Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille, fifth edition
On June 30, enthusiasts of automobiles above all, but equally of Art de Vivre à la Française were gathered in the gardens of the Château de Chantilly to take part in the fifth edition of the famous Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille.
Chloé REDLER with Nicolas YVON
Acknowledged for its popularity, the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille is an all-time elegance contest dedicated to the Art de Vivre à la Française. The fifth edition, which took place on June 30thunder a bright sun, welcomed nearly 18,000 spectators. An ever-increasing number of visitors to this event, of which the Richard Mille factory is the principal partner, were able to enjoy a friendly and familial sunday.
This meeting, which takes place every two years, in alternation with the Mans Classique, announces the beginning of the summer festivities. Now eagerly awaited, this event in Chantilly is one of the most famous elegance contest in the world.
Preceded by a saturday devoted to two rallies, one dedicated to Collectors and the other to Supercars, sunday was the scene of many activities for children and adults: olfactory and hat workshops, barber shop, access to the Castle and its various museums, exhibitions, auctions, fairground, boat rides on the Grand Canal, first flights in a hot air balloon.
This was also an opportunity for guests to enjoy the gourmet picnic meal baskets they had booked or to enjoy dinners concocted by great French starred chefs. The only prerequisite for everyone is that they must be properly dressed! Bowler hats, boaters or Panama, tie or bow tie for men, structured and floral headdresses, printed dresses or flowing suits for women.
Sunday contests
Birthplace of the elegant competitions of the Roaring Twenties, France initiated these encounters, which were highly appreciated and valued by the high society, where exceptional cars of the time were paraded in the company of elegant young women, dressed by leading French fashion designers. Inspired by these astonishing events, the Chantilly Elegance Competition revives this tradition by inviting car manufacturers to introduce their concept cars to a fascinated public. Each future model of the brand is associated with a model dressed by a famous fashion house to offer a grandiose fashion show in the gardens of the castle. Like this year:
-Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation and Ronald Van der Kemp
-BMW Vision M Next – Talbot Ruehnof
-“Voiture Noire” by Bugatti – Max Mara
-DS X E-Tense – Eymeric François
-Honda E Prototype – Yohji Yamamoto
-Lexus Concept LC Cabriolet – Rochas
-McLaren Speedtail – Paule Ka
-Renault EZ-Ultimo – Guy Laroche
-Volkswagen ID.Buggy – Ann Demeulemeester
Therefore, the Chantilly Elegance Competition featured nine concept cars from different brands. A record! Big winner of this year’s edition, the McLaren Speedtail was the jury’s favourite, while the Volkswagen ID.Buggy won the “Coup de Coeur” of the public.
Gathering hundreds of automobiles from all over the world, the State Competition for vintage cars was awarded to the Bentley 8 Litre Foursome Coupé (1931) in the ‘pre-war’ category, and to the Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupé (1948) for the ‘post-war’ one. Selected from forty clubs and seven hundred and ten cars of passionate owners, the Amicale Facel Vega has been awarded the Grand Prix des Clubs by the FFVE (Fédération Française des Véhicules d’Époque).
This sunny Sunday was equally the occasion to celebrate several anniversaries of legendary stables and cars: the centenary of Bentley and Ballot, the hundred and tenth anniversary of Bugatti, the fiftieth anniversary of the iconic Porsche 917, the twentieth anniversary of Pagani’s Zonda and the fiftieth anniversary of Jackie Stewart’s Formula 1 title with Matra. Within the Richard Mille space, the prospective of the future was contrasted by the Renaissance spirit of the event. Located not far from the Airbus Corporate Jets and McLaren spaces, the guests found themselves in a neo-futuristic setting where was installed the most famous car in the history of cinema, the Delorean from the movie Back to the Future.
See you in two years for the sixth edition.
Photos ©Alexis Goure
Further information on : www.chantillyartsetelegance.com
Results
Elegance Contest:
Best of Show: Speedtail, McLaren
Public Award: ID. Buggy, Volkswagen
State Competitions:
Best of Show: Bentley 8 litre Coupé (Pre-War) / Talbot T26 (Post-War)
Endurance GT from 1994: Ferrari 348 GTC – LM (1994)
Aston Martin racing – closed cars (Post-War): Aston Martin DB4 (1960)
Aston Martin racing – open cars (Post-War): Aston Martin DBR1 (1959
The Facel Vega: Facel Vega HK2
Japanese Sportswomen: Toyota 2000 GT (1969)
McLaren Racing: McLaren H8C DFV
Les Voitures du Salon de Paris at the Grand Palais, until 1961: Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport (1948)
Marcello Gandini’s creations: Lamborghini Miura P400 S
The Porsche 917: 1971 Porsche 917 (Count Rossi)
Bentley Special Centenary / Post-War Cars: Bentley Mark VI Cresta (1948)
Bentley Special Centenary / Pre-War Cars Closed: Bentley 8 litre Foursome Coupe (1931)
Bentley Special Centenary / Open Pre-War Cars : Bentley Speed Six “Old n°3” (1930)
Hundredth Anniversary Ballot / Sports Cars: Ballot 2 LS Sport
Hundredth Anniversary Ballot / Running Cars: Ballot 5/8 LC Indianapolis
Les Voisin à carrosserie Voisin : Avions-Voisin C25 “Clairière” (1935)
Rivolta ISO: ISO Rivolta Grifo Series II (1972)
Cars in State of Origin (Post-War): Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” (1973)
Cars in State of Origin (Pre-War): Delaunay-Belleville Type H.C.4 (1913)
Club Grand Prix
Friendly Facel Vega
Special prices :
Automoto Club Award: Alpha 1750 GTV
Special FFVE Prize: l’authenticité AC Bristol
FIVA Preservation Award: Bentley 4/2
Aston Elegance Award: Aston DB 2/4 Bertone
Most Beautiful Hat Award: Mrs. Ranz