Col de l'Escrinet / Moulinon-Antraigues – The Ardèche Mountain Blast
(9.260 km | 1 cornered road course feel | French mountain road circuit)
Moulinon-Antraigues is a wild, old-school mountain road circuit set deep in the Ardèche region of France, capturing the raw spirit of a closed-road climb and descent through narrow villages, fast sweeps, and blind crests. It feels less like a conventional racetrack and more like a stage from a legendary road rally — narrow, technical, and constantly asking for commitment.
The layout’s character comes from its real-world road-course roots: compressed corners, elevation changes, and sections where the road seems to disappear over the horizon before snapping back into another braking zone. It has that unmistakable French countryside atmosphere, where rhythm matters as much as outright pace, and where a clean lap feels like surviving a mountain pass at full speed.
Because this is a long, narrow road circuit with very limited runoff, it rewards drivers who can stay calm and precise under pressure. Every meter matters here, and the slightest mistake can snowball quickly. In the sim, it delivers a unique blend of time-attack intensity and hill-climb drama that stands apart from traditional permanent circuits.
Key Track Stats
Length: 9.260 km
Corners: A long sequence of technical bends and fast mountain-road turns
Direction: Course direction follows the modeled road layout
Elevation Change: Significant — uphill and downhill sections throughout
Record Lap: Varies heavily by car class and sim conditions due to the road-course nature
Surface: Public-road asphalt with natural bumps, camber changes, and narrow edges
Tires: Fronts work hard in repeated direction changes; heat builds quickly on mountain-style braking and traction zones
Pit Lane: 1 pit box
In the Simulator Feel
Moulinon-Antraigues feels alive and unforgiving in the simulator. The narrow road, elevation shifts, and rapid transitions create constant tension, and the car never really gets a moment to relax. It’s the kind of track that rewards smooth hands, patience on entry, and absolute trust in the road ahead.
Flow & Rhythm:
Opening sections build speed quickly before the road tightens into technical bends.
Blind crests and compressions make braking points tricky to judge.
Fast sweepers demand commitment, but the margins are razor thin.
Narrow village-road sections punish overdriving and poor exit placement.
Elevation changes constantly shift load and traction balance.
Momentum is crucial — any lost speed is hard to recover on a road course this long.
Driving Characteristics:
Braking: Highly technical, with many corners requiring confidence over visibility.
Traction: Vital out of slower bends where the road opens up again.
High-Speed Stability: Challenging on bumps, crests, and uneven camber.
Low-Speed Precision: Essential in tighter village and hairpin-style sections.
Overall: A demanding, atmospheric, and highly rewarding road circuit experience.
Driving Style Tip: Stay smooth, look far ahead, and prioritize exit speed over hero braking. On a course like this, confidence is important, but over-commitment is expensive. Keep the car settled, use the full road where available, and let rhythm carry you through the lap.
Moulinon-Antraigues delivers a pure mountain-road challenge — dramatic, scenic, and brutally engaging from start to finish. For sim racers who love rally-inspired circuits and real commitment behind the wheel, it’s a standout lap every time.