between pleasure and memory, a last rally-raid for Christophe Meillat

On December 28, 2024, Haut-Vienne motorcycle rider Christophe Meillat will set off for his fiftieth and final rally-raid: the Africa Éco Race. The opportunity to return to certain roads of the legendary Paris-Dakar, when it took place in Africa, and to finally see Lake Rose again, eighteen years later.

The rally raid is almost half of Christophe Meillat's life. His first was in Tunisia, in 1992. His first Dakar, in 1997. From the Dakars, he has since added nine others to his tally, including two raced in South America. But in 2012, he said goodbye. “No longer the same spirit, no longer the same adventure. And above all, no more Dakar, then… “

If he continued on other rallies, Christophe is aware that this page will close. At almost fifty-nine years old, it would hardly be reasonable to continue. “I won't stop riding, I will always do races, or events. But less long, less hard, more cushy…”

However, the desire is there, itching. Especially since he did forty-nine rally raids. So finishing on a fiftieth makes a nice round number. And going back to the origins one last time is a great idea. “We discussed it last March with the driver Éric Bernard, a very good friend, who is a year younger than me. We said to ourselves that we could do the Africa Race, to remember very good memories, like in the time, when we slept in the bivouac next to the wheels of planes, under the planes, like in the real Dakar What ! “

Created in 2008 by René Metge and Jean-Louis Schlesser, the Africa Eco Race wanted to return to the origins of the legendary Dakar, and above all, to certain routes. From Monaco to Dakar via Tangier, twelve stages, nearly 6,000km, dunes, stones, fesh-fesh, camel grass, and an apotheosis, the arrival at Lake Rose in Dakar. “ÇIt's been 18 years since I last saw Lake Rose, I don't even know if it's still there. Same, I haven't driven in Mauritania or Senegal for a very long time. We no longer go to Mali and Niger of course, given what is happening there, but hey…”

With the help of his loyal sponsors, many of whom have become friends, Christophe raised the budget to join the official Ténéré Spirit Expérience team, and ride a monstrous Yamaha 700. It is much heavier than my old Dakar bikes. But at least, on the Africa Race, we are not limited in power, so we will be able to have fun.

And eyeing a general ranking? “No, not at my age. I go there above all for pleasure, not to score ten, or even twenty. In the evening, at the bivouac, we will not look at the rankings. Afterwards, if… But IDon't go and do anything. The guy who's going to overtake me, if he's at 160, well, he overtakes me, and that's it. “

Christophe therefore leaves for a final adventure, a last stand. And above all, to see Lake Rose again in Dakar !