Rallye des Princesses Richard Mille 2019

Inspired by the Paris-Saint Raphaël women’s rally (which ran from 1929 to 1974), Viviane Zaniroli created a new race linking the Place Vendôme in Paris to the French Riviera back in 1999.

If ever an event deserved the term 'elegance', it is the Rallye des Princesses. The 20^th edition took place between the 1^st-6^th June. What has fast become one of the world’s most prestigious women’s motorsport challenge, the Rallye is a truly golden opportunity and an exceptional event.

90 crews of Lady drivers left the prestigious Place de Vendôme in the heart of Paris and head off on a 1.600km road trip towards Saint Tropez on the French Riviera. Passing through famous beauty spots such as Beauval, Vichy and Aix-les-Bains, they hit the road, cruising through no less than 17 French regions departments and more than 280 towns and villages along the way.

Drivers were at the wheel of cars between 15 to 65 years old, hailing back as far as 1946. Their vehicles faced small roads, hills, descents, hairpins, steep mountains and at last the refreshing sea-breeze. The Rallye des Princesses Richard Mille is a regularity race run on public open roads. The goal of this type of event is to stay as close as possible to the targeted average speed while covering a set distance along a scheduled itinerary. High speed 'racing' capabilities are thus not part of the selection criteria. Winners are those who manage to navigate their way through the race while carefully maintaining the ideal time from A to B.

Participants from a wide range of nationalities come from all over the world, all motivated by the same desire to excel, to get the most out of their trusted vehicles – in other words, to have fun in what is above all a friendly competition. Leaving behind the more macho and gruff world of men’s motor racing, this sporty, feminine and above all elegant event has won over more and more fans, - not only amongst the Ladies themselves!