Pau Circuit
The Pau courses will only be run when there is sufficient interest. Sadly the desire to indulge in the delights of this particular part of the world and the challenge of its picturesque circuit have to be balanced with the commercial aspects. Or, put another way, I have to hire the track on an exclusive basis, so there has to be sufficient people to cover the cost. That said, it's not a hugely expensive option. If a few of you can get together, then I will be more than happy to discuss it.
Pau is a sizeable town lying about halfway between Biarritz and Toulouse, close to the border between France and Spain, and which for nearly a century has hosted a race round the streets. It is one of the world’s very oldest races and many of the greats have driven there - the many sepia-tinted photographs in the many bars and restaurants are testimony to that and the Grand Prix cars which they often drove. Then for years it was a feature event in the Formula Two calendar which is a glorious and sadly-missed chapter in racing history. More recently the race at Pau was for Formula 3000, but now it is Formula Three and occasionally GTs but in the last couple of years, the organisers have added a historic weekend which recreates much of the early atmosphere and makes it a must-do for any enthusiast. Unlike Monaco, they leave most of the kerbs in place...
Circuit Pau-Arnos lies about 25km to the West of Pau and is much more rural - a bit like a more compact, miniature version of Spa, set in the undulating foothills of the Pyrenees. It offers a wonderful selection of challenging corners, sequences which demand consideration and understanding, blind crests and hidden apices, hairpins and gradients. The owner claims he built it after a visit to Brands Hatch club circuit and while you can see the likeness, it is much more than a clone of the Kent track. It is longer too, at a little under two miles.
Although we won’t set out to teach you the perfect line round Pau Arnos, if you can master the variety of corners here, then you should be well prepared for anything you might encounter elsewhere.
The other significant difference between Brands Hatch and Pau Arnos is that the weather is usually good in this part of France - the leaves are still on the trees at Christmas and what winter there is doesn’t come until January - so it is a perfect antidote to the fog and drizzle of winter in the UK. Budget airline Ryanair operates a daily flight from London Stansted to the international airport north of the town where there are the usual added-budget deals with hire cars. The flight arrives about one in the afternoon but there are alternatives available to Biarritz and Toulouse which, respectively, are about one or two hours distant by road.
There is also the TGV rail service which will take you all the way from Waterloo to the town of Pau. It takes about 10 hours - with perhaps one change - and is an experience in itself which will be something of a culture shock to those used only to rail travel in the UK...
From Pau, the grandeur of the Pyrenees is clearly visible and Spain which lies beyond is only an hour’s drive. Biarritz and the sea are all a similar distance and driving time to the West.
Masterclass is a unique opportunity to learn with Don Palmer and Mark Hales, two highly experienced driving coaches. Contact Mark on 07860 757878, or send an email using the contact form to begin your French excursion.