Paris' Longchamp racecourse hosts one of the world's most famous horse races -- the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The site currently houses two huge grandstands -- side by side -- built in the 1960s. This computer-generated image (and the ones which follow) show how the new design will transform the site when completed.
Paris' Longchamp racecourse hosts one of the world's most famous horse races -- the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The site currently houses two huge grandstands -- side by side -- built in the 1960s. This computer-generated image (and the ones which follow) show how the new design will transform the site when completed.
? Dominique Perrault Architects
The new design which will replace the old stands is the work of Dominique Perrault. The Paris-based architect has designed iconic structures all over the world and was awarded the Praemium Imperiale -- an annual prize awarded by the Japanese Art Association. <a >Click here</a> to see more of his work.
The new design which will replace the old stands is the work of Dominique Perrault. The Paris-based architect has designed iconic structures all over the world and was awarded the Praemium Imperiale -- an annual prize awarded by the Japanese Art Association. Click here to see more of his work.
? Dominique Perrault Architects
The existing grandstands at Longchamp are packed in the first weekend of October for the running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe -- the richest flat race on turf in the world.
The existing grandstands at Longchamp are packed in the first weekend of October for the running of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe -- the richest flat race on turf in the world.
Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images/file
But for the remainder of the year, the stands remain largely empty -- around 30 race meetings are held annually at Longchamp, attracting just a few thousand spectators each time.
But for the remainder of the year, the stands remain largely empty -- around 30 race meetings are held annually at Longchamp, attracting just a few thousand spectators each time.
Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images/file
Perrault's new design includes just one grandstand but will be "transparent," he says, affording views both east and west.<br />"The building has two faces -- one in front of the race and one behind," he says.
Perrault's new design includes just one grandstand but will be "transparent," he says, affording views both east and west.
"The building has two faces -- one in front of the race and one behind," he says.
? Dominique Perrault Architects
"On each plateau you have some services -- clubs, hospitality space, restaurants -- but you can see in all directions," Perrault explains.
"On each plateau you have some services -- clubs, hospitality space, restaurants -- but you can see in all directions," Perrault explains.
? Dominique Perrault Architects
"The horse-racing side looks out to the east onto Paris, the Eiffel Tower. To the west, you have the River Seine and very nice landscape, a park." <br />
"The horse-racing side looks out to the east onto Paris, the Eiffel Tower. To the west, you have the River Seine and very nice landscape, a park."
? Dominique Perrault Architects
"The idea is you walk on a different plateau and the view on either side is uninterrupted -- like a fluid promenade," he says. <br />Some of the building's architectural details will also echo its natural surroundings. <br />"We have a lot of references to the nature around," Perrault said. <br />"We designed a handrail with a pattern print like a part of the forest. Also we developed some points in the concrete where we printed the scenes of the wood in the 19th century."
"The idea is you walk on a different plateau and the view on either side is uninterrupted -- like a fluid promenade," he says.
Some of the building's architectural details will also echo its natural surroundings.
"We have a lot of references to the nature around," Perrault said.
"We designed a handrail with a pattern print like a part of the forest. Also we developed some points in the concrete where we printed the scenes of the wood in the 19th century."
? Dominique Perrault Architects
Perrault's design was chosen from a shortlist of six. The renovation plan was agreed by France Galop -- the country's horse racing governing body -- in 2011, but funding issues and doubts over Longchamp's viability as a year-round race venue have delayed construction until now.
Perrault's design was chosen from a shortlist of six. The renovation plan was agreed by France Galop -- the country's horse racing governing body -- in 2011, but funding issues and doubts over Longchamp's viability as a year-round race venue have delayed construction until now.
? Dominique Perrault Architects
The project has an estimated cost of €130 million ($145m), Perrault says. Building work is set to get underway after this year's "Arc" and is scheduled to be completed in 2017. <br />In 2016, the historic race will be held at Chantilly, 50 kilometers north of Paris.
The project has an estimated cost of €130 million ($145m), Perrault says. Building work is set to get underway after this year's "Arc" and is scheduled to be completed in 2017.
In 2016, the historic race will be held at Chantilly, 50 kilometers north of Paris.
? Dominique Perrault Architects
Longchamp redesign

Story highlights

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe staged at Chantilly on Oct. 1

Usual venue Longchamp being redeveloped

Richest flat race on turf

CNN  — 

The majestic Chantilly estate north of Paris is sport’s most spectacular temporary home.

This weekend, it hosts horse racing’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe – the world’s richest race on turf.

It’s a highlight of France’s sporting and cultural calendar, now in its second year at Chantilly while its traditional Longchamp home undergoes a €130 million ($145 million) revamp.

Europe’s most prestigious race, a one-and-a-half-mile test of speed and stamina for three-year-olds and above, commands a purse of five million euros, with a first prize of 2,857,000 euros ($3.3 million).

That makes it the third-richest horse race in the world, behind the Pegasus World Cup and the Dubai World Cup.

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/170922140453-ireland-horse-racing-winning-post-september-spc-00115901.jpg?q=x_231,y_205,h_874,w_1554,c_crop/h_540,w_960" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/170922140453-ireland-horse-racing-winning-post-september-spc-00115901.jpg?q=x_231,y_205,h_874,w_1554,c_crop/h_540,w_960" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="
" data-timestamp-html="
Updated 5:28 AM EDT, Mon October 2, 2017
" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="false" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2017-09-25T13:32:06Z" data-video-section="sport" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2017/09/22/ireland-horse-racing-winning-post-september-spc.cnn" data-branding-key="winning-post" data-video-slug="ireland horse racing winning post september spc" data-first-publish-slug="ireland horse racing winning post september spc" data-video-tags="animals,equestrian sports,europe,horse racing,horses,ireland,life forms,mammals,northern europe,sports and recreation" data-details="">
ireland horse racing winning post september spc_00115901.jpg
September: Racing on the Emerald Isle
22:09 - Source: CNN

READ: The importance of horse racing to Ireland

The Longchamp racecourse in the Bois de Boulogne public park on the western edge of the city has been the long-standing host of the “Arc” since its first running in 1920, but its 1960s-era grandstands were at odds with its leafy setting and glamorous association.

France Galop, the country’s horse racing governing body, commissioned celebrated architect Dominique Perrault to reimagine the venue, and his futuristic design, which incorporates 360-degree views – towards Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the River Seine and the woods of the park – is set to reopen in April 2018 after a lengthy delay.

“Everybody is happy with the project because it has got more green space,” Perrault told CNN in 2015.

“For me, I like the relationship between the architecture and nature – it’s very smooth, very delicate and poetic also.

“The idea is you walk on a different plateau and the view on either side is uninterrupted like a fluid promenade.”

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/170918104954-irish-horse-racing-still.jpg?q=x_9,y_187,h_1671,w_2970,c_crop/h_540,w_960" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/170918104954-irish-horse-racing-still.jpg?q=x_9,y_187,h_1671,w_2970,c_crop/h_540,w_960" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="
" data-timestamp-html="
Updated 5:28 AM EDT, Mon October 2, 2017
" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="false" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2017-09-19T09:56:07Z" data-video-section="sport" data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2017/09/18/ireland-horse-racing-importance-economy-winning-post-orig.cnn" data-branding-key="winning-post" data-video-slug="ireland horse racing importance economy winning post orig" data-first-publish-slug="ireland horse racing importance economy winning post orig" data-video-tags="business, economy and trade,economy and economic indicators,equestrian sports,europe,horse racing,ireland,northern europe,sports and recreation" data-details="">
NEWBRIDGE, IRELAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Ryan Moore riding Churchill win The Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at Curragh racecourse on September 11, 2016 in Newbridge, Ireland. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
The importance of horse racing to Ireland
02:42 - Source: CNN

READ: The economics of a Derby winner

France Galop hopes the new facility will attract more racegoers year-round rather than just during “Arc” weekend, when 50,000 punters pack the stands.

The racecourse at Chantilly, about 30 miles north of the city, lies in the grounds of the impressive Chateau de Chantilly which dates back to the 16th century.

The hot favorite for this year’s race is the John Gosden-trained filly Enable, which has won a string of big races this season including the Epsom Oaks, the Irish Oaks and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. The Newmarket-based Gosden won the race with Golden Horn in 2015.

Beware the wild boar

Ahead of Sunday’s race, Gosden admitted to a few nerves, not least to his worries over roaming wild boar. Earlier in September, wild boar dug holes in a section of the Chantilly track ahead of the Arc trials.

“If the race was run at Longchamp I’d have a lot more confidence,” Gosden told BBC Five Live radio.

“The management at Chantilly and the clerks have done a brilliant job with the tracks and the grass and everything because they have had a massive amount of racing loaded on them, for two years now with Longchamp being closed.

“Even without the wild boar getting on there it is a narrow track, there’s a lot of racing before [on Saturday and Sunday], we hope we don’t get too much rain on Saturday and it turns into slushing through loose ground so that is a concern.

“The other thing is Longchamp has a long back straight, they tend to roll on down the hill into the false straight and when you straighten up at Longchamp you have got a lovely long run to the finish line.

“Chantilly is so different, it’s narrow, you go out an elbow to the left then you start turning back to the right, back downhill past the royal stables to a very tight hairpin bend.

“You can’t go too fast around that bend so they all drop anchor and steady up and it can get really concertina-ed around there.

“We’ve got a very nice filly and a brilliant jockey who knows the track awfully well but I would be a lot more confident if it was held at Longchamp.”

Earlier in September, wild boars had dug holes in a section of the track just days before the Arc trials. This is a picture of a board at the Animal Park of Sainte-Croix in Rhodes, eastern France from May 2016.
Earlier in September, wild boars had dug holes in a section of the track just days before the Arc trials. This is a picture of a board at the Animal Park of Sainte-Croix in Rhodes, eastern France from May 2016.
JEAN CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN/AFP/AFP/Getty Images

On having the odds on favorite, two years after winning with Golden Horn, Gosden added: “If you don’t appreciate this you shouldn’t be in the game. We work hard for this sort of thing but we don’t start counting any chickens at this stage.”

Should the filly win she would secure jockey Frankie Dettori a record fifth win in Europe’s richest horse race. Seven jockeys are on four wins, while Dettori has ridden in 28 of the last 29 Arcs, missing one because of a broken ankle.

Last year jockey Ryan Moore piloted the Aidan O’Brien-trained Found to victory at Chantilly.

The Irish handler also sent out the second and third-placed horses – Highland Reel and Order Of St. George – for the first whitewash in the race’s history.

O’Brien is represented by five – Order of St. George, St Leger winner Capri, 1,000 Guineas winner Winter this year, Seventh Heaven and Idaho.

The two-day meeting features 16 races with nine Group One events, totaling 9.4 million euros in overall prize money.

Visit CNN.com/horseracing for more news and videos

The 2017 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe takes place on October 1.