Forthcoming work on “False straight” at ParisLongchamp

ParisLongchamp: Drainage of « False straight » will commence on 13 July 2025

To ensure that the « Grande Piste » at ParisLongchamp, which is used for races such as the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, offers the best possible even racing surface, France Galop plans to start drainage work on the « False Straight » from 13 July, the day after the Grand Prix de Paris.

The drainage work will cover a 400m area. It will start 1000 metres from the winning post at the beginning of the bend leading into the « False Straight » and stop 600 metres before the winning post. Due to its proximity to a lake and the natural gradient of this track, this section of the track has a greater tendency to retain water than the rest of the course when the ground is soft.

The project, which will take 10 days to complete, involves digging 5 cm-wide seepage slots every 70 cm along the 20m wide track. Each slot will be filled with a 15cm of draining gravel, topped with 12cm of rolled sand to encourage water infiltration and will then be covered with a final layer of sandy soil to provide the best possible conditions for the new grass cover to take root. The track will open for racing again from 31 August, providing optimal racing conditions for the rest of the season.