The World Championship of Tracassets

Deep in the steep terraced vineyards of Lavaux, Switzerland, one of the most unusual sporting traditions in Europe continues to thrive: the World Championship of Tracassets. What may sound like a joke at first is in fact a long-standing cultural event celebrating a uniquely Vaudois machine, a landscape, and a community spirit that has lasted for decades.

Far from conventional motorsport, this competition blends rural engineering, local tradition, and absurd humor into a festival unlike anything else in the world.

What exactly is a tracasset?

The tracasset is a very specific type of machine that originated in the Swiss canton of Vaud in the 1950s. The first examples appeared in the region of Perroy, before spreading mainly into the steep vineyards of Lavaux.

It is a unique hybrid vehicle, often described as a cross between an agricultural tractor and a vintage motorized scooter (“pétrolette”). This unusual design reflects its very practical purpose: helping vineyard workers transport tools, grapes, and equipment across extremely steep slopes.

A tracasset typically features:

• three wheels
• a handlebar steering system
• a rear axle (pont arrière)
• a compact, rugged frame designed for vineyard terrain

Despite its mechanical appearance, the tracasset is surprisingly gentle to operate. Locals describe it as “docile,” capable of handling steep terrain without fear of height or instability. It requires no whip or complex controls—only balance and familiarity with the vineyards.

It is also said humorously that the tracasset is a “domesticated machine” living alongside humans and “feeding only on liquids,” a playful nod to the wine culture of the Lavaux region.

While deeply rooted in Vaud identity, a few tracassets have even spread beyond cantonal borders, although they remain rare outside their native environment.

From rural tool to world championship

The history of the tracasset is inseparable from the evolution of its competition.

The very first Rallye des Tracassets took place on August 26, 1956, on the Place d’Armes in Cully, organized by members of the FC Vignoble football club. Spectators paid a symbolic entrance fee of one Swiss franc to watch the race.

For nearly a decade, Cully hosted the event, but after nine editions, the competition was discontinued in 1964.

However, the idea was not forgotten.

In 1979, the Société de Jeunesse d’Épesses revived the concept and organized the first official World Championship of Tracassets in Épesses. The revival was such a success that the event became a permanent fixture in local life.

After a short interruption in 1988, the championship returned in 1991 and adopted a biennial rhythm, taking place every two years, specifically in odd-numbered years.

The tradition has had its challenges. In 2005, the event nearly disappeared due to a lack of volunteers. It was saved by the Ski Club of Épesses, which took over its organization to ensure the continuation of the festival within the village community.

By 2017, the championship celebrated its 20th edition, marking more than half a century of local tradition.

More recently, due to a postponement in 2021 for sanitary reasons, the 22nd edition took place on April 30, 2022, shifting the event temporarily to even years.

A race like no other

The championship is not a standard motorsport competition. Instead, it combines several disciplines that highlight both skill and creativity.

Participants compete in:

• speed races through vineyard paths
• technical handling and agility challenges
• and often humorous or artistic categories where machines are decorated in extravagant ways

The tracassets themselves become moving artworks—sometimes adorned with wine barrels, painted structures, or surreal decorations reflecting local humor and imagination.

The steep vineyards of Lavaux, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, form both the origin and the stage of the event. The extreme slopes that once demanded the invention of the tracasset now serve as the perfect backdrop for its celebration.

More than competition: a cultural identity

Although officially called a “world championship,” the event remains deeply local. It is organized by village associations and supported by generations of residents, from winemakers to young volunteers.

Spectators are drawn not for professional sport, but for atmosphere: music, wine, food, laughter, and a strong sense of belonging. The event reflects a broader Swiss tradition of transforming rural life into playful festivals where humor and heritage coexist.

In 2005, when the championship was at risk of disappearing, its rescue by the Ski Club of Épesses highlighted how important the event had become to the local identity. It was no longer just a race—it was a shared cultural memory.

A living tradition of humor and ingenuity

The World Championship of Tracassets stands today as a rare example of how local invention can evolve into cultural heritage. Born from necessity in steep vineyards, the tracasset became both a tool and a symbol of Vaud’s creativity.

Its championship reflects the same spirit: inventive, slightly absurd, deeply communal, and proudly local.

In a world of increasingly standardized sports and global entertainment, the tracasset race remains refreshingly different. It is not about perfection or speed alone—it is about people, landscape, and the joyful celebration of a machine that was never meant to be ordinary.

And as the little three-wheeled vehicles climb the impossible slopes of Lavaux, they carry more than drivers—they carry history, humor, and a uniquely Swiss way of turning everyday life into tradition.