Longchamp Racecourse, Horse racing venue in Bois de Boulogne, France
Longchamp Racecourse sits in the Bois de Boulogne on the edge of Paris and spreads across an expansive green landscape. The facility includes multiple tracks of varying lengths with numerous starting points designed to accommodate different race types.
The racecourse opened in 1857 when Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie attended the inaugural races. It was established to meet the growing interest in horse racing among Parisians during the Second Empire period.
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe draws international horse enthusiasts and fashionable crowds to the racecourse each October. Spectators dress formally for the occasion, turning the event into a celebration of racing tradition and elegance.
The racecourse is accessible by public transport and situated within a large park where visitors can walk around the grounds. Different viewing areas accommodate crowds of varying sizes, and races are typically held on weekends and select weekdays.
In earlier times, Parisians took steamboats up the Seine River to reach the racecourse for a day of racing. This unusual travel method reveals how central the venue was to the city's leisure culture.
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