When is the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026?

The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026 will be run on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at ParisLongchamp racecourse, with a scheduled start time of 4:05 p.m. The race weekend begins on Saturday, October 3, with two Group 1 races among the highlights. This 105th edition brings together the world's best thoroughbreds over 2,400 meters.

How do I get to ParisLongchamp racecourse from the Bijou Hôtel?

There are several options: France Galop's free shuttles from Porte d'Auteuil and Porte Maillot, the T2 tramway from Musée de Sèvres station to Suresnes Longchamp, bus lines 241 and 244, or a taxi booked by reception. The racecourse is a few minutes away by car.

Where can I park during Arc weekend?

The racecourse has an on-site parking lot, subject to availability, and France Galop recommends booking online. During your stay, the Indigo public parking garage opposite the Bijou Hôtel, at 150 rue du Vieux Pont de Sèvres, is at your disposal: it is secure and open 24/7.

What time is breakfast served at the Bijou Hôtel on weekends?

On Saturdays and Sundays, the breakfast buffet is served from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., compared with 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on weekdays. Pastries and breads from a local artisan baker, cheeses, cold cuts, fresh fruit and hot drinks await you in one of the two lounges, in your room or on the patio.

Can I bring my dog to ParisLongchamp?

No. For safety reasons, pets are not allowed inside the racecourse, even when kept on a leash. The Bijou Hôtel does welcome pets on request, so if you are traveling with yours, remember to organize your day at the races accordingly.

Can I leave my luggage at the hotel on Arc Sunday?

Yes. Check-out is at noon, but the Bijou Hôtel's luggage room lets you leave your bags and enjoy the whole day at the racecourse. Reception, bilingual and open 24/7, will hand your belongings back when you return, even after the last race.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026: enjoy the big weekend from Boulogne at Bijou Hôtel

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026 will be run on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at ParisLongchamp racecourse, in the Bois de Boulogne, as the climax of a weekend of flat racing that begins on Saturday, October 3. For this 105th edition, the world's best horses and leading jockeys go head to head over 2,400 meters, in front of nearly 35,000 spectators from many countries.

Looking for a hotel that puts you close to the action without staying in central Paris? In Boulogne-Billancourt, the Bijou Hôtel Paris Boulogne welcomes you a few minutes' drive from the racecourse, in a fully renovated, family-run 3-star hotel. Dates, the program for both days, horses to watch, the history of the race, access and tips: here is everything you need to plan your stay over the first weekend of October.

Book your equestrian weekend at the Bijou Hotel

Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: the world championship of flat racing

Founded in 1920 and organized by France Galop, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 race, the highest category, open to thoroughbreds aged three and over. With €5 million in prize money, it is the richest race in France and one of the richest in the world. Often described as the World Cup of racing, it is broadcast in more than 60 countries, and some fifty nationalities mingle in the ParisLongchamp grandstands every year. For an owner, a trainer or a jockey, adding a horse's name to the roll of honor remains the high point of a career.

The race is run over the classic distance of flat racing and is often decided in the long final straight. Under the race conditions, geldings remain excluded this year, before they are due to be admitted from 2027. France Galop has also created the Arc Races, eight French races on the calendar whose winners receive a wild card for the Arc, all the way to the crowning of the year's best horse.

Daryz, Minnie Hauk, Sosie: the horses to watch in 2026

When entries closed on May 20, 73 horses were on the list, including 27 trained in France, ahead of Great Britain, Ireland, Japan and Germany. Last year's top three were all entered again. Daryz, who won by a head in 2025 under Mickaël Barzalona for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard and the Aga Khan's colors, returns to defend his title. Against him: Minnie Hauk, Aidan O'Brien's champion, beaten by the narrowest of margins, and Sosie, third for André Fabre.

The season has confirmed the defending champion's appetite, with victory in the Prix Ganay in the spring and then in the Prix Foy at the Qatar Arc Trials on Sunday, September 6. The same day, Varandir took the Prix Niel for the same team, while Friendly Soul, trained by John and Thady Gosden, broke the Prix Vermeille record. Earlier in the summer, Europe's major races had already begun to shape the pecking order, from the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de Diane to the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the Grand Prix de Paris, not forgetting the Irish Derby, the Eclipse Stakes, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the International Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes.

For Japan, the quest goes on: no Japanese-trained horse has yet won the Arc, despite challengers of the caliber of Deep Impact in 2006. Seven Japanese horses were entered this year, including Forever Young, Admire Terra and Alohi Alii.

An international race steeped in history

Only eight horses have won the Arc twice, among them Trêve in 2013 and 2014, then Enable in 2017 and 2018, in the colors of Prince Khalid Abdullah. No horse has yet managed a third win: in 2019, Enable was beaten in the final meters by Waldgeist, giving André Fabre his eighth victory, an all-time record for a trainer, after Rail Link in 2006 among others.

Among jockeys, Lanfranco Dettori, known as Frankie, remains the benchmark with six wins, from Lammtarra in 1995 to Enable, via Golden Horn, winner of the Epsom Derby and then the Arc in 2015. The clock has its heroines too: the German filly Danedream has held the race record of 2:24.49 since 2011. More recently, the roll of honor has welcomed Torquator Tasso, a surprise winner in 2021, and Ace Impact in 2023. Across the history of the race, French-trained horses dominate by a wide margin, since a winner's nationality is that of the country where it is trained.

Weekend program: Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4, 2026

The Arc weekend features 18 races, including 10 Group 1s. On Saturday, the gates open at noon and the first race goes off at around 1:23 p.m., with races following roughly every 30 minutes. Two Group 1s headline the afternoon: the Qatar Prix de Royallieu, for fillies and mares over 2,800 meters, and the Qatar Prix du Cadran, France's benchmark staying race over 4,000 meters, much like the Ascot Gold Cup. Music then takes over until closing time, at around 8:30 p.m.

On Sunday, it's time for the grand finale. Gates open at 11 a.m., the Défilé des Nations (Parade of Nations) starts at 1 p.m. and the first race at 1:40 p.m., followed by a string of Group 1s: the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère and the Prix Marcel Boussac, both for two-year-olds, the latter often paving the way to the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches the following spring, and the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp, a 1,000-meter sprint. The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe goes off at 4:05 p.m., followed by the trophy presentation at around 4:25 p.m., the last race at 6:35 p.m. and closing at 9 p.m. These times are indicative: check them at the source, on France Galop's official website, before you set off.

Festival des Nations: the festive side of the Arc

New this year, the Festival des Nations turns ParisLongchamp into a supporters' arena, built around five nations: France, England, Ireland, Germany and Japan. Each one has its own paddock, where you can discover the horses to watch as well as the country's food, crafts and music. French Cancan and Irish and Bavarian dancing liven up the Scène des Nations, while the Fanfare de Suresnes brass band plays on the lawn by the finish.

On Sunday, the Défilé des Nations brings together flag bearers, horses, teams, artists and supporters in the spirit of major sporting ceremonies, and the Village de l'Arc welcomes families and the curious at the heart of the entertainment. Whether you are a rider, a seasoned racegoer or simply love a good show, there is something to thrill everyone.

Practical information: getting to ParisLongchamp racecourse

The Bijou Hôtel is in the south of Boulogne-Billancourt, near Marcel-Sembat metro station, while the racecourse lies further north, in the Bois de Boulogne. All year round, our address is a convenient base for a stay near the Hippodrome de Longchamp, and on race days there are several ways to reach the event. The simplest option is to take France Galop's free shuttles from Porte d'Auteuil (metro line 10, exit 1) and Porte Maillot (metro line 1, exit 3). The first shuttle leaves at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and from 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, then roughly every 15 minutes; the last return shuttles leave the racecourse at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Another option is the T2 tramway: from Musée de Sèvres station, within walking distance of the hotel, the line follows the Seine toward Pont de Bezons as far as the Suresnes Longchamp stop, one of the access points recommended by France Galop. Bus lines 241 (Hippodrome de Longchamp stop) and 244 (Les Moulins-Camping stop) also serve the site, and reception can book a taxi or a private hire car for you.

By car, the racecourse parking lot operates subject to availability, and France Galop strongly recommends booking online. During your stay, your car can remain in the Indigo public parking garage opposite the hotel, which is secure and open 24/7. Cyclists will appreciate the Vélib' station 100 meters from the hotel and the free, secure bike parking at the racecourse's main entrance.

The Bijou Hôtel, your Boulogne base for Arc weekend

Fully renovated in 2024, our family-run hotel has 47 rooms in five categories to suit every group of supporters: the Solo room for the racing fan traveling alone, the Standard Double and Superior Double rooms for couples, the Superior Twin for two friends, and the Family room, which sleeps up to four, including two children under 12. Blue and sand tones, quality French bedding, air conditioning, double glazing, free Wi-Fi and a TV with Chromecast: everything you need to recharge between two days in the open air, with a view of the neighborhood or the inner patio depending on the room.

On Arc Sunday, breakfast is served from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., plenty of time to enjoy pastries and breads delivered that very morning by a local artisan baker, in the soft green breakfast room or on the patio tucked away at the back of the hotel, before heading to the racecourse. In the evening, the bar L'Écrin, open until midnight, is the perfect spot to relive the race over a signature cocktail or a craft beer. If you are leaving the same day, the luggage room and the bilingual reception, open 24/7, let you check out at noon without being weighed down.

As with the other major sporting and cultural events in west Paris, booking ahead gives you the choice of the room best suited to your group.

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Making the most of the weekend in Boulogne-Billancourt and west Paris

On Saturday morning, before the racecourse opens, or on Monday before you leave, Boulogne-Billancourt is easy to explore on foot. On the Île Seguin, La Seine Musicale shows off its contemporary silhouette on the riverbank, while the Musée départemental Albert-Kahn and its gardens invite you to stroll through Japanese, English and French landscapes. Shoppers head for rue Jean-Jaurès or the Les Passages shopping center.

The best time for a fall walk? Monday morning, in the nearby Domaine national de Saint-Cloud. To venture further, metro line 9 takes you straight to the Champs-Élysées and the Opéra. To plan your itinerary, our guide to things to do in Boulogne-Billancourt brings together outing ideas and local addresses.

Book your stay at the Bijou Hôtel for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026

The thunder of hooves in the final straight, the roar of the grandstands, then the calm of a renovated room in Boulogne: the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026 is best savored when your hotel extends the emotion. Book directly on the Bijou Hôtel's official website to enjoy the best rate guaranteed, on average up to 15% cheaper, check availability and browse our exclusive offers, with a possible upgrade subject to availability.

Book your stay at Bijou Hôtel on the official website

Frequently asked questions about the Bijou Hôtel and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026

The Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe 2026 will be run on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at ParisLongchamp racecourse, with a scheduled start time of 4:05 p.m. The race weekend begins on Saturday, October 3, with two Group 1 races among the highlights. This 105th edition brings together the world's best thoroughbreds over 2,400 meters.
There are several options: France Galop's free shuttles from Porte d'Auteuil and Porte Maillot, the T2 tramway from Musée de Sèvres station to Suresnes Longchamp, bus lines 241 and 244, or a taxi booked by reception. The racecourse is a few minutes away by car.
The racecourse has an on-site parking lot, subject to availability, and France Galop recommends booking online. During your stay, the Indigo public parking garage opposite the Bijou Hôtel, at 150 rue du Vieux Pont de Sèvres, is at your disposal: it is secure and open 24/7.
On Saturdays and Sundays, the breakfast buffet is served from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., compared with 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on weekdays. Pastries and breads from a local artisan baker, cheeses, cold cuts, fresh fruit and hot drinks await you in one of the two lounges, in your room or on the patio.
No. For safety reasons, pets are not allowed inside the racecourse, even when kept on a leash. The Bijou Hôtel does welcome pets on request, so if you are traveling with yours, remember to organize your day at the races accordingly.
Yes. Check-out is at noon, but the Bijou Hôtel's luggage room lets you leave your bags and enjoy the whole day at the racecourse. Reception, bilingual and open 24/7, will hand your belongings back when you return, even after the last race.