Grenoble Law SchoolLaw at the top

Can you introduce yourself?

Carla: I am a first-year master's student studying intellectual property law at the Grenoble Law School. My plan is to take the CRFPA entrance exam next September in order to become a lawyer.
Justine: I am in my first year of a Master's degree in Labor Law. I am looking for a work-study program in a private company for next year. I met Carla at university, in my first year of my Bachelor's degree.

Why did you decide to take part in the 4L Trophy adventure?

Carla: It came from me. During my bachelor's degree, I was working in a bakery and my boss, who had done the 4L Trophy, told me about it. She thought I would be good at it. I was convinced in three minutes flat! I thought it would be an incredible experience, discovering beautiful landscapes... So I looked for someone to accompany me and thought of Justine.
Justine: I didn't know about the 4L Trophy, but I immediately said yes! It sounded like a fun adventure, and I liked the idea of working on a project that would last more than a year.

How did you prepare during the year, alongside your classes?

Carla: It took us a long time. We handled the administrative side of things at the beginning. We had to set up an association, open a bank account, budget everything, put together a sponsorship package, do some canvassing... To help us, we were in contact with former participants.
Justine: For me, canvassing was the hardest part. We really learned humility when we received 90% rejections!
Carla: But we had some good discussions with certain sponsors. Those who agreed to support us were mostly small businesses. We had a wide variety of sponsors, including the Faculty of Law.
Justine: Then we had to follow up on sponsorship, draft contracts, advertise... We learned how to use social media for communication, how to become influencers!
Carla: Otherwise, we found the car fairly quickly, in June 2024. We bought it from a team that had competed in the race the previous year and was looking to sell it.
Justine: The 4L Trophy is also a humanitarian race. For this aspect, we contacted nursery schools where we raised awareness among pupils about humanitarian issues. The schools organized a donation drive, which was a real success. We also received messages and drawings from the children.

How did you handle the mechanical part?

Carla: We encountered problems when we took our car in for servicing. In November 2024, the mechanical issues were so serious that we had no choice but to fix it ourselves in order to be able to start the race.
Justine: We learned a lot in just a few weeks. It was a surprise for both of us! When we started the adventure, we thought we would ask for help during the race if necessary, but in the end, it's not possible to set off without knowing anything about mechanics.

How did the race go for you?

Carla: We finally got ready just in time! The car started up the night before we left, at 10 p.m.... Then we headed for Biarritz. The car was running well, reaching speeds of 120 km/h. We took a break at a highway rest stop, and when we were ready to leave, the gear shift wasn't working. But we fixed the problem ourselves, like grown-ups! We were proud of ourselves.
Justine: The next day, we had more problems... A local mechanic helped us out and, despite our doubts, we continued on our way to Spain.
Cala: We still managed to move forward, but we could feel the car slowing down... Once again, we had to improvise.
Justine: On the third day of the race, the car broke down. So we had to be rescued and repatriated to France.

What will you take away from this adventure?

Carla: That you can start from nothing, learn to fend for yourself, draft contracts, negotiate agreements... We took on quite a challenge!
Justine: Yes, and we didn't give up for a whole year. Despite the conditions in which we started the race, we still managed to cover 1,500 kilometers!
Carla: We had an incredible experience. Despite the problems, we had a lot of laughs and discovered our mechanical talents!
Justine: What I will remember is the solidarity. We always found people to help us and we met some amazing people.

What advice would you give to those who want to participate in the 4L Trophy?

Justine: You need to find a good garage to do the servicing. And then take an interest in mechanics and know how to do most things yourself.
Carla: You have to be motivated, it takes a lot of work and preparation, but it's worth it. It's a unique experience!