The French Ministry of Culture and Communication’s sponsorship of the 2015 edition, as well as a 35% increase in visitors since the first edition illustrate France’s fondness for this event, which has revived an iconic French tradition of the 1920s, but which had since disappeared.

The weekend commenced on Saturday with a polo tournament represented by some of the best international players, organized by Pablo Mac Donough at the Polo Club de Chantilly, a recent Richard Mille partner. Guests had the unique opportunity to join the Argentinean player and brand partner and his team at an Argentine barbecue in a bucolic setting. Following this, the lavish Francois 1er exhibition was inaugurated in the Jeu de Paume room of the famous Condé museum.

The château gates opened on Sunday morning to welcome in crowds of guests who came to admire the finest automobiles in the world and discover – or rediscover – the elegance of the cars of yesteryear with bodywork sculpted by some of the greatest names in automotive design.

The gardens designed by Le Nôtre, who also created the gardens of Versailles, played host to a number of automobile clubs such as Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar and Aston Martin. They all shared the 155-hectare park with the greatest manufacturers of our times, such as Bugatti, McLaren and Mercedes, and were joined by the crowning glories of motor racing, such as the 1967 F1 BRM H16 and the 1971 Ferrari 312B2.

Connoisseurs and families alike were enthralled by the event’s program, which simultaneously celebrated the greatest automotive artists and French expertise and lifestyle, with numerous workshops and activities installed around the château specifically for the occasion.

A panel of around 40 renowned experts judged the three automobile competitions that took place during the day.
The Concours d’Elégance combined the Haute Couture houses with the estheticism of concept cars. Seven fashion models dressed by as many Haute Couture designers walked alongside seven concept cars from international manufacturers. The BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage R gained recognition from its peers by winning the most prestigious of titles.

The condition, restoration and historic interest of a hundred cars were assessed in the Concours d’Etat. The Richard Mille “Best of Show” prize went to Mr. Evert Louwman’s 1936 Mercedes 500 K Special Roadster, which was released from the Louwman Museum for this event.

Meanwhile, the Concours des Clubs featured almost 850 cars from 40 clubs, with the cars judged not only in terms of their presentation and the quality of their restoration, but also the way they were presented during the traditional lunch on the lawn. The Amis de Delage owe their victory in this category to the exceptional participation of their members.

Richard Mille, an automobile enthusiast with a passion for F1 cars from the ‘60s and ‘70s, was awarded the Alain Figaret prize for finest Formula 1 car with his BRM P 115 H16 lightweight chassis 01 from 1967, a unique model. Its 16 cylinder, H-formation, 3.0 liter engine is considered to be one of the most complex car engines ever created.

Richard Mille and Peter Auto are delighted to be associated with this sublime event, which has proved to be a success on the global automobile scene. The third edition is already scheduled for 2016 at the Château de Chantilly, promising another Sunday in the countryside accompanied by some of the finest cars in the world.