4L Trophy
Encyclopedia
Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes
ESC Rennes School of Business or École Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes is a French business school located in Rennes, the capital of Brittany. This modern international business school was founded in 1990 by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Rennes and cooperates closely with the local...
, 4L Trophy is a humanitarian rally with Renault 4
Renault 4
The Renault 4, also known as the 4L , is a hatchback economy car produced by the French automaker Renault between 1961 and 1992. It was the first front-wheel drive family car produced by Renault....
cars. Its objective is to drive across the Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
desert to provide children with school supplies.
The 13th event of the rally is happening from Feb 18 to Feb 28, 2010. Its thousands of participants will deliver close to 80 ton of school furniture in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
after driving 6000 km from departure sites in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Humanitarian Dimension
The objective of the event is schooling 3000 Moroccan children, that is why each team aims at delivering 50 kg of school equipment.Each year more than 50 tons of school supplies are brought in Morocco. One part is given to the Moroccan League for the Protection of Children in Fez
Fes, Morocco
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
and the other part is distributed in schools along the route.
Sport aspect
Every day, the aim is to win the day's stage using the Road Book, a map of Morocco and a compassCompass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
. The ranking is based on the teams' ability to drive in the desert and to reach the checkpoints as required.
A citizen Eco Raid
Respecting the environment is a concern of 4L Trophy.The partnership with CO2 Solidarity aims at making up for CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions by funding a program for environmental protection in order to improve the living conditions of Moroccan people.
The participation in the "Clean Desert" operation involves meticulous cleaning of bivouacs and rehabilitation of tracks. All Road Books are completely printed on recycled paper.
Route
Teams will leave from ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
in the direction of Algeciras
Algeciras
Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
to sail to Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. Thus all participants will have to drive though France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Fez
Fes, Morocco
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
is the first stage where the participants will have to cross the mountains, dunes and wadis during nearly 1500 km of trails in the Moroccan Desert.
The arrival will be in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
where a closing ceremony will take place.
Departure Village
Each year the rally starts with a "departure village" that gathers together all the participants in the rally.This is also the opportunity to conduct technical and administrative audits, compliance checks of vehicles, passports and car insurance, do interview with a doctor , check the list of school supplies, etc. It permit also at the ESC Rennes crew to provide information about the adventure they will be facing.
History
- 1998: 1st event of the rally 4L Trophy. 3 teams
- 1999: 8 teams
- 2000: 15 teams
- 2001: 4th event - 45 teams
Start of the collaboration between Désertours and ESC Rennes
- 2002: 100 teams - The media are increasingly present
- 2003: 6th event - 180 teams
- 2004: 270 teams
1st Departure Village in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
). TV and radios become present on the event
- 2005: 8th event
Launch of European Challenge. 1st departure village Trocadero
Trocadero
The stylish connotations of the name "Trocadero" derive from the Battle of Trocadero in southern Spain, a citadel held by liberal Spanish forces that was taken by the French troops sent by Charles X, in 1823...
. 1st closing night at La Fantasia (Marrakesh). Images sent to the daily satellite TV channels.
- 2006: 672 teams
1st press conference. Creating an Enterprise Village at Trocadero
Trocadero
The stylish connotations of the name "Trocadero" derive from the Battle of Trocadero in southern Spain, a citadel held by liberal Spanish forces that was taken by the French troops sent by Charles X, in 1823...
. The 6 / 9 NRJ live at the Village Depart.
- 2007: 10th event – 1040 teams
- 2010: 13th event - 1200 teams started from Paris and Bordeaux on Feb 18, 2010