Nogaro

The Circuit Paul Armagnac is set on the northern edge of Nogaro – a small, sleepy town in the brandy region south of Bordeaux. It combines a tight complex around the pits (which formed the original circuit) and two long straights, one of which runs parallel to an airfield runway. The Grand Prix de Nogaro was the annual highlight since the circuit opened in 1960. Normally a national event, it attracted a round of the European Formula 2 during the mid-1970s before switching to F3 and the European Touring Car Championship during the following decade. It held an autumn round of the FIA Formula 3000 Championship from 1990 but the 1994 event was cancelled and replaced by Formula Renault and later a GT race. The temperate climate, fine food, and beautiful countryside made Nogaro a popular winter testing venue.