32 replies to this topic

[LittleChris]

I dropped in there on Tuesday for my annual pilgrimage and am sorry to have to report that it looks like the whole of the post 1971 link road from Beauval - Paradis has now been fully dug up. Strangely a lot of this area north of the original 1950's link ( Chemin D'Etoile) has been deforested. Given that this is right next to the Autoroute between Le Havre and Paris , it makes me worried that they may be thinking about building on this land.

Gresil is still there however, hidden away behind the autoroute bridge. Although there is a new earth and rubbish bank behind the original one (which seperates the tarmac from the existing recently retarmaced road), by walking into the forest and around the new bank, you can get onto the old tarmac. As normal, I cleared a square metre of moss and undergrowth to reveal the road surface below as a mark of respect to a great race track.

Chris

[bill moffat]

Chris, all highly depressing and one of the reasons as to why on my Le Mans journeys I no longer make the detour ( I always used to get lost anyway but tended to find my way there by heading for that tall radio mast.)

Presumably Montlhery will be the next , although perhaps we could raise a petition to encorage an alternative site for housing development in the Nevers region of France...;)

Incidentally on the subject of old circuits being "clobbered" what happened to the old Jimmy Clark memorial stone at the old Hockenheim ? Similarly was there not a memorial to Gerry Birrell on the roadside at Rouen ?

[QuickVic]

Originally posted by bill moffat

Incidentally on the subject of old circuits being "clobbered" what happened to the old Jimmy Clark memorial stone at the old Hockenheim ? Similarly was there not a memorial to Gerry Birrell on the roadside at Rouen ?

Website here detailing what it was like in 2001.

http://www.users.glo...clark_memorial/

[LittleChris]

Originally posted by bill moffat
Similarly was there not a memorial to Gerry Birrell on the roadside at Rouen ?

Bill,

I believe that the only memorial to Gerry was an inscription made, at the time, by his mechanics on the trunk of a tree overlooking Six Freres. Apparently this tree disappeared a couple of years ago.

[Muzza]

Simply terrible.

[Barry Boor]

I can confirm what Chris has said about the lack of any reference to Gerry Birrell. I spent some time around the outside of Six Freres and although the temporary chicane diversion was still there (as of about 3 years ago) there was no sign of anything connected with Gerry's accident.

Then again, the list of Rouen fatalities is not short, so I suppose we shouldn't expect anything for Gerry, if there is nothing for Schlesser, Salomon (sp!) or Dayan who were, after all, Frenchmen.

[Stefan Schmidt]

Rouen les Essarts two weeks ago

[lil'chris]

Thanks Stefan.

I guess we should be grateful that the road from Nouveau Monde up to Gresil remains much as it used to.

Don't understand why they created a central reservation from Paradis down to Nouveau Monde though - seems pointless Does it begin after the roundabout on the site of the old Paradis or does it start after the bridge over the autoroute where Scierie used to be ?

Chris

[Stefan Schmidt]

Just after the bridge next to the high radio mast.

[Catalina Park]

Thanks Stefan for the video. It was great to see what the track looks like.

[Cirrus]

After watching Stefan's video, I came across this...

http://www.youtube.c...related&search=

What are those strange slaloming vehicles about 1:30 in?

[Bloggsworth]

I fell in love when first I saw the photographs of Fangio et al opposite locking their way down the hill at Rouen; it was my first love, and one that has remained with me for 50 years. Fortunately, fond memory is far stronger than the ravages of bureaucrats or town planners; long after the diggers have departed, and the first flickering neon tube has told the ghosts of Fangio, Behra and Carlos Menditeguy the keep to the right, we will retain images of the true nature of that wooded hillside.

[lil'chris]

Originally posted by Stefan Schmidt
Just after the bridge next to the high radio mast.

Thx Stefan.

[Flynnie]

Why do the local Rouen council seem so eager to remove any mention of the track? I mean, paving over the cobblestones at Nouveau Monde surely was nothing more than an F you to racing enthusiasts.

It's striking in comparison to Reims, but it's terrifyingly common in France. If, God forbid, racing ever stopped at Le Mans, I have no doubt they'd find some way to bulldoze everything.

[Bloggsworth]

The French have a name for them: grands projets. It does not exactly translate into English, and that goes for the projects as well. A visiting team from SNCF, which runs the French railways, was once asked to explain this. How had they got their new line from the Channel Tunnel to Paris up and running when the line from the tunnel to London was no more than some dots on a map? The visitors' answer was simple: `Aha, we have a saying in France: when we drain the pond, we do not consult the frogs.'

Copyright Spectator Nov 3, 2001

[MCS]

Originally posted by Stefan Schmidt
Rouen les Essarts two weeks ago

I have to say that this has seriously depressed me.

The mindless destruction of the pits and grandstands was bad enough.

I doubt I could go back now.

[Stefan Schmidt]

Originally posted by MCS


I have to say that this has seriously depressed me.

The mindless destruction of the pits and grandstands was bad enough.

I doubt I could go back now.

Sorry

[Arrows4Ever]

Originally posted by Cirrus
After watching Stefan's video, I came across this...

http://www.youtube.c...related&search=

What are those strange slaloming vehicles about 1:30 in?

Great footage!!!

Those weird cars(1:30) look like a bunch of Captain Scarlet cars!!!

[ex Rhodie racer]

I think there was another Rouen thread somewhere, but I can´t find it. Anyhow, I was looking for a bit of info on Gerry Birrell when I came accross this. It might be of interest.

http://www.forix.com...ouen-facts.html
Also
http://www.forix.com/8w/rouen-73.html

I have searched for a thread on Gerry Birrell but didn´t find anything (probably did it all wrong ). If nothing has been put up as yet, maybe someone would like to start one. He was a very interesting talent who´s career was tragically cut short before he was able to realise his full potential and definitely deserves to be discussed on here. I know very little about him but I am sure many on here would be able to contribute.

[Tim Murray]

Gerry Birrell

[ex Rhodie racer]

Originally posted by Tim Murray
Gerry Birrell

Thanks mate. I just knew it was in there somewhere.

[HistoricMustang]

As we know there were several track layouts through the years but I believe this is the general area.

Sad!

Henry

[Mark A]

That's the area.

This is the various layouts.

The pitlane didn't move (red car) so the bottom bit is common-ish to all layouts.

1950-54 - Blue & Cyan.
1955-70 - Blue
1971 - Blue with green chicanes.
1972-73 - Blue & orange
1974-94 - Blue & Orange with red chicane.

(All are in the file which can be downloaded from my signature)

[Francois78]

Good evening.

The section in orange (virages de la forêt) doesn't exist anymore . The tarmac has been take of.

regards

[Stefan Schmidt]

I remember the last time when I was there in April 2008... when near the area of the light blue line have been two recreational vehicles and some girls for travellers (mostly truck drivers) joy...?!

[Francois78]

Here are some views from oct 2008.

- La courbe des 6 frères with the chicane .

[Francois78]

The entrance of the virages de la foret (yellow on the plan above)



The entrance of la courbe du grésil



Inside la courbe du grésil (quiet and silence for a pilgrim - no prostitutes here ! )



the tarmac is still here (please don't paint new signs like "GPL for ever" )

[lil'chris]

Originally posted by Mark A
That's the area.

This is the various layouts.

The pitlane didn't move (red car) so the bottom bit is common-ish to all layouts.

1950-54 - Blue & Cyan.
1955-70 - Blue
1971 - Blue with green chicanes.
1972-73 - Blue & orange
1974-94 - Blue & Orange with red chicane.

(All are in the file which can be downloaded from my signature)

Mark,

I think the 2nd chicane used in 1971 was actually situated where the original circuit ( and the 1972 onward link ) joined the pit straight .

Chris

[Francois78]

Another link to Les Essarts . Its the moto club site . A lot of old photos .

http://motolesessart...la.fr/PAGE2.HTM

[onelung]

This is to me the all-time ever classic shot of the Maestro in full song. I believe it is Rouen 1957 - which corner, please?

[lil'chris]

Six Freres in this instance, although there are similar pics taken at the first un-named corner

[lil'chris]

I drove around what remains of Rouen Les Essarts earlier this week and am sad to report that, unless you want to twist or break an ankle, you can't even wander along the tarmac at Gresil anymore ( let alone clear a bit of it ) since it appears that whoever has been doing the deforestation in the area has used the entrance to the Courbe as a dumping ground for trees, roots and various oddments of metal.

On a brighter note, I also visited the other two road circuits used for the French GP during the 60's and can report that Les Amis are doing great preservation work at Reims and the Circuit de Charade remains as beautiful as ever ( Since my first visit I'd forgotten just how massively steep the positive camber was on the curves just afer the Champeaux crossroads and how underrated and blindingly quick a corner Gravenoire would have been ).

Chris

[MCS]

I drove around what remains of Rouen Les Essarts earlier this week and am sad to report that, unless you want to twist or break an ankle, you can't even wander along the tarmac at Gresil anymore ( let alone clear a bit of it ) since it appears that whoever has been doing the deforestation in the area has used the entrance to the Courbe as a dumping ground for trees, roots and various oddments of metal.

On a brighter note, I also visited the other two road circuits used for the French GP during the 60's and can report that Les Amis are doing great preservation work at Reims and the Circuit de Charade remains as beautiful as ever ( Since my first visit I'd forgotten just how massively steep the positive camber was on the curves just afer the Champeaux crossroads and how underrated and blindingly quick a corner Gravenoire would have been ).

Chris

I stayed in Rouen just over a fortnight ago on my way down to the Loire valley and passed by the circuit on the motorway. You could clearly see the outline of the track down to Nouveau Monde on my Sat Nav (!) but I couldn't face stopping - not after what's been done to the place.