It all began in 1911, at the height of the rivalry between two famous seaside towns: Nice and Monte-Carlo. The former organized its “carnival,” which attracted a rich clientele to its casinos, so Monaco decided to organize an automobile rally on the same lines as the celebrated Italian Cycle Rally (“convegni ciclisti”), with departure points in different European towns, converging on Monaco.
This event was to take place in January, as a way of showing that the climate of the Principality at this time of year was exceptionally mild. Today, two men are considered to be the founders of this rally: Gabriel Vialon and Antony Noghes. The Monte-Carlo SBM financed the event, which attracted only 23 participants in its first year. The following year, this figure had quadrupled: The Monte-Carlo Rally was launched!
Date: January
Place: Various venues
