The 1966 Rallye Lyon–Charbonnières stood tall as one of France’s most refined and demanding asphalt rallies. Known for its urban class and countryside chaos, this event tested both poise and pressure. With tight controls, flowing hill roads, and the unpredictability of spring storms, it was an early-season highlight on the ERC calendar. The event’s balance of speed, navigation, and strategy cemented its place as a proving ground for future rally legends.
Starting in the heart of Lyon, the route curved through the Beaujolais hills and the Rhône countryside before finishing ceremonially in Charbonnières-les-Bains. Drivers faced rapidly changing road widths, tight switchbacks bordered by stone walls, and blind rises that punished the inattentive. Several night sections added to the challenge, with damp pavement and poor visibility forcing a more calculated pace.
The rally’s pace was relentless, with minimal room for error. Co-driver notes had to be on point—late calls led to bent bumpers or worse.
The 1966 edition was navigation-intensive, with minimal timing tolerance on narrow urban segments and many high-speed direction changes. Co-drivers were kept on edge by quick transitions from open country to constricted village lanes, where being off by even a second could result in time penalties—or worse, missed controls entirely.
The 1966 Rallye Lyon–Charbonnières reminded competitors that rallying wasn’t just about power—it was about patience, teamwork, and knowing when to push and when to preserve. It was a rally of timing, terrain, and tenacity.
Watch rallies anywhere — bypass region blocks with NordVPN.
Fast servers for HD streams Servers in 60+ countries 30-day money-back
Sponsored link. Using our partner links helps support Compromised Internals at no extra cost to you.