One of a kind site, a real gem of French trotting, the « Domaine de Grosbois » contains many treasures, like the Alibaba Cave. Bought by the LeTROT Company in the early 1960s and perfected for over half a century, Grosbois constitutes an incomparable working tool for socio-professionals and becomes Paris-Vincennes’ rear base during winter festival. Located at the gates of Paris, the estate combines historical heritage and horse-riding activity in an exceptional natural setting.
More than 412 hectares are devoted to the centerpiece of the place, the training center. Located less than 15 km from the Paris-Vincennes racecourse, it is able to accommodate nearly 1,500 trotters during winter festival! A team of around thirty men, under the leadership of the site manager, Christophe Walazyc, maintains the slopes on a daily basis and ensures the proper functioning of the site. In addition, there is also the presence of an AFASEC school, where the professionals of tomorrow are trained. Because Grosbois has everything a top athlete can hope for in terms of equipment, infrastructure and services with:
1 large track of 1,500 meters in sand over 20 meters in width
1 runway of 1,000 meters in oiled fiber sand over 20 meters in width in the center of the main runway
1 runway of 1000 meters in sand and 17 meters in width
1 covered track 400 meters by 8 meters wide in bad weather
1 straight track of 1,200 meters in the forest
1 indoor wooden carousel (77×23 meters)
40 kilometers of forest paths for relaxation and walking
A place steeped in history
If Grosbois owes its international notoriety to its training center, where more than 90 trainers shape their trotters, the area is full of architectural jewels as attested by the famous Château de Grosbois. Nestled in a cradle of greenery, this Louis XIII-style work of art sits right in the heart of the place. This elegant building of red brick and beaten plaster has housed since 2010 the “Trotting Museum”, the most important museum in Europe devoted to the history of trotting races with 600 m2 entirely dedicated to the memory of this sport.
3,000 years of harness racing history are retraced: from the Olympics to the present day, in a modern and lively way thanks to rich and varied collections composed in particular of paintings, engravings, bronzes, photographs, models and slide shows. It highlights the men and horses who have marked the history of this sport, but also the racetracks and their architecture. Open to the most innovative technologies, the museum has been enriched with video terminals making it possible to view the main French races on site for nearly eighty years.
More information on https://www.domainedegrosbois.com
