The enduring appeal of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) is reflected in reports from France Galop that advance ticket sales for Europe's greatest all-aged prize are ahead of the same point in any of the last five years, with particularly strong interest from British and Irish racegoers.
Organizers will hope that translates to an improved crowd figure Oct. 5 as they bid to bounce back from the disappointment of welcoming just 22,300 people to witness Bluestocking's triumph 12 months ago, when the threat of torrential rain acted as a powerful deterrent to Parisians who had left it until the day of the race to pay on the gate.
This year, a fortnight out from the 104th Arc, the signs are that those committed fans who book in advance will be at Longchamp in numbers.
"Ticket sales are going very well, and we are ahead of where we were at the same point in any of the last five years," said France Galop's director of commercial and marketing Laurent Dupont.
"In terms of sales to Britain and Ireland, we are up 18% compared to the same time in 2024. Generally, British and Irish racegoers tend to reserve early, typically at least a month before the race, mostly coming for both Saturday and Sunday."
A study of the British and Irish ticket-buyers in 2024 revealed that 27% were attending the Arc for the first time, 92% of whom said they intended to come back, with the results of the study also leading France Galop to improve the betting experience at the track.
"The satisfaction rate when we asked about the betting experience was 80%, which could be improved upon," said Dupont. "I don't think the British and Irish public wants to be queuing at a PMU booth. They are used to betting digitally."
British and Irish bookmaker apps are geo-blocked in France—as they are in many other countries—but France Galop will again invest heavily in having roving bilingual hosts to take bets on the PMU, as well as trying to bring the color of the Anglo-Irish betting ring to Longchamp.
"We'll be having a public-address system that relays the odds for the runners in the three minutes before a race," said Dupont, "and there will be digital boards showing the current prices accompanied by agents to take the bets. It will give that feeling of dealing with a bookmaker and I'm personally very proud that we have taken inspiration from the way of doing things in Britain.
"There won't be as many as you have at Cheltenham; there will be six 'pitches' on the lawn in front of the grandstand to add a bit of English color to proceedings."
As has been the case since the reopening of Longchamp in 2018, the on-course raceday presentation will be in English and French, while this year the food and bar outlets will feature fish and chips, Pimm's-based cocktails, and Murphy's stout.
Among new features are the France Galop mobile app, with live video and replays, as well as transport information and geolocation to guide racegoers around Longchamp.
