A look back at the 2025 Raid des Notaires
FR - Created in 2023 by French notary Anne-Sophie Arnal, in collaboration with Viviane and Patrick Zaniroli, leading rally specialists, the Raid des Notaires has just completed its third edition.
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'The Raid des Notaires was created in the image of the ‘TransMaroc - l'école du désert by Zaniroli. A full-scale initiation for some and a short-format rally for others, the Raid des Notaires celebrates its 17th edition in 2025. (Zaniroli.com)
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With 60 notaries and 30 cars on the starting line, the Raid des Notaires is now one of the must-see events on the motor racing scene.
A now confirmed team from the Gard region
Once again formed by two notaries from the Gard region, Jessica Argouin and Emeline Portes, taking turns as driver and co-driver of their Toyota Land Cruiser, the team, which wore the number 12 bib for the 2025 edition, did credit to the notarial offices of the department.
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Patrick (winner of the 1985 Paris-Dakar and organiser of the famous rally from 1994 to 2005) and Viviane Zaniroli (an enthusiast thanks to her brother Jacky Morel, a Porsche and VW specialist and creator of several magazines...) draw on their extraordinary experience to ensure the smooth sporting and administrative running of the various events they organise. As founder of the Richard Mille Princess Rally, Viviane has brought the essential feminine touch to each event, as well as all her expertise in organisation and communication, making their events more convivial than many others.
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The raid programme
The 2025 edition of the Raid des Notaires is a short but intense four-day race on roads and tracks. It is a unique opportunity to share experiences in the heart of a country with rugged and technical tracks.
And from day one, the tone is set. The teams, immediately immersed in the world of racing drivers, are welcomed in Marrakech for a half-day driving and navigation course, put together by the raid organisers.
Among them, Jessica and Emeline perfected the various skills required for such a motor race, knowing that throughout the competition, liaison officers are present on the course alongside the drivers to support them in technical, mechanical and geographical matters.
From the specificities of the car (from tyres to shock absorbers to the clutch) to reading a map and GPS, discovering the different tracks, timed trials... The team was quite ready for... everything, or almost everything!
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5 November, welcome and training course in Marrakech. 6 November, Marrakech - Bin el Ouidane. 7 November, Bin el Ouidane - Bin el Ouidane. 8 November, Bin el Ouidane - Marrakech - Es Saadi Palace - Prize-giving ceremony and closing dinner. 9 November, Marrakech and return flight.
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Between roads and tracks, timed trials
Punctuated by ‘timed trials where participants must maintain an average speed and where it is important not to arrive... either early or late, the human adventure that is the 2025 Notaries' Rally was a very sporting expedition.
The different stages? After the starting signal with a 1-minute delay, each team must cover between 200 and 300 km per day. A great challenge, especially for beginners and given the condition of some of the tracks, some of which come close to deep precipices in places.
An unforgettable experience
Throughout the race, drivers and co-drivers experience unforgettable moments, with the beauty of the landscapes adding to the adrenaline-fuelled competition.
The rocky mountain ranges give way to desert, oases appear around the bend of a dune, crazy landscapes... Not to mention the encounters with the inhabitants of the villages they pass through, which are inevitably enriching, and the big new feature for the 2025 edition: the night special stage.
A night stage that put the drivers' senses to the test.
A great finish and a changing ranking
Finishing 17th out of 22 in 2024 in the beginners' category (there was a separate ranking for experts at the time), the No. 12 team formed by Jessica and Emeline is progressing: now ranked as experts, they slipped into 17th place out of 30 in a ranking combining the two categories.
The team from the Gard region is already in the starting blocks to register for next year's 4th edition of the raid, which will take place in a completely different country, and we can only wish them every success! To be continued...
Many thanks to Jessica Argouin for her collaboration on this article and for the photographs provided.
To find out more about Le Raid des Notaires.