2014 Course de Côte de Mont Dore

Although I have been to a number of hill climbs over the years, I had never been to a Mountain Hill Climb until this month.  I chose Mont Dore to be my initiation.  It is a course of just over 5 kilometres and has 43 corners and thus is quite a challenge for the drivers, particularly in changeable weather conditions.   The first Course de Côtes de Mont Dore was in 1961 and during the sixties it was won by some famous F1 drivers.  Maurice Trintignant won with his F1 BRM in 1964 and then Jean-Pierre Beltoise won five time in succession between 1966 and 1970, the last of these victories in his F1 Matra Simca MS69.   1970 was the first year that Mont Dore was included in the European Hillclimb Championship, something that it continued to be honoured with through to 2013.

David Meillon in his Norma M20 FC climbs up the spectacular course

In 2014 the FIA decided to limit the European Championship to just 12 rounds with only one round per each country and thus Mont Dore was relegated to just French Championship status but it still remains something special.   The Auvergne is a beautiful region and the setting in Mont Dore and Chambon sur Lac is amazing.  Like all mountain regions the weather can be rather wet and windy and the 2014 event was no exception to this.   On the Sunday morning that we were there the weather was OK but the winds and cold track conditions plus the threat of rain during the later runs meant that many drivers were trying too hard and the excursions were numerous leading to a rather stop go event.

One of the drivers gets very crossed up towards the top of the course but saves the car from hitting the barriers

I found it difficult to to justice to this beautiful location with my photos, but here are some to give you a flavour of the event.  It was the usual French mixture of F3 versus the prototypes with some saloons and GT cars thrown in for good measure.  To help make my day there were some historic racing cars as well including a Chrysler Hemicuda which perhaps recalls French pop star Johnny Halliday driving his Ford Mustang here in the seventies

Jean Debaude  hustles his Chrysler Hemicuda up the course

Thierry Berger in his Norma M20 with Lac Chambon in the background

Being a CG fan, I was pleased to see Marc Poix in his CG RB1 Barquette attack the course

Plenty of room to get a good view

but remember to bring your own chair

If you are wondering why so many people are not very close to the track it is because it was a bit of a quagmire and the fence was electrified!  

Michel Gue in his Martini Mk30, a F3 car from about 24 years ago

We spent all of our time at the top part of the course to really appreciate the mountain scenery.

A car crosses the finish line near the Col de la Croix Saint-Hubert

Luc Stockli in one of a number of Alpine Renault A110s.  This was an 1800 SC.

No surprise that the overall winner was Nicolas Schatz in his Norma M20 FC

Serge Thomas had a less successful day and had an off in his Norma - see the damage in this picture

The cows enjoyed a good day's sport at Mont Dore but obviously expected rain

Patricia Nogret in her Jema 630 - never seen one of those before!

and this one is a Grac MT145 driven by Jean-Yves Doree.  Never seen one of these either!

Its a French hillclimb so there must be a BRC 05!   This was driven by Michel Gontier

Another prototype roars into view.  I think it is Martine Hubert in yet another Norma.

A rather purposeful looking single seater

Another F3 car, perhaps a Dallara

Didier Chaumont in his Tatuus FR 2000

Anthony Gueudry in his Dallara F394 really attacking the apex and being brave with the armco

Benoit Bouche in his Reynard 991

Bernard Boilaive in his Renault R8 Gordini competing in the VHC category

Patrick Bourguignon driving his old Ford Escort RS2000 rather fast

Pierre Cursoux in his Proto Marcadir makes his run up the mountain

The VHCs line up to go back down the hill for another run

Jane didn't particularly enjoy her day in the cold and wind but recovered quickly after a Chocolat Chaud to photo bomb my picture