Circuit Charade

Circuit de Charade

The original 8.055 km version of the track
Location	Saint-Genès-Champanelle, Auvergne, France
Time zone	GMT +1
Coordinates	45°44′50″N 3°02′20″E / 45.74722°N 3.03889°E / 45.74722; 3.03889Coordinates: 45°44′50″N 3°02′20″E / 45.74722°N 3.03889°E / 45.74722; 3.03889
Major events	French Grand Prix (1965, 1969-1970, 1972) French motorcycle Grand Prix (1959-1964, 1966-1967, 1972, 1974) World Sportscar Championship French Supertouring Championship
Modern Circuit
Length	3.975 km (2.470 mi)
Turns	18
Old Circuit
Length	8.055 km (5.005 mi)
Turns	48
Race lap record	2:53.9, 166.751 km/h ( Chris Amon, Matra, 1972, Formula 1)

The Circuit de Charade, also known as Circuit Louis Rosier and Circuit Clermont-Ferrand, is a motorsport race track in Saint-Genès-Champanelle near Clermont-Ferrand, France. The circuit, built around the base of an extinct volcano, was known for its challenging layout which favored the most skillful drivers and motorcyclists. It hosted the French Grand Prix four times and the French motorcycle Grand Prix ten times.

There had been local interest in motorsport racing beginning with proposals in 1908 for a race on a street circuit, although the proposals were never enacted. Efforts were renewed after the Second World War when the President of the Sports Association of the Automobile Club of Auvergne, Jean Auchatraire, and accomplished racer Louis Rosier designed a course by adapting pre-existing roads around the Puy de Dôme, an extinct volcano which dominated the city skyline. Construction began in May 1957 and the first race was held in July 1958 when an endurance race was won by Innes Ireland in a Lotus 1100, and a Formula Two race won by Maurice Trintignant in a Cooper T43.

Originally, the 8.055 km (5.005-mi) long circuit was described as an even twistier and faster version of the Nürburgring. With a relentless number of sharp curves and elevation changes and with almost no discernible straights, the circuit was both feared and respected by competitors. The sinuous track layout caused some drivers like Jochen Rindt in the 1969 French Grand Prix to complain of motion sickness, and wore open face helmets just in case. Despite the numerous curves, the track was relatively fast with Chris Amon setting the lap record in a Matra MS120 with a 104 mph average during the 1972 French Grand Prix.