Surely no form of contest has ever equalled the marriage of luxury and ostentation offered for many years by the great concours d'elegance. Elitist perhaps but their sheer magnificence seems just as fascinating now as it did in the first half of the 20th Century. It should be remembered that these events allowed the most celebrated artists and artisans boundless freedom of expression. Everything was put into the melting-pot to achieve one end - the realisation of a dream.

The vital step for organisers of such events was to choose a venue famous for its air of leisurely hedonism, such...