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For petrol heads in the Alps the Mont Blanc Rally is one of the big events of the summer. First held in 1947 it was originally organised as part of the Fete d’Evian and was known as the “Rally Paris-Evian”. Over the years the rally’s course and focus shifted and it became the “Rally Evian – Mont-Blanc” and then in its tenth year, the “Rally Mont-Blanc Iseran”. It was not until 1961 that it finally became the “Rally Mont-Blanc”.
Today the race exists as the fifth stage of the French National Rally Championships and draws many of France’s top drivers to the mountain town of Morzine to compete. The race takes place over two days, during which the drivers will cover over 600km around the Portes du Soliel and the Massif du Chablais. The Mont-Blanc Rally is a road rally and therefore differs in a number of ways, from the more recognisable stage rallies which drive through snow and dirt along forestry trails. Firstly, as the name suggests, these races take place on roads that are open to the public. The emphasis therefore, is not on point-to-point speed but on accurate time keeping, navigation and vehicle reliability. Each driver and co-driver must cover long distances in each stage along twisting, open roads attempting at all times to maintain a constant pre-determined speed.
Along the course the cars will come to “Special Stages” where the road is closed and the cars are timed. These stages are shorter and require faster driving and controlled cornering and the road from Morzine to Avoriaz is one such stage. Between these stages are the much longer “transport stages” where the cars must travel under their own power. It is necessary therefore for the cars to be road legal and in a working order that is conducive to both short sprints and long cruises.
This form of Rallying is popular as both a spring board for the younger generation who want to compete at a higher level and as an amateur hobby for those who never lost that need for speed.
In recent years the Rally has been a highlight in the Morzine summer calendar drawing large crowds to the resort. The sight of the cars parked around town is enough of an incentive to visit during the event, especially now that it is twinned with the classic car rally as well. However, once they head up the road to Avoriaz, the real excitement starts. Whilst the noise does break the tranquillity of the mountains, there is something undeniably cool about seeing a car not too dissimilar to the one you drive to the shops in, hurtling up the road and screeching around the bends!
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