Circuit du Val de Vienne
Circuit du Val de Vienne at a glance
- Location
- Le Vigeant, Vienne
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 3.729 km (2.317 mi)
- Turns
- 17
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 1990
- Owner
- Jack Leconte and Jacques Nicolet (operated by Les Deux Arbres)
- Phone
- +33 5 49 48 86 38
- Website
- circuitvaldevienne.com
Track map and layout
Circuit du Val de Vienne runs clockwise for 3.729 km (2.317 mi) over 17 corners (a slightly different 3.768 km, 18-turn configuration is used for motorcycle events) through gently rolling farmland near Le Vigeant, roughly midway between Poitiers and Limoges. Its standout feature is a near-1,000-metre uninterrupted acceleration zone that lets GT cars exceed 270 km/h before heavy braking into the following corner, giving the lap a real mix of high-speed commitment and technical, medium-speed sections. The circuit was reconfigured in 2008 to its current layout and holds FIA Grade 2 homologation, making it a popular venue for both national championship racing and manufacturer testing.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Car circuit (2008-present) | 3.73 km | 3.729 km, 17 turns |
| Motorcycle circuit (2008-present) | 3.77 km | 3.768 km, 18 turns, adjusted layout for bike safety |
Events and race weekends
Val de Vienne is a mainstay of the French national motorsport calendar, having hosted the FFSA GT Championship and Porsche Carrera Cup France in past seasons and currently welcoming French Superbike and Supersport championship rounds among its two-wheeled events. The circuit also runs a well-established open trackday scene for both cars and motorcycles, including the long-running Trackdays4all spring gathering held there each March, and draws large numbers of visitors, once ranked the fourth most-visited tourist site in the Vienne department.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Superbike Championship round | FSBK | varies | |
| French Supersport Championship round | Supersport France | varies | |
| Trackdays4all spring gathering | Trackday event | March | long-running multi-day open trackday meeting |
Getting there and parking
The circuit sits between Poitiers and Limoges, each about an hour's drive away, in rural western France. Poitiers-Biard Airport, roughly an hour to the north, is the closest airport, while Limoges-Bellegarde offers a similar alternative to the south. Poitiers station has TGV services to Paris in around 1.5 hours, from where a hire car covers the remaining hour to the circuit, as there is no direct rail link to Le Vigeant itself.
- Poitiers-Biard Airport (PIS) · about 60 min drive
- Limoges-Bellegarde Airport (LIG) · about 60 min drive
Parking
General parking is available on site for event weekends, typically included with entry; arrive early for major bike championship and trackday dates.
Take the TGV to Poitiers (about 1.5 hours from Paris) and hire a car for the final hour's drive to Le Vigeant, as there is no direct rail connection to the circuit.
Hotels and camping near Circuit du Val de Vienne
Poitiers and Limoges, each roughly an hour away, offer the widest hotel choice; smaller towns closer to the circuit, such as Civray and L'Isle-Jourdain, provide more limited but closer options. There is no major trackside camping culture at Val de Vienne comparable to France's endurance venues, though the circuit's popularity as a regional tourist attraction means nearby rural gîtes and campsites are used by visiting trackday and event crowds.
Where to look
Poitiers city centre, about an hour north, has the widest hotel choice; Limoges, about an hour south, is a comparable alternative; Civray and L'Isle-Jourdain offer closer, smaller-scale options.
Camping
No large official trackside campsite; some regional campsites in the surrounding Vienne countryside are used by visitors during event weekends.
RV
No dedicated year-round motorhome facilities at the circuit; check specific event listings for temporary arrangements.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Val de Vienne is one of France's most active trackday circuits, hosting frequent open-pitlane sessions, coached driving courses and dedicated motorcycle trackdays throughout the year, alongside its national championship race calendar. Its long straight and technical middle sector make it popular with both car and bike trackday operators.
Who runs days here
Typical cost: Open-pitlane car and bike trackdays typically from around €150-€300 per day
Spectator guide
As a national-level circuit rather than a top-tier international venue, Val de Vienne has modest permanent grandstands concentrated near the pit straight, with general-admission viewing spread around the rest of the flat, open circuit.
Seating
Grandstands along the main straight near the pit and paddock complex; general admission covers the wider lap.
Best places to watch
The braking zone into the hairpin after the long straight offers strong overtaking-action views, particularly during Superbike and GT racing.
Weather
- May-September: warm continental summer typical of western France, highs typically 22-28°C
History of Circuit du Val de Vienne
A modern circuit in rural Poitou
Circuit du Val de Vienne opened in 1990 at Le Vigeant, in open farmland roughly midway between Poitiers and Limoges, as a purpose-built venue for French national motorsport. From the outset its combination of a long, flat-out straight and a technical, flowing middle sector set it apart from many of France's older road circuits, and it quickly attracted national championship racing.
Reconfiguration and growth
The circuit ran its original 3.757 km, 18-turn layout through 2007 before a 2008 reconfiguration produced the current 3.729 km, 17-turn car circuit and a closely related 18-turn motorcycle layout, refining safety and flow while keeping the signature near-1,000-metre acceleration zone that lets GT cars top 270 km/h. The venue earned FIA Grade 2 homologation and became a regular host of the FFSA GT Championship and Porsche Carrera Cup France, alongside French Superbike and Supersport rounds that continue to anchor its two-wheeled calendar.
Ownership and a growing visitor base
Ownership passed to businessmen Jack Leconte and Jacques Nicolet under a long-term concession running to 2032, with day-to-day operation by Les Deux Arbres. Beyond racing, the circuit built a significant public following, drawing an estimated 170,000 visitors in 2010 alone and ranking among the most-visited tourist sites in the Vienne department, driven in large part by its busy trackday and driving-course programme.
Val de Vienne today
The circuit remains one of the busiest trackday venues in France, running open-pitlane sessions and coached courses for cars and motorcycles for much of the year, including the long-established Trackdays4all spring gathering, while continuing to host national bike and GT racing on a layout still regarded as one of the more technically satisfying in the country.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Circuit du Val de Vienne?+
The car circuit is 3.729 km (2.317 miles) with 17 corners; a closely related 3.768 km (2.341 mile), 18-turn layout is used for motorcycle racing.
What racing series use Val de Vienne?+
The circuit has hosted the FFSA GT Championship and Porsche Carrera Cup France in past seasons, and currently hosts French Superbike and Supersport Championship rounds.
Can the public drive or ride Val de Vienne?+
Yes, it is one of France's busiest trackday circuits, with frequent open-pitlane sessions and coached driving courses for both cars and motorcycles.
How do you get to Circuit du Val de Vienne?+
It sits between Poitiers and Limoges, each about an hour's drive away; Poitiers-Biard and Limoges-Bellegarde are the nearest airports, and Poitiers station has TGV links to Paris.
Who owns Circuit du Val de Vienne?+
Businessmen Jack Leconte and Jacques Nicolet hold the concession through 2032, with the circuit operated day-to-day by Les Deux Arbres.
What makes the Val de Vienne layout distinctive?+
A near-1,000-metre uninterrupted acceleration zone lets GT cars exceed 270 km/h before a hard braking zone into the following hairpin, combined with a technical, flowing middle sector.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit du Puy de Poursay · 98 km · motocross
- Circuit de La Châtre - Maurice Tissandier · 114 km · road course
- Circuit du Mas du Clos · 132 km · road course
- Circuit de Charade · 193 km · road course
- Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans) · 196 km · road course & oval
- Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours · 207 km · road course
Facts checked against 4 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-10.