Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe- Race weekend!

Summer may be swiftly fading into shorter evenings and rainy days, and thoughts of Glorious Goodwood and Royal Ascot may be little more than distant memories, but don’t be in too much of a hurry to shelve those hats and tailcoats, as the racing season is not yet over. Don your finery and turn your attention across the channel, to where the most prestigious horse race in Europe is still to come.

The first weekend in October sees the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe take place at one of the most esteemed flat racing tracks in the world, the Hippodrome de Longchamps racecourse in Paris. This ‘jewel in the crown of French racing’ is part of the World Series Racing Championships and has earned its name as being amongst the most expensive races in the world, boasting prize money of over 4 million Euros. This is due to its sponsorship from the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) who signed a deal with France Galop in 2008 and doubled the race prize money, making it the second richest turf race after the Japan cup. Only the Dubai world cup is richer than these two events. The race is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or over and is comprised of the classic winners from England, France, Ireland, Germany and Italy. The race itself takes place on Sunday the 3rd of October but there is a whole two days of racing to be had if you want to make a weekend of it. The race is extremely popular with Brits, with over 70,000 spectators attended the event in 2008. Just like Ascot, the event is typified by wonderful displays of hats and copious amounts of champagne.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was first held in 1920 and this year it will celebrate its 89th birthday. The origins of the race can be found in two former events – the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix de Conseil Municipal, but it wasn’t until after the First World War that the Société d’Encouragement founded the Prix de l’Arc as it is known today, in a bid to create a showcase for Europe’s finest thoroughbreds. This is undoubtedly one of the most prominent international events in any sport, and the opportunity to see Europe’s fastest horses battle it out on the legendary Longchamp racecourse, should not be missed.

Fortunately, with the Eurostar, getting to Paris could not be simpler. Hop on the Eurostar train at King’s Cross and three hours later you will find yourself in the heart of France’s capital. From there it is a simple metro journey to Porte Auteuil where there is a free shuttle that takes you straight to the Longchamp track. The track is situated on the Routes des Tribunes, Bois de Boulogne, 75116. Tickets cost a mere eight Euros for adults, four Euros for students and over sixties, and it’s free for under eighteens.

Taking pride of place amongst some of the most beautiful capital cities in the world, there is clearly a lot more than horse racing to attract people to Paris but if you are interested in this particular area of the capital then Sextant Property Website has a large selection of properties in the West. For 494.000 Euros you could buy an attractive 50sqm apartment that has a hallway, a living room, two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom, and is situated near Victor Hugo underground station. Or with a slightly larger budget of 670.000 Euros you could have a one bedroom apartment overlooking the Bois de Boulogne where you could reside in a modest 76 sqm of living space, comprised of a sitting room, a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom and a hallway, in addition to a balcony and a cellar. For € 3.948.000 you could buy a beautiful 195sqm apartment located in a luxury residence with a gym, in the architectural dream of the 16th arrondissement. And finally, if deluxe is what you’re after, then at the very top end of the market, € 9.800.000 will buy you a luxurious four level town house in the wealthy residential neighbourhood of Neuilly sur Seine. This magnificent 890sqm property, with its stylish décor, has a fully fitted and equipped kitchen, a summer dining room under a glass roof, a living room with a Versailles parquet floor, a second dining room, four bedrooms (two of which are en-suite), a separate bathroom, five WCs, a roof terrace with trees, three additional terraces and a cellar.

There are plenty of other properties on the Sextant Properties website in Paris. Don’t hesitate to contact one of our agents to discover our beautiful properties.