RALLY 2009
breathtaking Dolomites
The first European “L’Impérial - Rallye d’Exception”, combining the pleasure of driving with a richness of culture and history only the Old Continent can offer.
Discovering Bohemia
In Prague, participants checked in to the internationally-renowned five-star Alchymist hotel, housed in an ornate 16th century building emblematic of Prague’s baroque architecture. They then discovered Prague during dinner on the banks of the Vltava River, with panoramic views of Saint-Charles Bridge and the old city. The next morning, participants awoke to a private tour of the city’s hidden charms. Then it was time for the group to get behind the wheels of their classic cars. The first leg of the tour took participants along country roads through the forests of southern Bohemia on a route that wound its way through quaint villages like Holašovice, whose 23 baroque-style houses and farms date back to 1770 and are still inhabited today - the ensemble is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just around a bend in the Vltava River is the historic village of Ceský Krumlov. This medieval gem, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is where the Rose Festival is celebrated every year.
Tour participants revelled in the festivities, with parades, street musicians, jugglers, and dancers. The tour then left the Vltava behind for the Danube River basin, with its tranquil lakes and countryside. Once in Salzburg, participants were treated to a Mozart concert at the city’s historic fortress and spent the night in the renowned Sacher hotel; rested and refreshed the next day, they headed off to the Dolomites.
Mountain driving heaven
With its hairpin twists and turns and mountain passes, the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, situated at an altitude of 2 505 meters, is Austria’s second-most popular tourist destination and a delight for mountain driving enthusiasts. Participants hardly noticed the snow on the ground and chilly 2°C weather, as they were too busy feasting their eyes on the spectacular views. After Lienz, the tour crossed the Dolomites along legendary rally routes before reaching Cortina d’Ampezzo, the uncontested queen of the Venetian mountains.
Venice, La Serenissima
Participants reached the last stop on the tour not by car but by boat, as a ferry took them across the canal into Venice. There they succumbed to the charms of La Serenissima and stayed at the Bauer Il Palazzo hotel, an 18th century palace converted into a luxury hotel with a stunning view of the Grand Canal. They were also treated to a dinner cruise among the Venetian islands and a gala dinner at Palazzo Malpiero, the only palace in Venice with its own private garden right on the Grand Canal…
Download the full record of the rally
This is the opportunity to reflect on a very unusual journey.
L’Impérial Classic is the only French company to offer vintage car rallies worldwide, combining not only speed but also the art of living and passion for cars.
These rallies, each centred on an exceptional destination, offer splendour, sophistication and true French style and elegance. These watchwords go hand in hand with the quality and originality of the hospitality on offer.
L’Impérial Classic could be nothing other than top of the range, and is today a major player in the vintage rally world. It combines receptions and private visits, fascinating spectacles in unique sites with tailor-made organisation, providing travel through sumptuous countries to explore culture and hitherto undiscovered sights.
L’Impérial Classic retains its fundamental principles, the guarantee of its success and its trademark : unique routes, precise preparation and « haute couture » style, trips which offer each participating team the chance to live their dream.
As a new decade dawns for l’Impérial Classic two outstanding new projects have been announced (the South Africa in 2016 and the end of the world : New Zealand in 2017).