What Is the Dress Code for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe?
No written rule for the whole racecourse, but smart dress required in some restaurants, and an elegant custom: how to dress for an October Sunday at Longchamp.
Last updated 6 October 2026 · 3 min read
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe imposes no written dress code across the whole racecourse. For the 2026 edition, however, the organiser stated "smart dress required" in some hospitality restaurants, notably the brasserie and the panoramic restaurant. On Sunday, custom is elegant: a suit and tie for men, often; a day dress or suit for women, with a hat or headpiece for those who wish. In early October, Paris can be cool and rainy: a coat, shoes suited to the turf and an umbrella complete the outfit.
The overall answer: a custom more than a rule
At Longchamp, attire is not checked at the entrance as it is at some British racecourses. For the 2026 edition, the organiser published no dress code applying to the whole racecourse; it indicated smart dress required in some hospitality restaurants.
Custom, for its part, is clear: on Arc Sunday, the racecourse dresses up. In the lounges, restaurants and private boxes, polished city attire is the norm; on the lawn, it remains appreciated. We review the conditions of your package with you ahead of 2027.
For men: the suit, the tie
A well-cut suit in mid-season wool, a collared shirt and a tie: this is the right outfit in a lounge or a private box. A blazer with flannel trousers also works, especially on Saturday. Autumn tones — grey, navy, brown — suit the season.
For shoes, prefer leather with a comfortable sole: there is a good deal of walking between the grandstand, the parade ring and the track. An overcoat or a light raincoat completes the outfit.
For women: the day dress, the hat
A day dress or suit, a skirt with a jacket, a trouser suit: daytime elegance, rather than evening wear. A hat or headpiece is a racecourse tradition that many follow on Sunday, without obligation.
Fine heels sink into the turf: a broad heel or elegant flats spare the trouble. A coat, a stole or a cape follow the October temperature, which can drop in the late afternoon.
| Where | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lounges, restaurants, private boxes | Suit, collared shirt, tie | Day dress or suit, hat or headpiece if desired |
| Grandstand facing the finish | Suit or blazer, collared shirt | Polished daywear |
| Lawn and festive area | Polished city attire | Polished city attire, shoes suited to the turf |
| Everywhere, in October | Coat or raincoat, umbrella | Coat, stole, umbrella |
What is best avoided
Nothing is forbidden on the lawn in the sense of a written rule, but some outfits look out of place in the lounges and may be refused in restaurants where smart dress is required: tracksuits, shorts, flip-flops, beachwear.
Clothing bearing a large logo is also out of place in the hospitality areas. When in doubt, we check the conditions of your package with you.
Saturday evening and Sunday evening
The Arc weekend often continues at the table: a dinner on Saturday evening at a Right Bank restaurant, another on Sunday, after the race. Understated evening wear — a dark suit, a cocktail dress — suits the great majority of the fine Parisian tables.
We arrange your attire along with the rest of the stay: alterations, hire or tailoring, a milliner for a hat, pieces delivered to your hotel before your arrival.
What to remember
No written rule for the whole racecourse, smart dress required in some restaurants, an elegant custom on Sunday: suit and tie, day dress or suit, a hat if desired, shoes suited to the turf and an October coat. TGZ Conciergerie, an independent house with no affiliation with France Galop or with ParisLongchamp racecourse, and no official status, prepares your attire along with the rest of the stay, on quotation.
Frequently asked questions
Not for the whole racecourse. For the 2026 edition, the organiser indicated smart dress required in some hospitality restaurants; elsewhere, custom is elegant without being imposed.
It is not imposed by a general rule, but it is customary in the lounges, restaurants and private boxes on Sunday. It is the safe choice.
It is not compulsory. A hat or headpiece is a tradition that many follow on Sunday; we can arrange an appointment with a milliner.
Comfortable shoes suited to the turf: a broad heel or elegant flats for women, leather with a comfortable sole for men. There is a good deal of walking between the grandstand, the parade ring and the track.
Usually mild, sometimes cool and rainy, with a colder late afternoon. Bring a coat or a raincoat, and an umbrella.
On the lawn, no written rule forbids them; in restaurants where smart dress is required, they are best avoided. For a lounge or a private box, prefer polished city attire.
Understated evening wear — a dark suit, a cocktail dress — suits the great majority of the fine Parisian tables. We check the custom of each restaurant booked.
Take it further
The right attire, ready on your arrival
Tell us your package and your days: we prepare your attire with the stay — alterations, hire or tailoring, milliner, pieces delivered to your hotel, chauffeur —, on quotation.