4L Trophy – Sponsorship of Team Les Poulets du Désert
BY MARK KHOO
Back in 2025, Team Langoustine was approached by Sarthe based Antoine and Louis Corbin for sponsorship of their 2026 4L Trophy entry – Team Les Poulets du Désert (the Chickens of the Desert).
Being supporters of the greater Le Mans area and all things motorsports, we said “yes”.
If you’ve never heard of it, the 4L Trophy is Europe’s largest student rally-raid for adults aged 18 to 28. Established in 1997 by Jean-Jacques Rey – the founder of the Désertours, the event is organised by his company in partnership with the ESC Rennes School of Business.
Officially starting in Biarritz in South Western France, driver and co-driver teams rally in an iconic Renault 4L across Spain and the Moroccan desert into the finish in Marrakech.
As an orienteering rally, the objective is to travel the shortest possible distance, rather than arriving first. The use of GPS and exceeding local speed limits is strictly off limits. Driver and co-driver must navigate solely using road book maps and a compass.
With approximately 6,000 to 6,500km (3,278 to 4,039 miles) to cover over roughly 12 days, it’s challenge for any driving enthusiast. But the adventure is made all the more worthwhile as it’s combined with humanitarian work as each team must deliver a minimum of 50kg of school supplies and sports equipment to underprivileged children from the capacious holds of their Renaults. Across all the teams participating in 2026, this equalled a staggering 55 metric tonnes.
With over 2,200 entrants travelling great distances in old but hardy cars over sometimes challenging terrain, the 4L Trophy also places an emphasis on eco-citizenship. The organisers take great care to ensure the rally including the bivouacs of the entrants and event staff leave no trace behind in the desert.
THE JOURNEY BEGINS, BEFORE THE RALLY STARTS
In their Renault 4L #522 prepared with the assistance of Barrault - TPA (Toutes Pièces Auto), Antoine and Louis set-off two days prior to the 29th Edition of the rally official on the 16th February 2026 from their base in Vallon-sur-Gée, Sarthe (18km South West of Le Mans).
Assembling with the other Sarthe based teams in the early hours of the 18th February in Bidart, the team arrived in Biarritz later that day for scrutineering.
JAMÓN JAMÓN (THE SPANISH LEG)
On February 19th, the rally sets-off and later that day our team has crossed the border into Tordesillas, Spain. Although morale was high, fatigue had already begun to set-in.
After an overnight stay past Salamanca in picturesque Morgarraz nestled in the mountains of Las Batuecas - Sierra de Francia, the team hit their first snag.
50km out of Villafranca De Los Barros, car #522 started rattling like a tractor and shaking alarmingly.
At 1.30pm, Antoine and Louis contacted roadside assistance who because they had to help other competitors first, did not arrive until 7pm. The mechanical was a rear wheel bearing and thankfully the assistance crew had a spare part.
Arriving at the San Roque bivouac at 1am in the early hours of the 21st February, our tired adventurers fell asleep at 2am, only to get up again at 7:45am to check-in, stock-up on supplies for lunch, and most importantly, stock-up on Moroccan Dirhams.
INTO AFRICA
After a 12.30pm crossing, making Moroccan landfall at 4.30pm on the 21st February in the port of Salé and then clearing customs, Team Les Poulets du Désert headed to their first Moroccan bivouac in Rabat across magnificent scenery and the blazing sun. As they settled into bed for a 9.00am start the next day morale was high.
February 22nd represented the road section of the Moroccan leg, although there were still climbs that pushed the engine of the little but laden Renault to its limit. Passing through villages, the team were met by children who greeted them from the roadside. They also experienced fabulous landscapes, people just waiting to help, smiles all day long and sun that burned the skin.
THE CHICKENS OF THE DESERT
Leaving Boulaajoul at 7.20am, the road leg was completed. Maps and compass at the ready, the team enter Merzouga on the 23rd February. Truly the rally capital, Merzouga is known for its tracks, organized 4x4 tours and Bedouins waiting for you at tricky points to push the cars. A team from Perche (no doubt familiar at least in name to all our Le Mans customers travelling from the northern ports) suffered a broken driveshaft.
STAGES 1, 2 AND 3 - ERG CHEBBI / OUED ZIZ / ÉTAPE MARATHON
The first real rally stage was attempted on the morning of 24th February. Antoine and Louis challenged themselves not to talk for the entire stage. It ended without mishap – no damage and no mechanicals although the car did get stuck in the sand a few times.
After 103km, our intrepid team were the first to arrive at their bivouac at 12.30pm in the early hours of the 25th February. The car was holding up well; the engine guard was badly marked by desert stones, but nothing was broken and the exhaust was still attached.
By 26th February the final but certainly not the least stage began. The aptly named ‘Marathon’ - 600km from Merzouga to Marrakech via 240km of dirt tracks.
Incredible scenery, but also a lot of rocks. The 4L’s rims took a real beating. Antoine and Louis wonder if the wheels will survive until their return to Le Mans.
FINISH IN MARRAKECH
The team experience their last wake-up call in the desert on the 27th of February. Everything aches.
The final leg is a winding road between seemingly endless Atlas Mountain range. Whilst the guys from Perche lose an exhaust and a shock absorber (but thankfully not their brakes), car #522 - Team Les Poulets du Désert, rolls into the finish in Marrakech that afternoon having driven 748.53km (465 miles) of the desert rally proper without penalties and earning 220th place out of the 1,110 entries.
In total, a tired but proud Antoine and Louis had travelled 8,164 miles over 16 days – truly a road trip adventure of a lifetime.
Fancy taking part or know someone who might? The 30th Edition of the 4L Trophy is confirmed for February 17-28, 2027.
For more information on the 4L trophy CLICK HERE
For Team Les Poulets du Désert 4L Trophy journal (in French), CLICK HERE