Popular Trackday and Race Venue Under Threat From Nearby Developments
The Carole circuit near Paris is reported to be under threat, after a number of developments, including hotels, have sprung up in the area.
The issue of developers building homes and businesses near racing circuits, only for their new inhabitants to then complain about the noise, is something that has been happening for many years.
With space in towns and cities at a premium, and building up costing much more than building out, developers are more often than not turning to greenbelt land to build more business developments, homes, and hotels. The trouble is, greenbelt land is also the favoured home of race tracks, such as the Carole circuit in France, and we all know what happens next.
The track, which might have been at the site for a great number of years, gets a load of new neighbours, many of whom won’t be fans of motorsport and the noise it brings with it. Cue strongly worded letters to local MPs, and now what we have are restrictions on the circuit and the number of days it can operate - or worse!
And it’s not just UK tracks that suffer this fate, with the Carole circuit, north east of Paris, seemingly seeing the same thing happen. The area around the track has seen a number of developments spring up, with the French outlet, Moto-Station, reaching out to the French Motorcycling Federation (FFM) president, Sébastien Poirier, for his take on the matter.
While supportive of the venue and its long-standing activities, Poirier was keen to point out that the FFM can have “no control” over the kind of buildings that get built near tracks.
“We are very attentive to the economic development of this area, even though we have no control over it.” Poirier said, speaking to Moto-Station. “Specifically, and with regard to the hotel under construction, it should be noted that many speed circuits are bordered by this type of establishment (see Le Mans). What is certain is that the Carole circuit, which was in the middle of the countryside when it was inaugurated, now finds itself in the heart of a developing area. Obviously, we can only regret this, but unfortunately, we must adapt, and this means reducing noise emissions at the source.”
With the track being so close to Paris, it’s a popular destination for bikers from the French capital. It’s also a favoured location for UK trackday riders to head to, given it’s just three hours from Calais. It offers British riders the chance to take part in a European trackday, without schlepping halfway across the continent. Let’s just hope that the venue's history and value to the local economy are taken into account, as it’d be a shame to see its activity limited to a trickle.
You may also like to read our motorcycle trackday guides, all written by Niall Mackenzie.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
