Walking the Monaco circuit – a Grand Prix lap on foot, any day of the year

The Circuit de Monaco is laid out on the ordinary streets of Monte-Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour, and it measures 3.337 kilometres since the Tabac corner was reprofiled in 2015. The idea came from Antony Noghès of the Automobile Club de Monaco, and the first race, in 1929, was won by William Grover-Williams in a Bugatti. Because it follows the town's road network, the track has changed remarkably little since.

Barriers and grandstands take six weeks to go up before the race and three weeks to come down. The rest of the year you can follow it at your own pace, for free. Take your time with stops, and wear proper shoes for the climb.

Start: Boulevard Albert-Ier to Sainte-Dévote

Begin on the Boulevard Albert-Ier, the start-finish straight on the harbour side, which hosted the start in the first editions and again from 1963. At its end comes Sainte-Dévote, the near right-angle named after the little chapel just beyond the barriers. It has seen many first-lap accidents, and since 2003 the small roundabout at its apex has gone.

The climb to Casino Square

Now the hard part on foot: the Avenue d'Ostende climbs past Beau Rivage, at a gradient of up to around 12 per cent, to the long left-hander at Massenet. The road then sweeps past the Casino de Monte-Carlo into Casino Square, 44 metres above the lowest point of the lap. Pause here and get your breath back among the palms.

Mirabeau and the Fairmont hairpin

From the square, the Avenue des Beaux-Arts leads down to Mirabeau, then a short descent brings you to the Fairmont hairpin, even tighter. It was the Station hairpin until a hotel was built on the site in 1973, and it has changed names with the hotel. Drivers need full steering lock here, and many teams redesign their steering and suspension specially for it. Standing on the pavement, you will see why two modern cars could hardly go round side by side.

Portier, the tunnel and the chicane

Below the hairpin, the double right-hander at Portier leads into the tunnel, which was extended in 1973 when the hotel was built above it. Where pedestrian access is limited, take the streets around it. You rejoin the track at the Nouvelle Chicane on the harbour front, so named after it was reshaped in 1986, and generally the only place where drivers can attempt to overtake.

Tabac, Piscine and La Rascasse

Along the quay, Tabac is named after the tobacconist that once stood on the outside of the corner; cars take it at about 195 km/h. Next comes Piscine, a fast left-right and a slower right-left past the Rainier III Nautical Stadium, whose swimming pool gives the corner its name. Then La Rascasse, a tight 135-degree right-hander, where Michael Schumacher stopped his car in qualifying in 2006, a manoeuvre still argued over.

The last corner, Virage Antony Noghès, is named after the man who dreamed up the race, and returns you to the start-finish straight. Lap complete.

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