History 1960s

1962 Rallye des Alpes Françaises (France)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1962 Rallye des Alpes Françaises

Date: August 1962

Start/Finish Location: Grenoble, France

Total Distance: Approximately 1,400 kilometers

Total Entries: 58 crews

Total Starters: 52 crews

Total Finishers: 37 crews

Held in the shadow of the better-known Coupe des Alpes, the 1962 Rallye des Alpes Françaises carved its own reputation with technical mountain stages, unpredictable summer weather, and tight time controls. With a route traversing the Alps between Grenoble, Briançon, and Barcelonnette, the rally emphasized driving finesse over brute power.

Route

Col de la Croix de Fer: Featured steep climbs, rough pavement, and limited runoff, demanding clean gear changes and stable braking.
Col d’Izoard: Narrow switchbacks and high altitude introduced carburetion issues and power loss for many teams.
Col de Vars: Twisting descents with loose gravel on tarmac edges caught out several contenders on braking entry.

The rally consisted of a variety of paved mountain passes and remote tarmac links across the French Alps:

Rain showers and fog over the higher passes added drama to what was already a tight and competitive format based on regularity and stage average speed.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Jean Rolland & Jean-Claude Ogier · Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI
2nd Place
Jacques Feret & Louis Maublanc · Renault Dauphine Gordini
3rd Place
Lucien Bianchi & Georges Harris · Citroën DS 19

Jean Rolland’s smooth and steady pace proved perfect for the Giulietta’s agility and powerband. The victory underscored the car’s ability to compete in altitude-heavy road rallies, while Bianchi’s late charge in the Citroën helped showcase the car’s long-distance reliability in a rally that left no room for error.

Navigation & Challenges

Success in this rally hinged on mountain driving experience, car setup, and co-driver precision:

  • Altitude Strain: High passes reduced engine performance and made carburetor tuning a constant battle.
  • Tight Regularity Timing: Penalties for minor delays placed pressure on accurate navigation and efficient stage transitions.
  • Weather Instability: Afternoon thunderstorms followed by early fog disrupted pace and visibility over several passes.

The 1962 Rallye des Alpes Françaises was a purist’s rally — tight, technical, and built on rhythm and restraint rather than top speed. It offered little margin for error and high reward for calculated, consistent driving.

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