Antigen receptor locus V(D)J recombination requires interactions between widely separated variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments, but the mechanisms that generate these interactions are not well understood. Here we assessed mechanisms that direct developmental stage-specific long-distance interactions at theTcra/Tcrdlocus. TheTcra/Tcrdlocus recombinesTcrdgene segments in CD4−CD8−double-negative thymocytes andTcragene segments in CD4+CD8+double-positive thymocytes. Initial Vα-to-Jαrecombination occurs within a chromosomal domain that displays a contracted conformation in both thymocyte subsets. We used chromosome conformation capture to demonstrate that theTcraenhancer (Eα) interacts directly with Vαand Jαgene segments distributed across this domain, specifically in double-positive thymocytes. Moreover, Eαpromotes interactions between these Vαand Jαsegments that should facilitate their synapsis. We found that the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) binds to Eαand to many locus promoters, biases Eαto interact with these promoters, and is required for efficient Vα–Jαrecombination. Our data indicate that Eαand CTCF cooperate to create a developmentally regulated chromatin hub that supports Vα–Jαsynapsis and recombination.