Circuit de la Chambre au Loup (Moto Club Iffendic)
Circuit de la Chambre au Loup (Moto Club Iffendic) at a glance
- Location
- Iffendic, Ille-et-Vilaine
- Type
- motocross
- Length
- 1.745 km (1.084 mi)
- Surface
- clay and soil
- Opened
- 1972
- Owner
- Moto-Club d'Iffendic (MCI)
- Address
- La Lande du Fief, D61
- Phone
- +33 2 99 06 86 31
- Website
- mc-iffendic.com
Track map and layout
Known as the Chambre au Loup circuit, the Iffendic motocross track is a 1,745-metre, 10-metre-wide course cut through clay and soil terrain in rural Ille-et-Vilaine, and is one of the few French circuits with genuinely pronounced relief, featuring a succession of descents and climbs broken up by obstacles. Quads are permitted alongside motorcycles. The layout has been reworked several times, shortened in 2007, modified with an added loop in 2009, and profoundly remodelled in 2021 to improve both spectator sightlines and safety, with homologation for competition renewed through 2030.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Current layout (2021-present) | 1.74 km | 1,745 m, remodelled for improved safety and spectacle |
Events and race weekends
Iffendic has an exceptional history for a French club circuit, hosting the FIM 500cc Motocross World Championship in 1983 (a duel between André Malherbe and Håkan Carlqvist), the 250cc World Championship in 1987 (won by Eric Geboers, with American legend Bob Hannah making his only world-championship start) and again in 1996 (won by Stéphane Everts), the World Sidecarcross Championship in 1990, and the 500cc French Grand Prix in 2000, won by future world champion Joël Smets. After a gap of more than two decades, international competition returned in 2011-2012, and the circuit has since hosted the French Elite Motocross Championship on multiple occasions, including a 2009 round where future world champion Marvin Musquin took the MX2 win weeks before clinching the title.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Elite Motocross Championship round | French national motocross championship | varies | hosted on multiple occasions since the 2000s |
Getting there and parking
The circuit sits beside the D61 at Iffendic in rural Ille-et-Vilaine, roughly 30 minutes west of Rennes. There is no rail station in Iffendic itself; Rennes, with its TGV connections to Paris, is the nearest major station and airport, from where a hire car or taxi covers the final leg to the circuit.
- Rennes-Saint-Jacques Airport (RNS) · about 35 min drive
Parking
On-site parking is available for event and training days, with expanded arrangements for major national and international meetings.
Rennes, with its TGV rail link to Paris (around 1.5 hours) and its own airport, is the practical gateway for visitors travelling from farther afield.
Hotels and camping near Circuit de la Chambre au Loup (Moto Club Iffendic)
Rennes, about 30 minutes from the circuit, offers by far the widest choice of hotels and the best transport links, including TGV rail access to Paris; smaller towns closer to Iffendic, such as Montfort-sur-Meu, offer more limited accommodation nearer the venue.
Where to look
Rennes for the widest hotel choice and transport links; Montfort-sur-Meu for closer, smaller-scale options.
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Circuit de la Chambre au Loup is run by the Moto-Club d'Iffendic primarily for organised competition and club training rather than casual public track days, hosting French national championship rounds and periodic international events; riders typically need an FFM competition licence to use the circuit for organised sessions.
Who runs days here
- Moto-Club d'Iffendicmotorcycle
Spectator guide
Iffendic's pronounced hillside relief, unusual for a French motocross venue, gives spectators sweeping natural views over much of the circuit's descents, climbs and obstacle sections, and the 2021 remodel was specifically designed to improve sightlines for major event crowds.
Seating
No large permanent grandstands; the natural hillside terrain provides elevated viewing across much of the course, supplemented by temporary structures for major events.
Best places to watch
The high ground overlooking the circuit's steepest descent-and-climb sequences gives the best overall view of the layout.
Weather
- April-October: typical Brittany climate, mild and changeable with highs generally 15-21°C and a real chance of rain
History of Circuit de la Chambre au Loup (Moto Club Iffendic)
Founded in 1971, racing by 1972
The Moto-Club d'Iffendic was founded at the end of 1971 and wasted no time making its mark, organising its first national-level motocross event the following year. By 1973 the club was already hosting international competition, welcoming Finnish rider K. Vekhonen, and through the rest of the 1970s and into the early 1980s Iffendic became a regular stop for French championship rounds and major international meetings.
A genuine world championship venue
Iffendic's standing rose further in 1983, when it hosted the FIM 500cc Motocross World Championship, producing a memorable duel between Belgian André Malherbe and Sweden's Håkan Carlqvist. The circuit returned to the world stage in 1987 for the 250cc World Championship, won by Belgian Eric Geboers, in an event that also marked the sole world-championship start of American motocross legend Bob Hannah. The World Sidecarcross Championship followed in 1990, and the 250cc World Championship returned once more in 1996, won by Belgian Stéphane Everts. In 2000, Iffendic hosted the 500cc French Grand Prix, won by Joël Smets, who would go on to become a multiple world champion.
A modern French Elite fixture
After international competition lapsed for more than two decades, it returned to Iffendic in 2011-2012, and through the 2000s and 2010s the circuit hosted the French Elite Motocross Championship on several occasions. A standout came in 2009, when Marvin Musquin claimed the MX2 win at Iffendic just weeks before securing the world championship title.
Chambre au Loup today
Known as the Chambre au Loup circuit, the track has been reshaped repeatedly to keep pace with modern racing: shortened in 2007, modified with an added loop configuration in 2009, and profoundly remodelled in 2021 to improve both the spectacle for fans and safety for riders. Its homologation for competition has been renewed through 2030, and it remains one of the few French circuits with genuinely pronounced natural relief, a legacy that has underpinned its five-decade run as one of the country's most significant motocross venues.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Iffendic (Chambre au Loup) motocross circuit?+
The current layout is 1,745 metres (about 1.08 miles) and 10 metres wide, following a significant remodel in 2021.
Has Iffendic hosted the Motocross World Championship?+
Yes, multiple times: the FIM 500cc World Championship in 1983, the 250cc World Championship in 1987 and 1996, the World Sidecarcross Championship in 1990, and the 500cc French Grand Prix in 2000.
What is Circuit de la Chambre au Loup known for?+
It is one of the few French motocross circuits with genuinely pronounced relief, featuring a succession of descents and climbs broken up by obstacles, and has a five-decade history of hosting top-level national and international motocross.
Can quads ride at the Iffendic circuit?+
Yes, quads are permitted on the circuit alongside motorcycles.
How do you get to Moto Club Iffendic?+
Most visitors drive via the D61; Rennes, about 30 minutes away, is the nearest city with a TGV rail station and an airport, from where a hire car or taxi covers the final leg.
Other tracks nearby
- Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans) · 171 km · road course & oval
- Circuit des Tonnes (Moto Club Brou) · 233 km · motocross
- Circuit du Puy de Poursay · 267 km · motocross
- Circuit du Val de Vienne · 293 km · road course
- Goodwood Motor Circuit · 321 km · road course
- Paris Street Circuit · 333 km · historic circuit (defunct)
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.