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Every year, RSB and Désertours join forces to bring to life one of the most iconic events for Grande École students: the 4L Trophy. A unique adventure connecting Rennes, Biarritz, and the vast Moroccan desert through an extraordinary race.
The 4L Trophy is one of the largest student rally-raids in Europe. Every year, hundreds of two-person teams embark on a unique adventure aboard the iconic Renault 4L. The rally crosses France, Spain, and Morocco, combining sporting challenge, humanitarian commitment, and cultural discovery.
Over the years, the 4L Trophy has become much more than a simple road trip. Participants spend several months preparing their project, securing funding, organising logistics, and overcoming numerous challenges along the route. This experience helps develop valuable skills, both personally and professionally.
At Rennes School of Business, the 4L Trophy holds a special place. The school has maintained a historic connection with the event since its creation. To this day, students from the 4L Trophy Coordination Association are involved in several key stages of the rally’s organisation alongside Désertours. This long-standing commitment has helped make the 4L Trophy an iconic part of student life at RSB.
Created in 1997, the 4L Trophy is a student-focused humanitarian rally that brings together teams from across France every year. The concept is simple: two participants travel several thousand kilometers from France to Morocco aboard a Renault 4L.
Unlike a traditional rally, teams do not rely on GPS during the navigation stages. Instead, they use a roadbook and a compass to find their way along the route. This distinctive feature is part of what makes the 4L Trophy unique and reinforces its spirit of adventure.
Taking part in the rally requires extensive preparation. Teams must form a partnership, find a vehicle, prepare their car, secure a budget, and organise their departure. They also seek sponsors and plan all the logistical aspects of the project.
The 4L Trophy therefore combines adventure, teamwork, solidarity, and personal challenge. By putting into practice many of the fundamentals of management, it also represents a genuine project management experience that begins several months before the start of the rally.
Follow the 4L Trophy Coordination Association
The route will begin in Biarritz before heading into Spain. Teams will then cross the Strait of Gibraltar to reach Morocco. The rally will include six stages in the desert before finishing in Marrakech, followed by an awards ceremony and the participants’ return journey.
The 2027 edition will bring together 1,200 teams. This level of participation highlights the scale of the rally and its status as a must-attend event within the student community.
Each year, these two-person teams spend several months preparing their project before joining this collective adventure. The 4L Trophy brings together a committed community built around sharing, mutual support, and discovery.
Learn More About the Rally
Read the News About the 29th Edition
Participating in the 4L Trophy requires building a complete project. The first step is to form a two-person team and secure a Renault 4L that meets the requirements set by the organisers.
Participants must then complete the registration process and prepare all the administrative documents required for departure. The rally is open to students and young professionals aged 18 to 28.
However, preparation goes far beyond registration.
Teams typically seek sponsors and funding, develop partnerships, and build their project from the ground up, skills that can be developed through programs such as the MSc in International Negotiation and Business Development at Rennes School of Business. They also establish their budget and organise the mechanical preparation of their vehicle.
Participants must also plan their communication strategy and anticipate the logistical challenges of the journey. Students enrolled in RSB’s MSc in Logistics, Supply Chain and Purchasing are trained in the coordination, operational flow, and organisational principles that are highly relevant to this type of project.
This preparation phase is already a valuable learning experience. It requires perseverance and a genuine ability to manage a long-term project from start to finish.
The budget required for a team varies depending on several factors. It typically includes the purchase, rental, or restoration of a Renault 4L, registration fees, insurance, fuel, equipment, and travel-related logistics expenses.
For many students, securing funding is a crucial stage of the project. Teams must identify sponsors, present their initiative, and develop a visibility strategy that meets the expectations of potential partners.
This financial dimension is an integral part of the experience. It provides an opportunity to develop skills in negotiation, communication, budget management, and entrepreneurship.
The 4L Trophy helps participants develop a wide range of skills that are highly valued in the professional world. Teams learn how to manage a project, plan activities, build a budget, secure partnerships, and coordinate multiple stakeholders—competencies that are taught at RSB through programs such as the MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The adventure also requires adaptability, responsiveness, and discipline. Teams must meet deadlines, deal with unexpected situations, and make decisions in a sometimes demanding environment.
For students, this experience goes far beyond a simple trip. It provides an opportunity to acquire and apply practical skills that can be highlighted on a CV, discussed in job interviews, or leveraged in future entrepreneurial projects.
This professional development dimension reflects the emphasis on experiential learning and student engagement promoted at Rennes School of Business, particularly through the Master in management.
We set off in a 4L, we come back with much more
Rennes School of Business has a long-standing historical connection with the 4L Trophy. In 1997, Jean-Jacques Rey, who was then teaching at the school, proposed an educational project to his students that would eventually become the rally.
From its very beginnings, the school supported the development and structuring of this initiative and played a role in its growth. Today, this legacy continues to hold an important place in campus life.
In November 2025, Rennes School of Business inaugurated a student association space dedicated to Jean-Jacques Rey. The venue pays tribute to his role in the creation of the 4L Trophy and highlights the enduring relationship between the school and the event.
Today, students from the 4L Trophy Coordination Association contribute each year to the organisation and logistics of the rally alongside Désertours. The commitment of around thirty students, who work on the project throughout the year, is part of a story that has continued for nearly three decades.
The 4L Trophy Coordination Association plays a central role in the 4L Trophy ecosystem at Rennes School of Business. It supports the teams taking part in the rally and contributes to its organisation alongside Désertours.
Each year, around thirty students join the association. They help prepare key stages of the event and take part in missions related to welcoming, supporting, and coordinating participating teams.
The pre-departure village organised in Lohéac in February 2026 is a concrete example of this involvement. Students participate in the final technical and logistical inspections, support teams before their departure, and contribute to the organisation of this key event.
This experience allows them to develop practical skills in project management, communication, team coordination, and event organisation, competencies that are also cultivated through the Master in Management programme.
On February 14, 2026, the 4L Trophy Coordination Association organised a pre-departure village in Lohéac for teams made up of Rennes School of Business students who were preparing to set off on the rally.
This key milestone provided an opportunity to complete the final technical and logistical checks and support participants with their last preparations before departure. The event was also open to the public, offering a unique chance to discover the behind-the-scenes organisation of the 4L Trophy and to connect student organisers with student participants.
“Managing the coordination of the 4L Trophy is like running a real small business, where student commitment becomes tangible responsibility. We are entrusted with leading a large-scale project, requiring us to combine organisational rigor with a strong sense of solidarity in order to deliver this unique human adventure,” explains Stefan Pantic, a member of the 4L Trophy Coordination Association and a student at Rennes School of Business.
The 4L Trophy perfectly illustrates the complementarity between student engagement and academic learning. The skills developed through the rally directly reflect many of the areas taught at Rennes School of Business and through the school’s student associations.
Building a project, securing funding, managing timelines, developing a network of partners, and coordinating an organisation are all situations that require skills related to management, entrepreneurship, negotiation, and logistics.
This experience demonstrates how student involvement can become a genuine platform for learning and professional development.
Adilson Borges
Dean of Rennes School of Business
How long does the 4L Trophy last?
The 2027 edition of the 4L Trophy lasts 12 days.
What is the route of the 4L Trophy?
The 2027 route begins in Biarritz, crosses Spain and the Strait of Gibraltar before reaching Morocco. It includes several stages in the desert and finishes in Marrakech.
How many participants take part in the 4L Trophy?
The 2027 edition brings together 1,200 teams.
How can you take part in the 4L Trophy?
Participants must form a two-person team, have access to a Renault 4L that complies with the event’s requirements, complete the registration process, and secure funding for their project.
What is the age requirement to participate?
The rally is open to students and young professionals aged 18 to 28.
What budget should you plan for?
The budget depends on several factors, including the vehicle itself, its mechanical preparation, registration fees, fuel, insurance, and the logistical expenses associated with the project. It should be approached as a genuine project budget.
What role does Rennes School of Business play in the 4L Trophy?
Rennes School of Business has maintained a historic connection with the 4L Trophy since its creation. Today, the student association 4L Trophy Coordination contributes to the organisation and logistics of the rally alongside Désertours.
