabouille took a historic win for Renault, the first Formula 1 victory for a turbocharged car, the race is remembered above all for the closing laps, when Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari and René Arnoux's Renault fought wheel-to-wheel for second place in a display of racing so hard-fought it is still replayed as one of the sport's iconic battles. The circuit hosted the French Grand Prix again in 1981 and 1984, and in 1982 staged the Swiss Grand Prix, run in France because motor racing on closed circuits was banned in Switzerland itself.
Life after Grand Prix racing
Dijon-Prenois lost its place on the Formula 1 calendar for good after 1984, as the sport gravitated toward Paul Ricard and later Magny-Cours for its French round. The circuit has continued as a busy national and club racing venue ever since, hosting FFSA GT, Porsche Carrera Cup France, French F4 and a strong historic racing scene including the annual Grand Prix de l'Âge d'Or, while its flowing, hilly layout has made it a favourite for driving schools and public track days.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Dijon-Prenois circuit?+
The Grand Prix layout is 3.801 km (2.362 miles) with 12 corners; a shorter 8-turn configuration of 3.289 km (2.044 miles) is also used.
Did Dijon-Prenois host Formula 1?+
Yes, it hosted the French Grand Prix in 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981 and 1984, and the one-off 1982 Swiss Grand Prix, but it is not on the current F1 calendar.
What happened at the 1979 French Grand Prix at Dijon?+
The race is best remembered for a fierce late-race battle for second place between Gilles Villeneuve and René Arnoux, widely regarded as one of the greatest wheel-to-wheel duels in Formula 1 history; Jean-Pierre Jabouille won the race itself.
Can the public drive Dijon-Prenois?+
Yes, the circuit hosts regular coached driving courses and open-pitlane track days for cars and motorcycles throughout the year.
How do you get to Dijon-Prenois?+
Take a TGV to Dijon-Ville, then a taxi or hire car for the final 15-20 minutes; Dole-Jura is the nearest airport with scheduled flights, about 50 minutes away.
What is the lap record at Dijon-Prenois?+
The fastest recorded lap on the Grand Prix circuit is 1:02.985, set by Ingo Gerstl in a BOSS GP-class car in 2015.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours · 143 km · road course
- Circuit Bremgarten · 195 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuit des Écuyers · 220 km · road course
- Reims-Gueux · 222 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Circuit de Charade · 229 km · road course
- Circuit de La Châtre - Maurice Tissandier · 235 km · road course
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.