Gone to the races: happiness at the Hippodrome

The atmosphere at the Hippodrome de Bordeaux Le Bouscat was quiet, leisurely and amusing. The grounds were decorated with pretty flower beds, and the horses glowed with health, the jockeys and owners bustling, but although the bar was doing good business, no one was yelling and cheering in the stands. It was all very civilised; very French.

Parking was free, entrance was free, and as soon as we had picked up a Programme des Courses, we headed straight over to the ring where the horses entered in the first race were prancing and showing off. 

The programme lists details including the breeder, trainer, jockey and, most importantly, the horse’s name. It also shows the jockeys’ colours so you can spot your horse from a distance. 

We chose a horse called Urgence, ridden by a jockey wearing pink, and another one whose jockey was wearing purple.

Then we went into the hall beneath the stands to place our bets with the PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain). The minimum you can bet is €2, so we bet €2 on Urgence à gagner and €2 on Badiya à placer (to come first, second or third), and went up to the stands clutching our betting slips. 

It was easy to find a place and just as easy to follow the events because there was a huge screen to one side. There was no pressure to bet and we could have gone up to the stands without betting.

Betting in France is tightly regulated and, if you are only there for the fun of it, I think sticking to un pari simple (a simple bet) is best, but of course you can place all sorts of other compound bets too. 

You can place bets in cash with the man at the desk or you can use the machines. You get the same odds and the same prices at each. If you use the machines, however, you pay by card and receive your winnings onto your card, whereas if you pay in cash, you receive your winnings in cash.

Once the race started, so did the commentary, and trying to follow that was a great free French lesson. The horses soon came into sight – with ours in the lead. All the jockeys started urging the horses on and excitement mounted, but no one could catch our choices as they galloped triumphantly past the finishing post in first and third positions.

We won €30 and reinvested another €4 on two more horses (one with white socks and a drooling, impatient grey), who also won. We collected another €16 and laid some more bets on the third race, which we lost. It was time for lunch.

As at most hippodromes, there are various catering options. There is nothing to stop you bringing a sandwich and eating it in the stands, or you can get paninis, beers and steak frites in the brasserie. Flush with our winnings, we headed up to the plush restaurant on the first floor with a panoramic view of the finishing line. There was a betting desk up there as well, but we just enjoyed our €40 menu (asparagus, duck and chocolate tart) and a glass of wine.

After lunch, we won a bit more and lost another €4, but we had budgeted to lose €20, so we were very happy to leave with a net profit of €30. But even if we had lost every bet, it would have been a fabulous day. We loved the whole atmosphere: the sunshine, the people-watching, the horse-fancying and the excitement.

There are hippodromes all over France, and I can’t recommend une journée at the races enough.