Dozens of vintage cars set off from Monaco on Sunday for the 13th edition of Child CARE Monaco’s charity rally, combining classic motoring with fundraising for disadvantaged children under this year’s theme, “Red Carpet.”

The day began with breakfast at the Café de Paris, followed by a photoshoot with the cars in Casino Square. Participants then received their roadbook, revealing a route that had been kept secret until the last possible moment, a detail organisers have leaned into in past editions too, part of the event’s tradition of surprise.

The journey took drivers through Èze and along the Moyenne Corniche before continuing toward the Italian coast, with a lunch stop at the Grand Hotel del Mare in Bordighera, before the group turned back toward Monaco for afternoon tea at The Maybourne Riviera.

Most participants came from Monaco itself, though others travelled from as far afield as the UK, Germany and Japan to take part. The cars on display were largely drawn from the 1950s and 1960s, with classics including Porsches, Jaguars, Ford Mustangs and Alfa Romeos among those taking to the road, echoing the kind of models that have featured in previous editions of the rally.

The day concluded at Monte-Carlo Beach, where Princess Stéphanie welcomed participants at the end of their journey, followed by an awards ceremony, cocktail reception and entertainment.

Founded by Martine Ackermann, Child CARE Monaco uses the annual rally to raise funds for humanitarian projects supporting the education and wellbeing of disadvantaged children around the world. This year’s proceeds will go toward projects in India and South Africa, including a school south of Calcutta affected by a tsunami, another school near Udaipur, and an orphanage in Jaipur. Money raised through last year’s edition helped provide children at the Jaipur orphanage with clothing, bedding, kitchen equipment and more than 500 hygiene kits, along with a special New Year celebration.

Organisers said that beyond the vintage cars and glamorous theme, the rally remains centred on sisterhood, solidarity, and raising funds for children in need.

Image courtesy of Frédéric Nebinger / Palais Princier