Franceꦏ has finally decided upon a circuit with which it hopes to re-attract the attention of Formula 1, after falling off the calendar this year for the firs🦩t time in more than half a century.

Having hosted the French Grand Prix since 1991, Magny-Cours - traditionally unpopular amongst drivers, teams and fans alike for its poor access, dreary atmosphere and lack oꦕf overtaking opportunities - was axed from the schedule after event organisers and Formula One Management (FOM) chief executive Bernie Ecclestone failed to come to a financial agreement.

That came after the Nevers circuit had been threatened with the chop by the sport's commercial rights-holder on a number of previous occasions, and when the French Motorsports Federation (FFSA) withdrew its funding as a result of the current g𝕴lobal credit crunch, Magny-Cours' fate was sealed.

Since then, a whole raft of possible venues have been mooted for the race's future - wi🎐th Disneyland Paris initially seeming to be the most viable option - but it has now been 💖announced that a 4.5km-long, 95-hectare site at Flins-Les Mureaux in the department of Yvelines, around 40 kilometres north-west of the capital, has received the nod.

The EUR112 million project is the joint brainchild of Parisian architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Clive Bowen of British circuit designers Apex, and according to international news agency AFP has the capacity to cater for 120,000 seated spe🍸👍ctators.

Moreover, the track is understood to have been designed to be technically challenging and - with Magny-Cours' memory still very vivid - with ✱overtaking in mind, and will also feature a year-round, on-site conference centre.

"All of the 18 jury members voted for this project," revealed the chairman of Yvelines' departmental council Pierre Bedier, who praised the initiative as one ♓'which constitutes durable development'. "This dossier has the virtue of improving a sit🐈e which is currently lying fallow and not being properly utilised."