Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is France's second most populous region, and one of its richest for karting. Indoor electric karting, outdoor tracks over a kilometre long, and even karting on snow at a ski resort: few regions offer such variety.
The downside is that you don't always know where to start. This guide gives you the bearings, city by city.
The Lyon area: the heart of karting
Lyon has the highest concentration of tracks in the region. For a quick weekday session or a birthday with friends, go indoor. Kart'in Lyon, in Vénissieux, offers 550 metres of covered track on the city's doorstep.
About thirty minutes away, BattleKart Lyon Mornant plays a different tune: electric karts on a wall-free track, where projectors draw the circuit and the games on the floor. Missile races, football, giant pool… it's more life-size video game than stopwatch, but it's a hit with groups.
Want something serious? The outdoor circuits on the outskirts are another league. Kart Origins, in Corbas, offers 500 metres in the open air with petrol karts (and electric baby karts for the youngest).
Further east, Actua Karting, in Saint-Laurent-de-Mure, spreads over a 16-hectare complex with a driving school and a competition format. Enough to move from leisure to structured training without changing address.
Grenoble, Savoie and the Alps: driving at the foot of the mountains
Around Grenoble, you have both worlds a few minutes from the centre. Green Kart, in Échirolles, is a two-level indoor track approved by the FFSA, open to children from age 7. To drive outdoors, Karting de Crolles takes you onto 600 metres in the Grésivaudan valley, mountains as a backdrop.
Higher up, the Alps hold experiences you won't find anywhere else. At Val-d'Isère, you drive electric karts on a groomed snow track: precarious grip, constant sliding, driving that has nothing to do with tarmac.
In Haute-Savoie, Kart Parc in Thônes (876 metres in the heart of the Aravis range) stays open all year, in sunshine as in snow. Handy when skiing or hiking isn't enough.
Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne and the Loire: motorsport country
Clermont-Ferrand has a long-standing link with motorsport: it's the home of Michelin, present in many international championships, from MotoGP to endurance racing. That grip culture rubs off on the local tracks.
Fifteen minutes from the city, Karting Sarron, in Riom, is one of Auvergne's finest playgrounds: 1,057 metres, 14 corners and four possible layouts, from kid karts to racing karts. Further west, in the Allier, GTR Performance runs a hilly 1,100-metre circuit within a multi-activity resort.
Over in Saint-Étienne, Fast and Green Karting opened the city's first electric indoor track, a stone's throw from the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium. Handy for a city outing without worrying about the weather.
How to choose based on your profile
For a leisure outing or a group event around Lyon, Grenoble or Clermont: go for an indoor track. Accessible, no weather constraints, short and lively sessions. If you're unsure, our guide on indoor or outdoor settles the question, and the one on electric vs petrol karting explains what you'll feel at the wheel.
To progress: head for the outdoor circuits, in the Loire, Isère, Ain or Puy-de-Dôme. Long, technical tracks really work your driving — set aside half a day.
For competition: FFSA-affiliated clubs run regional championships all season. A club like ASK Annemasse, in Haute-Savoie, issues licences and coaches drivers. Start with rental to get the hang of it, then move to a club when the urge to race takes over.
Every karting track in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is listed on Kart-Map, with practical info. Filter by city, track type and powertrain to find the one that suits you.
