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Key figures

Origin and history

The Happodrome d'Auteuil, inaugurated on November 1, 1873, was born out of the will of the Société des Steeple-Chases de France to create a space dedicated to obstacle races after the partial destruction of the Vincennes racetrack during the 1870 war. The City of Paris then granted a concession to the Prince of Sagan to set up this site at the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, between the gates of Passy and Auteuil. The land, bordered to the east by the former Parisian fortifications and to the west by the Mortemart hill, is designed to accommodate hedges and stueple-chase tracks, as well as lawns accessible to the public.

In 1899, the hippodrome was the scene of a political incident when President Émile Loubet was attacked by Baron Christiani, who was sentenced to four years in prison. During World War I, a shell fired by Grosse Bertha exploded nearby in 1918. In 1924, new stands and a steeple track were inaugurated on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Paris, where horse riding events took place. The lawns, originally named after French colonies (Tonkin, Congo, Madagascar), were transformed into accessible public gardens in 2013, paying tribute to figures such as Billie Holiday and Henri Sérandour.

The racetrack extends over 33 hectares, including 18 dedicated to the tracks, with various routes (from 3,000 to 5,800 m) and emblematic obstacles such as the rail ditch and fence, nicknamed "Judge of Peace". Exclusively reserved for obstacle races, it hosts major international events, including the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (6,000 m) in May, the Grande Course de Haies (5,100 m) in June, and the Hague Jousselin Prize in November. Managed by France Galop, the site combines sports heritage and green spaces open to the public outside race days.

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