In Fine Company

Richard Mille’s classic car event, the Chantilly Arts & Elegance, launched the European summer society calendar in consummate style

- Gina Johnson

It has become known to chic Parisians as the more discreet version of the Palace of Versailles. And in recent years, the moneyed upper-crust of Parisian society has been quietly absconding on weekends to this serene hamlet, 40 minutes outside of the city, where they indulge in pursuits of French nobility such as polo, horse racing and spa treatments at France’s lesser known chateaux, Domaine de Chantilly.

But it is precisely this air of exclusivity, buoyed by Michelin-starred gastronomy and priceless art collections, that has crowned Chantilly as the destination of choice to host the world’s most elegant automotive competition.

The Chantilly Arts & Elegance: Richard Mille 2019 event welcomed 18,000 visitors this year as patrons and collectors enjoyed a weekend-long festival that showcased the crème-de-la-creme of the automotive industry. On display were one-off concept supercars, individually worth millions of dollars, along with some of the most graceful and valuable classic cars in existence.