L’Atelier Paris Concours d’Elegance (French: concours d’élégance) is a term of French origin that means a “competition of elegance” and refers to an event where prestigious vehicles are displayed and judged.
We are very proud to announce our new headline partner L’Atelier Paris, a leader in luxury watches and jewellery brands.
Classics & Life presents the ‘L’Atelier Paris Concours d’Elegance Durban’ as a lifestyle event held once a year in Durban, soon to expand to Cape Town, South Africa. Classics & Life organises events, road tours, and provides advice for classic car enthusiasts with the aim of creating a lively community of classic car enthusiasts.
Step into our event gallery, where memories are captured and moments are frozen in time. Relive the magic of our unforgettable gatherings through a curated collection of photographs that encapsulate the essence of each occasion.
Concours d Elegance Durban is committed to ensuring that the less fortunate in our community are assisted. The Baby Home is a registered ‘Place of Safety’ that takes care of abandoned and orphaned children and are nurtured till they are ready for a new life with adopted parents. The work that they do in Durban is invaluable and it gives us great joy to assist the wonderful couple of Jo and Bjorn Theunissen that have dedicated their lives for this great cause at their home in Durban North. The Baby Home is the nominated benefactors of the L’Atelier Paris Concours d Elegance Durban event.
The Annual L’Atelier Paris Concours d’Elegance Durban is a passion project of John Aritho, a classic car restorer and collector, which was started in 2017 in Durban, South Africa. The shows in 2018 and 2019 brought together a gathering of vintage and classic vehicles, as well as distinct lifestyle brands, connecting people with a passion for great cars, great food, and a relaxed atmosphere.
John’s love for classic cars dates back many decades, as he collected classic cars and bikes in Dubai, Kenya, and South Africa. Coming from a hospitality background, it was a natural progression to blend the classic car experience with a touch of elegance, incorporating a lifestyle aspect that includes fashion, great food, beverages, and the arts.
The L’Atelier Paris Concours d’Elegance is an event held around the world in over 60 cities such as London, Paris, San Francisco, Delhi, Dubai, and Detroit.
L’Atelier Paris Concours d’Elegance is a worldwide series of events held in various cities, literally meaning ‘competition of elegance’.
L’Atelier Paris Concours d’Elegance is a term of French origin that means a “competition of elegance” and refers to an event where prestigious vehicles are displayed and judged. It dates back to 17th-century France, where aristocrats paraded horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris during summer weekends and holidays. Over time, carriages gave way to automobiles, and the gatherings became a competition among vehicle owners to be judged on the appearance of their vehicles.
The oldest still-extant Concours, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, is held annually near the Villa d’Este hotel in Cernobbio, on Lake Como in Italy. The first of these was held in September 1929. The first Concours in North America was held in 1950 at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California, in conjunction with the first Pebble Beach Road Race. The longest continually-running event is the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance in California, which has been held every year since 1956 (both Villa d’Este and Pebble Beach have skipped years since 1956).
Numerous local organisations sponsor Concours events. Traditionally, vehicle judging at a Concours is more demanding than that of a local neighbourhood or general automobile show. Trained judges examine the vehicle thoroughly, rating each and every component. Only those vehicles that are judged perfect (or very nearly so) in every way are considered eligible for trophy class.
Often, the competitiveness of a Concours d’Elegance forces restoration of a vehicle to surpass “mint” condition. Mint condition would be the state of the vehicle when it originally left the factory. Concours-quality cars are often given upholstery, paint, plating, and mechanical restoration to a standard far exceeding that of the car when it was new.
L’Atelier Paris Concours d’Elegance competitions also are run for classic cars. Here, the emphasis is as much on originality as the condition, although this also is very important. The general aim is to present a vehicle that is in the same, or better, condition than it was in when it left the production line. Unless original, modifications are not allowed, and components must be suitable for the year and model of the automobile. Even components or features fitted to automobiles of the same type, but in a different production year or trim level, are not allowed. Original-equipment accessories from the manufacturers’ own range are allowed, and some competitions allow aftermarket equipment and accessories, provided they are of the correct period. The automobiles must be presented in flawless visual condition, as with other Concours-grade cars.
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