Travel diary – Richard Mille Princesses Rally: the first regularity zones

It was from the Place Vendôme in Paris, where the cars of the 97 crews had been on display since the previous day, that the Rally The Richard Mille Princesses officially kicked off this Sunday morning. The participants – including the Autohebdo duo of myself and Lucie Baud – set off gradually between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m., initially in convoy to the Royal Abbey of Chaalis in Fontaine-Chaalis, about 40 kilometers from Paris. It was there, in this splendid Cistercian estate, that the competition truly began after breakfast.

The lunch break at Cellier Belle Epoque in Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne vineyards, marked the first real pause of the day. Lunch was served buffet-style to accommodate the staggered schedules of the crews—each with their own departure time and specific challenges along the route. We arrived at this meeting point around 14 p.m. for a 30-minute break, allowing us to enjoy the magical setting, in keeping with the tradition of the Rallye des Princesses, before a 100-kilometer liaison to reach the start of the first regularity zone: 6 kilometers at an average speed of 40 km/h. Two more regularity zones followed.

Between these regularity zones, the connecting routes offered us landscapes we won't soon forget. This Sunday, the Champagne region unfolded before our eyes—narrow roads lined with vineyards, bathed in generous sunshine. The progress between the three zones was clear: the second, much better managed than the first, and the third, also handled smoothly. Between the last two routes, a coffee break at the Château de La Motte-Tilly, nestled in a bend of the Seine, provided another enchanting moment in yet another remarkable setting before tackling the final 59 kilometers to Troyes. Having covered 353,3 km, our crew invites you to join them tomorrow for a second day that promises to be just as exceptional: destination Vichy.

A complete discovery

The first regularity zone is where everything really clicked for me. I have to keep my eyes on everything: my roadbook, the trip, the road ahead, the stopwatch—and having to absorb the information, transcribe it for Lucie, and do mental calculations about the distance or time remaining all at the same time is a real challenge. At the beginning, it was very complicated. Reading the notes, communicating the directions, managing the timing before each checkpoint—all simultaneously, without making a mistake. It's not something you can just wing.

And then there's the sun. Lucie, who's already done the Dakar three times, is used to it. I'm a little less so, and the first signs of sunburn are starting to appear. Nothing that can stop us, though—but I understand better now why the fan we received as a gift from our sponsors was listed among the essentials. The advantage of all this is that, outside the regularity zones, we're driving through magnificent landscapes, and that more than makes up for it.

By Zoé Ledent-Mouret

A new role

Driving in regularity rallies was a new role for me. I'd never approached competition from this angle—high speeds are definitely not my thing, but in this context, it's going to be hard to let go of the wheel. What I hadn't anticipated, though, was the intensity: a real race pace, very rally-like timing, and maintaining concentration over hundreds of kilometers. I wasn't expecting that, and it's definitely been a pleasant surprise.

353,3 kilometers, real fatigue, and a growing sense of confidence. The progress between the first and third zones already speaks volumes about what this day has taught us. Tomorrow morning, the race resumes from Troyes, heading towards Vichy, for a second stage that promises to be just as demanding.

By Lucie Baud

ALSO READ > Travel diary – Richard Mille Princesses Rally: the first regularity zones