France is set to play host to one of Europe’s toughest rallies, the 31st running of The Classic Marathon.
This 2000 km six-day endurance regularity rally starts on the shores of Lac Geneva on September 13, finishing in Biarritz on the French/Spanish border seven days later.
For cars built before 1991, the rally has attracted crews from countries as diverse as Brazil, Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Indonesia, USA, The Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and of course the UK.
Their cars are like a who’s who of motoring past – the oldest being a 1955 Triumph TR3 and the youngest a 1988 BMW 325i. Other cars taking part include Jaguar, Porsche, Escort, TR4, Saab 96, MGB, Triumph 2.5, Fiat 2300S, Cooper S, Austin Healey, Mercedes Benz, E-Type Jaguar, TR8, Volvo PV544, Volkswagen Golf, Datsun 240 and 260Z, Alfa Romeo, Renault 4, Ford Mustang and a gaggle of Porsches.
The 31st Classic Marathon will feature the exciting mountain roads and glorious Alpine scenery of France and Spain taking in the Jura Mountains and the Ardeche, driving on roads made famous by the Monte Carlo Rally, then into the Massif Central of France, before the last 3 days in the Pyrenees.
The start is in Divonne-le-Bains, with scrutineering and documentation on the 13th.
This is a test of the crews navigational and driving ability, with route books only handed out 30 minutes before each morning’s start.
Day 1 (14th September) is from Divonne-les-Bains to Valence, taking in mighty “Cols”, inccluding the Grand Colombier, and through Chartreuse region, before a lunch halt. Afterwards comes the first of the rally’s 8 speed tests.
Day 2, Valence to Millau. After overnighting in Valence, crews drive through the Ardeche and Cévennes, climbing into the hills from St Lauren-du-Pape. The descent into the magnificent Tarn Gorge with a gentle cruise through quaint villages, such as La Malene, will be a welcome pause before the competing crews commence the final battle of the day high above the market town of Millau in the Grands Causses hills.
Day 3 is Millau to Carcassonne featuring the backroads of the Grands Causses National Park, deep in the Massif Central, the route also winds around the edges of the Chasse de Caroux-Espinouse Nature Reserve.
After lunch is a descent onto the Languedoc Plain and through the Corbières region, with some stunning winding roads which quite literally corkscrew their way through the mountainside before we loop back to the evenings rest halt at the medieval citadel of Carcassonne.
Carcassone to Pyrenees | 17 September.
Today’s route tackles little known Cols, before dropping into the natural beauty of the Gorge De Galamus. The Cols begin to get higher and tougher during the afternoon as crews climb through the ski resorts of Mijanès-Donezan and Ascou, before tackling the Col de Portet d’Aspet en route to the overnight halt, nestled high in the mountains, close to the Spanish border.
Pyrenees to Pau | 18 September, A “big day in the mountains” as they say in cycling with the route including classics such as the ascent of the Col du Tourmalet, followed by the Peyresourde and the Col de l’Aubisque, en route to Pau.
Pau to Biarritz | 19 September
The final morning of the Marathon is spent conquering the final Cols that make up this mountainous region, followed by the maze of deserted roads in the hills close to the French-Spanish border. These challenging sections will provide a fitting finale to the event, with perhaps a sting in the tail to shape the leaderboard in Biarritz.
** Photos by event organisers Hero-Era who carry regular event updates at
I genuinely regret their withdrawal from automotive activities. A stylish, innovative company. The TR3 looks fabulous.
