Nicolas and Edouard to take part in the 4L Trophy rally raid

Dreaming of adventure, young people from a host of different backgrounds participate in the 4L Trophy competition every year.
Nicolas Moreau and Edouard Percy, 2^nd year bachelor’s programme students, will be representing Vatel at the 17^th competition.
A few days before the start of the event, they agreed to share some of the details about their organisation.

–          What does the 4L Trophy rally raid represent to you?

At this point, it means preparation that has taken more than a year, and epitomises many of the values we respect. That’s because the purpose of the 4L Trophy is humanitarian.  Cooperation, solidarity, and sharing are the bywords for these 10 days spent crossing the Moroccan desert.
The rally raid is also a 10-day race through unique landscapes on a mythical Renault 4L specially equipped for the occasion. Just think: 4,000 students zipping through the desert in their 4Ls – that will surely be incredibly fun and enjoyable!

–          What made you decide to participate?

There were many reasons: our friends and family encouraged us, as did Vatel alumni and the media.
Imagine a holiday village in the desert with 4,000 students from all over Europe… That’s a pretty strong motivation too!

–          Was it hard to finance things?

Budgetary considerations are obviously essential. It’s practically impossible to think ahead of everything you need, much less finance it. There are always items to buy, and we’re never as prepared as we should be… We would sincerely like to thank our sponsors for all their help.  If our car is as ready as it is, it’s thanks to the significant amount of money we spent, which is in turn due to our sponsors’ generosity.

–          The car looks fantastic.  How did you find it?

By word of mouth. We went to see a garage owner with a 4L that had already been used in the 4L Trophy rally raid. He advised us to buy a car with a new motor, plus a few other features.
It’s important to realize that the 4L we originally purchased was in much different shape. It had been used every day for years near Arcachon Bay, where it was subjected to salt air and was covered with rust…
So we had to work hard to bring out the racing car that was hiding within! The old man who sold it to us was delighted.
After a year of preparation, you can see what it has become, and we are delighted with the results!

–          What are you expecting from this adventure?

Let’s not forget that above and beyond 10 days of fun times with 4,000 friends, the 4L Trophy is first and foremost a humanitarian action, and we contribute to helping thousands of children. It’s also a tremendous change of scenery for us! It allows us to discover another culture, meet underprivileged families, admire unique landscapes and, last but not least, learn more about ourselves.
Every adventure helps you to grow. I’m sure we’ll come back changed from this experience.