Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Racing across France in a Porsche 911, a Ferrari 308 GTB or a Ford Mustang, they are the Princesses of an exceptional all-female rally. Organiser Céline Jehan takes us behind the scenes.
At the wheel of this 100% feminine rally, Céline Jehan – an events manager by profession – is no stranger to classic car gatherings: “I’ve been working at Peter Auto for 17 years. I started with the Le Mans Series races and took over the Grand Prix de Pau, then created the Concours d’Élégance de Chantilly with Patrick Peter, the Richard Mille Rallye des Légendes, and for the last three years I’ve also been in charge of the Richard Mille Rallye des Princesses.” But for the last edition in 2024, Céline says she put together a programme that went well beyond what any of the participants could have expected. “We gave them access to incredible places like Chambord, the Château de Beynac in the Dordogne and the Château de Carcassonne. I’m a fan of architecture and ancient buildings, and I’m keen to help them discover France in all its diversity and refinement. We have marvellous roads, incredible sites, gastronomy, traditions and cultures unique to each region.” One might say that female participants take a different approach to the men. “Some take part in the rally for a birthday or a very special occasion. After all, you have to be willing to take the time off, and these are very busy women... We’re offering them a chance to take a break from their busy lives, and let themselves be enchanted for a week. That applies to the rally itself, but also the gastronomy, hotels, entertainment...” To guarantee quality, Céline limits entries to 100 crews. “We want it to feel a bit like a week with your girlfriends. I have quite a few mother/daughter crews, but also sisters or best friends. You can come without ever having raced, but doing a regularity course beforehand is always advisable, as it helps you to feel more at ease with the roadbook.” The rally is above all a sporting event, with no fewer than 18 regularity zones. In 2024, the route started at Place Vendôme in Paris before heading to Tours, the Ile de Ré, Beynac, Carcassonne and finishing in Andorra, covering more than 1,600 km along the way in five stages. Suffice to say, every edition is a first-class journey, offering a glimpse of the exceptional real estate on offer around the country, covered by the 27 branches of the FH&E network.
“It’s all on open roads,” explains Céline, “and the crews have to respect a specific average speed depending on the age of their car. The winner is not the one who goes the fastest, but the one who is the most consistent.” As for the field, it’s reserved for classic cars from 1945 to 1991: Alfa Spiders, Porsche 911s, Ferrari 308s and Ford Mustangs are all welcome, as are 1958 Porsche 356 cabriolets – like the one driven by the winners of the 2024 edition, Stéphanie and Laure. There were no incidents to report last year, as is the case generally. To ensure this level of excellence, Céline has invariably double-checked everything beforehand. “I have to verify the entire route ahead of time. I need to apply for special permissions from each prefec-ture, notify the town halls that we’re coming and be aware of any roadwork. All this takes 9 to 12 months to prepare.” A labour of love, which has helped bring about some beautiful stories, such as the participation of Juliette Lepage, a young blind Olympic torchbearer, who came with her mother. “We worked to be able to provide her with a roadbook in Braille, with which they managed to complete the rally. It was extraordinary.” Which perfectly sums up the spirit of the “princesses’ rally”, whose next edition will be held from 27 March to 11 April 2026.
Ethan Valentin
