Olivier Chandon de Brailles
Encyclopedia
Olivier Chandon, also called Olivier Chandon de Brailles, Oliver Chandon de Briailles, and Olivier Chandon Debrailles (born in France on September 17, 1955 - March 2, 1983) was a French race car driver, heir to the Moët et Chandon
champagne, and one-time boyfriend of the American model Christie Brinkley
.
Chandon spoke five languages, was a race car driver and skydiver.
A graduate of Le Rosey
in Switzerland, he served in the French Air Force
and later moved to New York City. There he attended New York University
to study marketing and worked in the sales department of United Technologies. Earlier, he began racing cars in Europe at age 18, whereby he assumed the shortened name of Olivier Chandon. He later resumed his race car career in the United States.
On March 2, 1983, Chandon, a member of the New York-based Fred Opert Racing Team, was killed while driving a Ralt
Formula Atlantic
race car in a private practice session at Moroso Motorsport Park in West Palm Beach, Florida
, while preparing for the upcoming Formula Atlantic season. Traveling over 100 miles per hour, Chandon's vehicle crashed through a barrier, fell into a canal and landed upside down, where he was pinned in his car at the feet and drowned in an otherwise survivable accident. Cause of the accident could not be determined - either the throttle stuck or it was a case of driver error.
Chandon had a romantic relationship with model Christie Brinkley
. The two first met at Studio 54
where she was holding a party to promote the 1982 Christie Brinkley calendar and than they became an "item" for the gossip magazines. Chandon had phoned her less than an hour before the accident to arrange to meet her in Palm Beach
that evening. When told of the accident, a distraught Brinkley stayed in California.
Olivier Chandon is buried in the Laferté-sur-Aube
cemetery, in Haute-Marne
, France.
Moët et Chandon
Moët & Chandon , or Moët, is a French winery and co-owner of the luxury goods company Moët-Hennessy • Louis Vuitton. Moët et Chandon is one of the world's largest champagne producers and a prominent champagne house. The company holds a Royal Warrant to supply champagne to Elizabeth II...
champagne, and one-time boyfriend of the American model Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage...
.
Biography
Olivier Chandon de Brailles was the only son of Frederic Chandon de Brailles, chairman of the Moët-Hennessy group and heir to the Moët & Chandon champagne fortune.Chandon spoke five languages, was a race car driver and skydiver.
A graduate of Le Rosey
Institut Le Rosey
Institut Le Rosey, commonly referred to as Le Rosey or simply Rosey, is a school, in Gstaad, Switzerland. It is described as one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the world. The school was founded by Paul-Émile Carnal in 1880 on the site of the 14th-century Château du Rosey near the town...
in Switzerland, he served in the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
and later moved to New York City. There he attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
to study marketing and worked in the sales department of United Technologies. Earlier, he began racing cars in Europe at age 18, whereby he assumed the shortened name of Olivier Chandon. He later resumed his race car career in the United States.
On March 2, 1983, Chandon, a member of the New York-based Fred Opert Racing Team, was killed while driving a Ralt
Ralt
RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name...
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
race car in a private practice session at Moroso Motorsport Park in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
, while preparing for the upcoming Formula Atlantic season. Traveling over 100 miles per hour, Chandon's vehicle crashed through a barrier, fell into a canal and landed upside down, where he was pinned in his car at the feet and drowned in an otherwise survivable accident. Cause of the accident could not be determined - either the throttle stuck or it was a case of driver error.
Chandon had a romantic relationship with model Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley
Christie Brinkley is an American model and actress best known for her three consecutive appearances on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for her long-running contract with CoverGirl, the longest ever of any model in history, and for her marriage...
. The two first met at Studio 54
Studio 54
Studio 54 was a highly popular discotheque from 1977 until 1991, located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, USA. It was originally the Gallo Opera House, opening in 1927, after which it changed names several times, eventually becoming a CBS radio and television studio. In 1977 it...
where she was holding a party to promote the 1982 Christie Brinkley calendar and than they became an "item" for the gossip magazines. Chandon had phoned her less than an hour before the accident to arrange to meet her in Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
that evening. When told of the accident, a distraught Brinkley stayed in California.
Olivier Chandon is buried in the Laferté-sur-Aube
Laferté-sur-Aube
Laferté-sur-Aube is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Haute-Marne department...
cemetery, in Haute-Marne
Haute-Marne
Haute-Marne is a department in the northeast of France named after the Marne River.-History:Haute-Marne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, France.