Bourges is close to the geographical centre of France and is the capital of the Berry.  The Cathedral dates from the 13th century and the city is full of beautiful and historic buildings.  The narrow, cobbled streets around the Cathedral lead you through the maze of the old town with the typical half-timbered houses, small squares with trickling fountains and pavement cafes, down to the Place Gordaine – originally the market place and now the hub of the nightlife of Bourges.


There are many excellent restaurants in this area where you can try the local dishes washed down by the robust reds and crisp white wines of the Loire.

A few days in Bourges is a feast for the mind as well as the stomach and it is a wonderful base for your French Grand Prix weekend.

The journey from Bourges to the circuit will take you less than an hour and the drive will take you through arable farmland and small villages, crossing the tributaries of the Loire as you go and with not a building higher than two storeys in sight.

In the heart of this rural idyll is the Magny Cours circuit, south of Nevers.  The track nestles so comfortably into the landscape that you could normally drive past the entrance without realising.  Access during Grand Prix is relatively easy and well organised and the car parks are ample.  Once inside you will find plenty of food and drink and souvenir stalls.  There’s a go-kart track on site and you can take a helicopter ride over the circuit.

The circuit is one of the best for spectators.  The track doubles back on itself and from many of the grandstands you can see plenty of action – and there’s usually plenty of it at Magny Cours.

Going into the 2008 race weekend Kubica was leading the championship.  It was a Ferrari front row with Hamilton back in 13th place and rain was expected.  Raikkonen suffered a broken exhaust and lost the lead to Massa, Hamilton took a ten second time penalty putting him back where he started, Piquet drove his heart out in the Renault and Kovalainen and Trulli were neck and neck on the penultimate lap for third place.    The rain did fall in the last laps but amazingly, nineteen of the twenty cars finished the race, only Button retiring early on due to a collision.