The Automobile Club of France () (ACF) is a
men's club founded on 12 November 1895 by
Albert de Dion, , and its first president, the Dutch-born Baron
Étienne van Zuylen van Nyevelt
Étienne Gustave Frédéric, 3rd Baron van Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar (16 October 1860 – 8 May 1934), was a Dutch-Belgian banker, businessman, philanthropist, equestrianism, equestrian and car enthusiast. He was a founding member of th ...
.
The Automobile Club of France, also known in French as "ACF" or "l'Auto", was initially located near the Paris Opera and benefited from a villa in the
Bois de Boulogne. In 1898, the club moved to the exceptional site of the former "Place Louis XV" (currently
Place de la Concorde) in order to offer its members more comfort in a prestigious setting. The club still occupies more than 10,000 square meters in the Hotels du
Plessis-Bellière and Moreau, both located between the
Hôtel de Crillon and the , where France signed a treaty by which it became the first nation to recognize the independence of the United States.
The members of the Automobile Club of France enjoy several lounges, a swimming pool, a gym, a library containing more than 50,000 references, a movie theatre, bars, and dining rooms. Numerous activities are offered, including yoga, squash, shooting, billiards, and fencing. The facilities also include a hair salon and a travel agency.
On 16 January 1906 the French Automobile Club licensed the ''
département'' of
Sarthe to organize an auto race. Their historical action marked the beginning of the
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans () is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France. It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious races, and is one of the races—along with ...
and the
French Grand Prix. Organized
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition, has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as early as 1894. It quickly evolved from simple road races from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and ...
evolved to become the Paris-based
Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
organization. The 100th anniversary of the event was marked by the government of France issuing a
commemorative coin.
From 1906 to 1914 the Club regulated major races in France and established the rules for the annual national race dubbed a ''Grand Prix'' that was open to competitors from any country. World War I disrupted racing in France until 1921 at which time the national event returned under the official name "ACF Grand Prix" (French: ''Grand Prix de l'A.C.F.''). This name was used until 1967 when it was changed to ''French Grand Prix''.
Today, the club maintains its head office and facilities on the
Place de la Concorde in Paris.
Eminent members
*
François Bujon de l'Estang, former French ambassador to the United States
*
Michel David-Weill, former head of
Lazard Frères in Paris and New York
*
Jean-Martin Folz, former CEO of
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applie ...
*
Gérard Wertheimer, co-owner of
Chanel
*
Alain-Dominique Perrin, CEO of
Richemont
Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A., commonly known as Richemont, is a Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company founded in 1988 by South African businessman Johann Rupert. Through its various subsidiaries, Richemont produces and sells jew ...
*
Baron Ernest-Antoine Seilliere de Laborde, CEO of Wendel and former head of
Medef
*
Carlos Ghosn, former chairman & CEO of
Renault
Renault S.A., commonly referred to as Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English), is a French Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company curr ...
and
Nissan
is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...
*
Roland Peugeot, former chairman of
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French automobile brand owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was established in 1810, making it the oldest car company in the world. On 20 November 1858, Émile Peugeot applie ...
* Baron
Guy de Rothschild
*
Key people
*Louis Desanges, President of the Automobile Club de France
*Vincent Dutertre, General Director of the Automobile Club de France
References
{{Authority control
Auto racing organizations in France
1895 establishments in France
Sports organizations established in 1895
Organizations based in Paris