Rallye de France
- Alsace

France’s round of the World Rally Championship was contained on the stunning island of Corsica from 1973 until 2008. But the event’s return to the WRC schedule in 2010 following a gap year wasn’t to the Mediterranean island and its unrelenting mountain roads but to the Alsace region of France in the east of the country.

Alsace is Sebastien Loeb country and it was highly fitting that the French ace secured his seventh world crown on a special stage run through the streets of his hometown of Haguenau when the region hosted its first WRC qualifier in October 2010.

With a base on the outskirts of Strasbourg, the rally utilised a remote service halt in the town of Mulhouse on day one, which quickly became swamped by enthusiastic spectators who gathered in there thousands. Indeed, the event’s central location - not to mention the Loeb factor - ensured a phenomenal turn out of fans on all three days.

While victory for Loeb was never in doubt, the inconsistent stage surfaces, mixture of narrow and fast sections and cold temperatures made for a challenging spectacle. Stages ranged from vineyard-based tests similar to those found on ADAC Rallye Deutschland, undulating forest roads, plus a 24-kilometre test through the Bitche military training area, before the final stage in Haguenau.

Last year’s route included several tweaks with the first two stages on Friday’s opening day run in an opposite direction. The remote service halt moved to Colmar, while Mulhouse played host to an exciting street stage. Two new stages were added to the itinerary on Sunday with Haguenau the location for the event-closing Power Stage.

Precise details of the 2012 edition of Rallye de France Alsace have still to be finalised although another thrilling battle for victory watched by thousands of fans is virtually guaranteed.