Circuit du Puy de Poursay
Circuit du Puy de Poursay at a glance
- Location
- Mazeray, Charente-Maritime
- Type
- motocross
- Surface
- natural terrain
- Opened
- 1999
- Owner
- Moto Club Angérien (MCA)
- Address
- Puy de Poursay
Track map and layout
Circuit du Puy de Poursay is a natural-terrain motocross course at Mazeray, near Saint-Jean-d'Angély in Charente-Maritime, visible from the nearby A10 motorway. The current circuit and its facilities date from a 1999 rebuild, and the track is reserved for motorcycles, quads and sidecars. Detailed lap length and corner-count figures for the layout are not published, and the course has been reconfigured for individual events, including a new track layout designed for the 2025 world championship round.
Events and race weekends
Run by the Moto Club Angérien, Puy de Poursay has been one of France's most significant motocross venues, hosting the FIM Motocross World Championship's French round (MXGP of France) in most years from 1984 through 2025, as well as the prestigious Motocross of Nations in 2000 and 2011. In 2026 the circuit hosted a round of the French Elite Motocross Championship (24MX Tour) in early April, continuing its role as a leading national and international motocross venue.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Elite Motocross Championship (24MX Tour) round | French national motocross championship | April | recent editions held early April; the venue has also hosted the FIM MXGP of France in most years since 1984 |
Getting there and parking
The circuit sits at Mazeray, just outside Saint-Jean-d'Angély in Charente-Maritime, within sight of the A10 motorway linking Paris and Bordeaux. Saint-Jean-d'Angély has its own railway station with regional connections; the nearest airport with scheduled flights is at La Rochelle, roughly 45 minutes away, with Bordeaux and Poitiers airports also within reach for international travel.
- La Rochelle-Île de Ré Airport (LRH) · about 45 min drive
- Poitiers-Biard Airport (PIS) · about 75 min drive
Parking
On-site parking is provided for event days, with capacity scaled up for major national and international motocross meetings.
The circuit's proximity to the A10 motorway makes it straightforward to reach by car from both Paris and the Bordeaux/Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Hotels and camping near Circuit du Puy de Poursay
Saint-Jean-d'Angély, a few minutes from the circuit, offers the closest range of hotels; La Rochelle and Saintes, both within about 45 minutes, provide a wider choice of accommodation for visitors combining a race weekend with a longer stay in Charente-Maritime.
Where to look
Saint-Jean-d'Angély for proximity; La Rochelle or Saintes for a wider hotel selection.
Camping
Camping facilities are set up for major event weekends, organised through the host club and event organisers.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Puy de Poursay is primarily a competition venue for motocross, run by the Moto Club Angérien, hosting national and (historically) world championship rounds plus club-level training and racing outside major event weekends. Specific public track-day or ride-along programmes for casual visitors are not published by the club.
Spectator guide
As a major national and former world-championship motocross venue, Puy de Poursay draws large crowds for its headline events, with spectators viewing from natural banking and vantage points around the course rather than fixed grandstands.
Seating
Primarily natural bankside and hillside viewing, supplemented by temporary grandstand and VIP structures for major event weekends.
Best places to watch
Elevated banking overlooking the jump sections gives the widest views of the course during major races.
Weather
- April: typical Charente-Maritime spring weather, highs generally 14-18°C with a chance of rain
History of Circuit du Puy de Poursay
A leading French motocross venue
Circuit du Puy de Poursay, at Mazeray near Saint-Jean-d'Angély in Charente-Maritime, has been one of France's most important motocross venues for decades, run throughout by the Moto Club Angérien. The current circuit and its facilities date from a rebuild completed in 1999, giving the track modern infrastructure suited to hosting international-level events.
A regular world championship round
Following its 1999 renovation, Puy de Poursay was used for the first time in international competition at the 2000 Motocross of Nations, the sport's premier team event, which it also hosted again in 2011. Beyond that showpiece, the circuit hosted the French round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of France, in most seasons from 1984 through 2025, welcoming the world's top MX1/MXGP and MX2 riders on a course visible from the nearby A10 motorway.
Reconfigured for modern racing
The layout has been periodically reworked for major events, including a newly designed track configuration built for the 2025 world championship round, reflecting the venue's continued investment in staying competitive for top-level motocross.
A national championship fixture today
Alongside its world championship history, Puy de Poursay remains a fixture of French national motocross, hosting rounds of the French Elite Motocross Championship, branded the 24MX Tour, including an April 2026 round that drew the country's leading riders back to the Charente-Maritime circuit.
Frequently asked questions
What type of racing happens at Circuit du Puy de Poursay?+
It is a motocross venue for motorcycles, quads and sidecars, run by the Moto Club Angérien.
Has Puy de Poursay hosted the Motocross World Championship?+
Yes, it hosted the FIM Motocross World Championship's French round (MXGP of France) in most seasons from 1984 through 2025, and hosted the Motocross of Nations in 2000 and 2011.
Where is Circuit du Puy de Poursay located?+
It is at Mazeray, just outside Saint-Jean-d'Angély in the Charente-Maritime department, visible from the A10 motorway.
What racing does Puy de Poursay host now?+
The circuit continues to host French national motocross, including rounds of the French Elite Motocross Championship (24MX Tour), such as an April 2026 round.
How do you get to Circuit du Puy de Poursay?+
Most visitors drive via the A10 motorway; Saint-Jean-d'Angély has its own railway station, and La Rochelle Airport is the nearest with scheduled flights, about 45 minutes away.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit du Val de Vienne · 98 km · road course
- Circuit de La Châtre - Maurice Tissandier · 212 km · road course
- Circuit du Mas du Clos · 223 km · road course
- Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans) · 231 km · road course & oval
- Circuit Paul Armagnac · 244 km · road course
- Circuit de la Chambre au Loup (Moto Club Iffendic) · 267 km · motocross
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.