How to Get to Paul Ricard – 2022 French Grand Prix

The best ways get to Circuit Paul Ricard for the 2022 French Grand Prix on July 22-24, including Park & Ride and shuttle services on race weekend.

The return of the French Grand Prix in 2018 was tainted for many fans by significant delays getting into and out of the Paul Ricard Circuit on race weekend, poor trackside parking and a lack of information for spectators. Many fans were stuck in traffic on local roads for up to 6 hours due to poor communication between the circuit and local traffic police, coupled with inefficient systems for controlling access to circuit parking.

Thankfully, a new ‘mobility plan’ was put in place for 2019 that was focused on four main areas: matching the number of vehicles going to the circuit with road capacity, overhaul the organization and management of trackside parking, use new roads and modify existing roads to improve road capacity and finally, to advise and inform the public before, during and after the event.

Book a hotel for the 2022 French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard on July 22-24

In addition to dedicated lanes for public buses and vehicles with five or more passengers, the biggest new initiative in 2019 was the introduction of free “park and ride” facilities in nearby towns with shuttle transfers from the parking to the circuit. Paid shuttles (“Bus Express GP”) also connect the largest cities to Paul Ricard on race weekend. The good news is that both the “park and ride” and paid shuttles return for the 2022 French GP – more details below.

Join our closed Facebook group Going to the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard to ask travel-related questions, connect with fellow fans and plan joint journeys to the circuit.

Flights to the French Grand Prix

The Paul Ricard circuit is approximately 40km east of Marseilles, France’s second biggest city, in the direction of Toulon. If you own or have access to a private jet, then you are in luck. The Paul Ricard circuit complex includes the private Le Castellet Airport. The rest of us need to fly into one of the larger airports nearby served by international carriers:

• The best airport to fly into is Marseille Provence (MRS), approximately 65km from Paul Ricard. This growing hub serves many European and some international routes. The largest number of flights are with discount carriers Ryanair, Easyjet and Volotea. Seasonal destinations further afield include Istanbul, Tel Aviv and Montreal.
• The closest airport – 55 km from Paul Ricard – is Toulon Hyères (TLN), but this only serves a handful of routes, many seasonal. Example routes: Paris (Orly or CDG) and Lyon with Air France/HOP!, Southamption in the UK with Flybe and Copenhagen with Scandinavian Airlines
• Finally, Nice Côte d’Azur (NCE) is only 176 km from Paul Ricard and is larger than MRS. It serves as a hub for Air France and Easyjet, and also has more long-haul flights, including New York, Doha and Dubai.

Trains & driving to Circuit Paul Ricard

• French trains are reliable, fast and often quite expensive, though you will save by booking in advance. Paris and Marseilles are connected by a high-speed TGV train that covers the distance of 750km+ in under 4 hours. Prices from €10 each way. Book on SNCF. Other train stations close to the circuit include Bandol, Toulon and Aix-en-Provence.
• A new TGV train service is also available on race day this year (July 24, 2022) for fans who want to travel from Paris or Lyon to the race. Trains travel to Aix-en-Provence and shuttle buses will take you to and from the circuit. Tickets cost €100 return from Lyon and €140 from Paris. More information is here.
• Depending on where you are traveling from, it could be worth driving your own car to Le Castellet (especially if you decide to camp). This part of Europe benefits from an excellent system of motorways, though you will have to factor in the cost of tolls. Both traffic and parking can also be a problem, but this is compensated by some incredible coastal and mountain scenery.

How to get to Circuit Paul Ricard

• Bus Express GP: If you are staying in Marseille, Toulon or Aix en Provence, you can take a daily shuttle bus to the circuit and back. The service is available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets cost €25 return per day and need to be booked in advance on this link (choose the day in the navigation at the top of the page)
• Park & Ride: If you have your own car or a local rental, this is probably the best way to get to the circuit. There’s a good network of motorways connecting major cities to Circuit Paul Ricard. Parking areas for this service are located close to the A50 and A8 motorway exits near the cities of La Ciotat, Roquefort la Bédoule, Le Beausset, Signes, Aubagne and Bandol. Once you have parked, you can take a shuttle bus to and from the circuit (approx. 40 minutes travel time). The Park & Ride service is FREE for ticket holders, but you will need to reserve your parking space in advance via this link.
• Parking at Paul Ricard: If you have at least four people in your car, you can park for FREE close to the circuit (unsealed parking areas – not recommended if it rains a lot on race weekend). Motorcycle parking is also FREE at the circuit. Alternatively, two levels of paid parking are available at the circuit; “Green” access to unsealed circuit parking costs €70 for 3 days, while “Premium Parking” costs €189 for 3 days. The premium option offers parking spaces inside the circuit perimeter, shuttles from the parking to grandstands, and you can also use a dedicated “F1 lane” on the roads entering the circuit for quicker access. All free and paid parking must be reserved in advance via this link. For a map of local roads with access to the circuit, click here
• Taxis / Ride Sharing: France Taxis (tel: +33 4 48 250 250) is the official taxi company for the French Grand Prix. A taxi rank is located near the Toulon gate at the circuit. Please be aware that taxis are not cheap on the French Riviera. Expect to pay around €100 each way to get to Paul Ricard from Marseilles. This cost can be justified if you are travelling in a group of four, but is pretty expensive for smaller groups.

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