The Circuit de Charade, also known as Circuit Louis Rosier and Circuit Clermont-Ferrand, is a motorsport race track in Saint-Genès-Champanelle near Clermont-Ferrand in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France. The circuit, built around the base of an extinct volcano, was known for its challenging layout which favored the most skillful drivers and motorcyclists. It hosted the French Grand Prix four times and the French motorcycle Grand Prix ten times. Circuit history There had been local interest in motorsport racing beginning with proposals in 1908 for a race on a street circuit, although the proposals were never enacted. Efforts were renewed after the Second World War when the President of the Sports Association of the Automobile Club of Auvergne, Jean Auchatraire, and accomplished racer Louis Rosier designed a course by adapting pre-existing roads around the Puy de Dôme, an extinct volcano which dominated the city skyline. Construction began in May 1957 and the first race was held in July 1958 when an endurance race was won by Innes Ireland in a Lotus 1100, and a Formula Two race won by Maurice Trintignant in a Cooper T43. Originally, the long circuit was described as an even twistier and faster version of the Nürburgring. With a relentless number of sharp curves and elevation changes and with almost no discernible straights, the circuit was both feared and respected by competitors. The sinuous track layout caused some drivers like Jochen Rindt in the 1969 French Grand Prix to complain of motion sickness, and wore open face helmets just in case. Despite the numerous curves, the track was relatively fast with Chris Amon setting the lap record in a Matra MS120 with a average during the 1972 French Grand Prix. In his 1969 book Motor Cycle Racing, Peter Carrick wrote: The French Grand Prix circuit at Clermont Ferrand was seen to be in complete contrast to the lap at Monza, when it was first used in 1959: the longest straight was and a variety of really tight corners quickly demonstrated—or exposed—a rider's skill! The venue first gained international prominence when it hosted the French motorcycle Grand Prix in 1959, won by John Surtees riding an MV Agusta. The circuit would host the French motorcycle Grand Prix ten times between 1959 and 1974. In 1959, Stirling Moss competed on the track for the first time and declared: "I don't know a more wonderful track than