Year after year, Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique continues to stand out for the diversity and authenticity of its route. The Organising Committee of Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) wanted the 2025 edition to be even more attractive with, as usual, a majority of Regularity Stages (RS) that have helped writing the event’s great history! And there is no doubt that many more competitors will be battling it out for overall victory, in a bid to dethrone Michel Decremer and Jennifer Hugo, winners of the 2024 event in their 1979 Opel Ascona 400.
As usual, the historic version of Rallye Monte-Carlo is reserved to cars that took part in former editions of Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo, and next year to models having raced between 1911 and 1983. The 2025 event is scheduled to kick off on Thursday January 30, just four days after the finish of the 93rd Monte Carlo Automobile Rally. The competitors authorised to take the start of this 27th edition of Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique will set off successively from Bad Hombourg (2:00pm), Monte-Carlo (6:00pm), Reims and Turin (7:00pm). Their common destination is Place du Champ de Mars in Valence, the prefecture of the Drôme department and a traditional stopover town, which the first competitors will reach on the afternoon of Friday January 31.
The first four regularity stages are scheduled for the following day, Saturday February 1, included in a Classification Leg 1 (with the first competitor starting at 7:30am). This first day of the race will not be a restful one for the competitors, however, starting with a classic of the Vercors massif: Col Gaudissart – La Cîme du Mas / RS 1 / 18,176 Km / 9:20am and its atypical Col de l’Écharasson (1146 m). Then on to Les Nonnières – Chichilianne / RS 2 / 16,769 Km / 11:20am and its dreaded Col de Menée (1402 m) before the mid-day time check organised in Clelles, home of the rally in the Dauphiné area, from 12:05. The next stage will be La Piarre – Valdrôme / RS 3 / 13,743 Km / 1:25pm, including the crossing of Col de Carabès (1261 m), the natural border between the Hautes-Alpes and Drôme departments. Back to “Drôme Provençale” to finish the day with La Motte-Chalancon – Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert / RS 4 / 20,648 Km / 2:40pm via Col de Chamauche (1037 m). A final time check is scheduled in Crest at 4:15pm, to regulate the competitors expected at Champ de Mars in Valence from 5:10pm.
Competitors will head for Ardèche on Sunday February 2 at 7:30am for Classification Leg 2. They will first have to reach Privas for a time check (8:45am) before starting the day with the new Saint-Julien-du-Gua – Col des Quatre Vios / RS 5 / 18,284 Km / 09.30am. This will be followed by a welcome stop-over on the road, in Vals-les-Bains, as in the old days. Next will come the classic version of Burzet – Saint-Martial / RS 6 / 41,260 Km / 11:45am via Sagnes-et-Goudoulet. The mid-day break is scheduled on Market Square in Saint-Agrève from 1.45pm, where competitors and friends will enjoy a tasting of local produce, before continuing with a new stage Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid – Vanosc / RS 7 / 28,858 Km / 2.15pmfollowed by Saint-Pierre-sur-Doux – Lalouvesc / RS 8 / 14,169 Km / 3.45pm. The return to Valence (6:05pm) is once again preceded by a traditional popular and festive stopover on Quai Farconnet in Tournon-sur-Rhône from 5:20pm.
Heading for the Vercors, Diois and Baronnies massifs is the plan for Monday February 3 at 7:30am for Part 1 of the Common Leg. The longest day of the rally will begin with the ascent of Col de Tourniol (1145m) between Barbières – Gigors-et-Lozeron / RS 9 / 34,904 Km / 8:40am. The difficulties will increase with the next stage, Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert – Chalancon / RS 10 / 27,472 Km / 10:45am, taking competitors over Col de Muse (932m), Col de Chamauche (1037m) and Col de la Croix (722m). The mid-day break is scheduled in Buis les Baronnies at 12:55pm, before the longest stage of the rally, Montauban-sur-l’Ouvèze – Roussieux / RS 11 / 39,227 Km / 1:35pm, covering some 40km and including Col de Perty (1302m), Col de Reychasset (1052m) and Col de Pierre-Vesce (1013m). The final difficulty on this leg will be Recoubeau-Jansac – Pennes-le-Sec / RS 12 / 16,107 Km / 3:45pm and the crossing of Col de Pennes (1040 m). The last stop of the day before the return to Valence (5:55pm) will be set, as on the previous day, on Place du Champ de Mars in Crest, with a time check from 5:00pm.
On Tuesday February 4, the start from Valence is scheduled for 7am. This Common Leg 2 will begin with La Charce – Rosans / RS 13 / 12,601 Km / 9:05am and its Col de Pommerol (1072m). The stage continues with Sisteron – Thoard / RS 14 / 32,713 Km / 10:40am and its anthological Col de Fontbelle (1304m). Finally, to complete the descent to the Principality of Monaco, the remaining competitors will head for Briançonnet – Entrevaux / RS 15 / 14,161 Km / 1:55pm, with Col du Buis (1196m) and Col de Félines (926m) on the cards. Entry into Parc Fermé in Monaco will be scheduled from 4:40pm onwards, preceded by a time check at La Turbie from 4:05pm.
The start of the Final Leg, scheduled for the night of Tuesday February 4 to Wednesday 5, will take place in Monaco from 9pm. On the menu for this final night are two legendary stages of the Monegasque event, including Col de Braus – Lantosque / RS 16 / 34,446 Km / 10:15pm, with no fewer than four passes on the way, including Col de l’Ablé (1149m), Col de l’Orme (1005m), Col Saint-Roch (990m) and Col de la Porte (1057m). Last and not least, the last confrontation will happen between La Bollène-Vésubie – Moulinet / RS 17 / 22,628 Km / 11:25pm including, as a judge of peace, the majestic Col de Turini (1607m). The race is due to finish in Monaco’s Port Hercule from 1:10am.
Finally, in keeping with tradition, the Gala Evening and Prize Giving Ceremony will take place on the evening of Wednesday February 5 in the prestigious Salle des Etoiles at Monte-Carlo Sporting Club.