One of the quirks of the International calendar is that the Formula 2 races at the Nürburgring and Pau often clash, and as the Pau race is longer established it usually receives the better entry. This year, however, there are so many F2 cars that both races were well subscribed with the French organisers picking the 14 cars they thought best, this number being quite enough to fill this 2.7km road circuit. The entries included Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt, who are certainly the top two drivers in F2 this year, plus the four regular French F2 drivers, Beltoise and Pescarolo in works Matras and Schlesser and Ligier in their McLarens. There were also works McLarens for Widdows and New Zealander Lawrence, Regazzoni in the works Tecno, Gethin in the works Chevron, private Lolas for Spaniards Soler-Roig, de Bagration and Englishman Chris Williams plus Rees in a Winkelmann Brabham.

Rindt took pole position with a time of 1min 20.5sec, just 0.1sec off the record, with Beltoise second and Stewart in his Matra third. From the start it was these three who made the running, with Rindt out ahead from Stewart and Beltoise. Stewart was pressing Rindt hard, and with 10 laps run of the 70-lap race the Austrian spun the car at a hairpin and Stewart immediately gained a good lead.

Amid his F1 commitments, Stewart was also a star of F2 with Matra International