Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe takes place Oct 4, 2026 in Paris, France. The dress code is Elegant Parisian tailoring; hats are common but nothing is enforced in the general enclosures. Panoramic restaurant and hospitality areas expect jacket and smart dress. Typical cost ranges from 60 to 600 EUR per person.
Europe's defining middle-distance championship, run over 2,400m at ParisLongchamp in the Bois de Boulogne on the first Sunday in October for one of the biggest purses in the sport. It pulls the best of Britain, Ireland, France and Japan into one race, and the Japanese contingent in particular travels in enormous numbers. The rebuilt grandstand and the autumn light over the Bois make it as much a Paris day out as a racing pilgrimage.
- When
- Oct 4, 2026
- Where
- Paris, France
- Dress code
- Elegant Parisian tailoring; hats are common but nothing is enforced in the general enclosures. Panoramic restaurant and hospitality areas expect jacket and smart dress
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 60 to 600 EUR per person.
- Weather
- 12 - 18C, cool autumnal Paris with a real chance of rain
- When to book
- Tickets open on the France Galop site in summer; restaurant and panoramic boxes sell out first, so book by August
- Getting there
- CDG (Paris Charles de Gaulle), 50 min to venue
- Where to stay
- Saint James Paris, Hotel Molitor Paris, Le Bristol Paris
- Official site
- https://www.france-galop.com/en/
How to attend
Buy through the France Galop ticketing site. General lawn (pelouse) admission is genuinely cheap, often under EUR 20, with grandstand seats moderate and panoramic restaurant packages running into the hundreds. Fully open to the public and no ballot. Metro line 10 to Porte d'Auteuil or line 1 to Porte Maillot, then the free shuttle bus that runs all day.
Insider tip
Take the free race-day shuttle from Porte Maillot or Porte d'Auteuil rather than trying to drive into the Bois de Boulogne, and get to the pelouse early - the walk from the Metro is longer than it looks on a map.
Get inside Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Booking matters here: tickets open on the France Galop site in summer; restaurant and panoramic boxes sell out first, so book by August. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.