Richard Mille has been a privileged partner of the Arts & Elegance Concours since its first edition in 2014. This biennial family event revolving around motor sport and the art of living returns to the Château de Chantilly from September 14 to 15.
If the Domaine de Chantilly is known to Parisians for its Grand Prix de Diane, held every year in mid-June, there’s another elegance and racing competition with the same majestic setting, just a stone’s throw from the racecourse: the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille.
Supported from the outset by watchmaker Richard Mille, himself a great automobile enthusiast, this grand open-air automobile concours d’élégance aims to combine the French art of living with the pleasure of entertaining.
Held every two years, the event features no fewer than 800 exceptional cars and attracts an average of over 20,000 visitors over the two days. A unique opportunity to treat yourself to a country weekend just a stone’s throw from Paris.
Three car shows
Created by Peter Auto in 2014, the Richard Mille Arts & Elegance Concours is first and foremost a must-attend event for lovers of beautiful cylinders and the greatest car collectors.
Manufacturers of luxury and premium cars, such as Aston Martin, BMW, Bugatti, Citroen, DS Automobiles, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes Benz, Renault and Rolls Royce, flock here and exhibit some of their models, sometimes in world previews.
The event seeks to “bring back to life that glorious era when car designers began to astonish the general public not only for their technical prowess, but above all for the sheer elegance of their designs and bodywork.”
With the spectacular setting of the Le Nôtre parterre on the Domaine de Chantilly, the Richard Mille Concours Arts & Elegance actually consists of two rallies followed by three automobile competitions on the second day.
The Concours d’Elegance pairs a fashion house with a concept car. The formula revives a French tradition that originated in the 1920s and has fallen somewhat into disuse. For example, the previous edition in 2022 awarded the Prix de l’Elégance to the Aston Martin DBR22. This was supplemented by an Innovation Prize awarded to the DS E-Tense.
The Concours d’Etat judges classic cars according to their state of preservation, restoration and historical interest. In 2022, the Hispano-Suiza H6C Dubonnet Xenia (1938) won the Pre-War category, while the Talbot Lago T26 GS Barchetta Motto (1950) won the Post-War category.
Last but not least, the FFVE Club Competition elects the car club of the year on the basis of model presentation, restoration quality and staging. Last year’s winner was the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts Club, while the Citroën SM Mylord Cabriolet Chapron (1972) took the special prize for authenticity.
At the same time, the Richard Mille Concours Arts & Elegance features a parade of vintage and modern cars, as well as an auction, qualifying it as one of the world’s largest open-air museums dedicated to the automobile.
A family moment in the countryside
Beyond the world of prestige automobiles, the Richard Mille Concours Arts & Elegance is also an eminently family-friendly event, with a wide range of activities centred on French art de vivre and culture.
Visitors have free access to the Château de Chantilly. Built in the 16th century to designs by Jean Bullant, the current 19th-century château was rebuilt by architect Honoré Daumet for the penultimate son of King Louis-Philippe I, Henri d’Orléans. The sumptuous building houses the famous Musée Vivant du Cheval, as well as sumptuous stables housing an exceptional collection of carriages and other towed sedans.
Musical entertainment is also provided by a barrel organ and touring bands.
Gastronomy is not to be outdone, with a crème chantilly workshop, foodtrucks and a Perrier-Jouet champagne bar.
There’s also entertainment for children (pony rides, clowns, pedal cars, magicians, remote-controlled sailboats, etc.) and for the whole family, including giant table footballs, a gallinodrome, billiards-golf, a giant chessboard, a costumed photo booth and a hot-air balloon ride.
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Featured Photo: © Clément Barbé/Peter Auto
