SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS RACETRACK MUSEUM
Famous Belgian Circuit History at Abbey Stavelot
One
of Formula One Grand Prix’s most famous and legendary racing
circuits, Spa-Francorchamps cuts a swath of macadam through the thick
forests of the Ardennes in Eastern Belgium. Originally, since first conceived
in the 1920’s the racing track at Spa ran on narrow public roads
between the Belgium towns of Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot. As
racing technology matured the old country road circuit was transformed
into a modern 
high-performance racing
facility which continues to host one of the F1 calendar's greatest races,
the Belgian Grand Prix, known
for its thrilling over-taking, late season rain and notorious crashes.
The track at Spa is also known for one of auto racing’s most distinctive
and famous curves the “Eau Rouge”, a steep uphill blind sweeping
curve taken at full throttle speed. The track hosts a number of race
events for cars and motorcycles throughout the racing season and is home
to three racing schools.
For
the casual tourist or enthusiast interested in car racing and the history
of the famous circuit, but not attending a race, the Spa-Francorchamps
Racetrack Museum is not located at the track but in the nearby
town of Stavelot. The circuit itself is rather hard to find in the woods
and
doesn’t really provide activities for visitors, but the museum
which features racing cars, a collection of historic motorcycles, documents,
photographs of the fascinating history of this renowned circuit is easily
found in the historic Abbey of Stavelot in the center of town. 
The old
Abbey from the 11th Century is now only an excavated foundation, with
the current abbey built in the 17th and 18th centuries restored as home
to three museums. The Spa Racing Museum is
in the
lower floors basement, while the cloister halls of the upper building
house a museum of the
history of the Principality of Stavelot-Malmedy, and an art museum dedicated
to local poet Guillaume Apollinaire. The museum also has temporary exhibits,
a small tavern and courtyard restaurant among the lavender and a shop
where maps of local tourism sites can be obtained. In summer there are
concerts and festivals at the Stavelot Abbey. Stavelot and the Spa-Francorchamps
race circuit are located a half hour south of Liege. The town of Malmedy
and the surrounding area of the Ambleve valley played a major part in
the battles of WWII, (see “Battle
of the Bulge” Ardennes).
For those looking for a more personal turn at a racing wheel, where many
larger European racing circuits have go-cart tracks as part of their
facilities (see Magny-Cours and Hockenheim) the Spa-Francorchamps track
does not. For karting, the East Belgium
Karting Center is an indoor track
facility located 20 minutes south in Burg Reuland. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Spa-Francorchamps
Race Circuit
Abbey
Stavelot Museums
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SEE ALSO:
DURBUY
- HISTORIC TOWN ON THE OURTHE RIVER
WATERLOO
BATTLEGROUND MUSEUMS
ROMANTIC
MONS
DONINGTON
GRAND PRIX RACE CAR COLLECTION
CASTLE
FRANCHIMONT - THEUX - LIEGE
