Europe's most beautiful concours returned to Chantilly, France, last month and it didn't disappoint. Rosie Paterson was there to record all of the action.
Watchmaking can trace its roots back to the 16th century and wristwatches have been around for the best part of two centuries. Rolex was founded in 1905; Patek Philippe in 1839 — all of which makes it tricky to wrap my head around the fact that Richard Mille and his eponymous brand has only been going since 2001.
The French haute-horologist took centre stage aged 50, disrupting traditional watchmaking with his use of innovative materials (titanium and carbon nanofibres) and science-forward manufacturing. The watches are so shockproof that in the early days, in order to garner attention, M. Mille would happily chuck one of his six-figure timepieces against a wall.
The RM 17-02 Tourbillon.
Their best-known feature is the tripartite (literally meaning made up of or divided into three parts) case, each one a window into M. Mille’s own mind or the future. Perhaps, into both.
They are transparent, the watches’ innards — each tiny, tiny, painstakingly placed element — exposed for the wearer to see. Often, it’s just the front that is see-through, but, sometimes, the backplate is too.
The efficient, even and endless whirring machinations are hypnotic. It’s hard to imagine being so transfixed by something so small, but minutes can pass staring at your own wrist. It’s a wonder any of Richard Mille’s sporting friends of the brand get anything done. Or won.
Mark Cavendish, arguably the most successful sprint cyclist of all time, wears one. So does Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal. His only weighs 27 grams — little more than a standard packet of crisps. M. Mille seemingly only works with winners.
The brand is famous for courting Formula One drivers — the official tagline is ‘a racing machine for the wrist’ — including McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and it’s all too easy to draw parallels between the skeleton display of a watch and the chance to peer under the carbon fibre of a race car at the world’s most technologically-advanced engine.
When M. Leclerc won the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix — his home race — he celebrated by diving into the principality’s harbour, wearing his race suit and an upward-of-€200,000 Richard Mille RM72-01 Flyback Chronograph. ‘Is it waterproof?’ asked the onlookers, headlines and TikTok creators. Yes. To 30m. I’ve double-, triple-checked.
The watches designed for and toted by drivers are among the brand’s most coveted. Trying to get your hands — or wrist — on one is an impossible task, unless you are a pre-existing customer.
M. Mille is a car aficionado evidenced by the fact that two of his favourite events are Le Mans Classic (above) and the Chantilly Arts & Elegance. He sponsors both.
The Arts & Elegance weekend — comprising three concours, a number of rallies and plenty of entertainment — takes place in the grounds of Château de Chantilly, the former home of the son of the last King of France who, upon his death, gifted it and his astounding art collection to the French nation. It’s also very much worth noting that its kitchens gave the world Chantilly cream.
More than 28,000 people and 1,000 cars turned up to the 2024 iteration last month. Some journeyed across Europe to be there, including car collector Simon Kidston who eased onto the Eurotunnel in a suave Aston Martin DB5 Vantage convertible only to find himself outdone by someone headed the same way in a Ferrari 250 GTO.
So, without further ado, here are some of our favourite pictures from the weekend…
The château at Chantilly, some 25 miles north of Paris, is described as a ‘country Louvre in exquisite surroundings’ and possessing ‘the finest interiors of the Louis-Philippe period’ in 1968 and 2004 issues of Country Life, respectively.
The original Château comprised two buildings, side-by-side, the Petit Château and the Grand Château, which was destroyed in the Revolution — much to the disgust of one overtly counter-revolutionary Country Life writer, putting pen to paper back in 1907 — and rebuilt in the late 19th century.
Its stables are ‘the finest in Western Europe’ according to our Architectural Editor, Dr John Goodall.
The Chantilly Arts & Elegance weekend coincided with Condé Trophy polo matches which friends of the Richard Mille brand were invited to watch.
McLaren paid tribute to F1 driver Ayrton Senna — on the 30th anniversary year of his death — with the unveiling of the McLaren Senna Sempre. They also brought along a fleet of vintage, single-seater race cars.
Richard Mille entertained guests inside La Maison de Sylvie — an early 17th century building and gardens sequestered away inside the Château’s forest.
American fencer Miles Chamley-Watson wearing a diamond set RM 67-01.
Some of the 28,000-strong crowd clamoured to find a good viewing spot on the Château’s exterior, stone staircase from which to watch the concours d’élégance and d’etat.
The winner of the concept car category was a Lancia Pu+Ra HPE.
Entertainment included hot air balloon rides over the Château and extensive gardens.
A bright blue Bugatti Type 35 from 1925.
