Vargas, President of Brazil, ref1, ref2, ref3
Vélodrome d’Hiver, ref1, ref2
Viannay, Philippe, ref1
Vichy, ref1, ref2
Villapadierna, Count José de, ref1, ref2
Volterra, Léon, ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Wagner, Louis, ref1
Waugh, Evelyn, ref1
Welles, Orson, ref1
White, Pearl, ref1
Willemetz, Albert, ref1
Wimille, Jean-Pierre, ref1, ref2n, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9
Wimille, Madame (Cri–Cri de la Fressange), ref1
Windsor, Duke and Duchess of, ref1, ref2
Wings over Paris (Les Ailes de Paris), ref1, ref2
Winn, Billy, ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Winston-Salem circuit, ref1
Wirth, Frank, ref1
Woodbridge speed bowl, ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5
Woods sisters, ref1
Yacco Oil, ref1
Yates, Dornford, ref1 n
Zanelli, Juan, ref1
Zehender (driver), ref1
Zeppelin, Count, ref1
List of Illustrations
1. Baby Hélène in 1900, sitting on her mother’s lap outside a stable door at Aunay-sous-Auneau.
2. Hélène catches her friend, the artist and illustrator René Carrère, as he looks up from his bath.
3. Resting on her hotel bed at Brighton in 1920. The photographer is probably Marcel Mongin.
4. During her first years in Paris, Hélène earned some money by posing for photographs like this.
5. In 1923, Hélène tried her hand at a self-portrait. This is the first documented appearance of the name ‘Hellé Nice’, used here as her signature.
6. This dapper couple are the Norwegian dancers who called themselves The Rocky Twins, who were good friends of Hélène’s in her dancing years.
7. One of two photographs of herself as a promising young dancer which Hélène took care to preserve, and to display.
8. Hélène, front row, second left, relaxes with fellow-performers after an evening at the Hotel Miramar, Cannes.
9. Hélène gets to grips with a white dove while showing off her gorgeous smile, and a bit more.
10. Striking a pose before setting a new speed record at Montlhéry, 1929.
11. Just before driving a Bugatti T43A at the Actors’ Championship of 1930. She may be helping to publicize the car’s new Grebel headlamps.
12. In triumphant pose on her T35 Bugatti in 1930.
13. Hélène is congratulated by an admiring Jean Bugatti after she takes third place in the Bugatti GP on the Sarthe circuit at Le Mans, June 1930.
14. Hélène gets friendly with her US publicist, Harry Riggins of the Hot News Agency, during her 1930 tour. Her scrapbook playfully calls him ‘my secretary’.
15. ‘Oh what a girl and good scout. Send some more over France.’ Frank Wirth of the Hot News Agency pays tribute to a great sportswoman in 1930.
16. Left to right: unidentified friend, Mrs Hankinson, Hélène and the Hankinsons’ youngest on Daytona’s speed trial beach, September 1930.
17. A sedate Daytona speed trial, which took place during Hélènes 1930 holiday with the Hankinsons.
18. A drenched Hélène in shocking road conditions on the Dauphine Circuit for the Grenoble GP, August 1931.
19. Hélène chats to fellow Bugatti driver Charles Grover (‘Williams’) before a race at La Baule, September 1931.
20. Flat out at the wheel of a Rothschild Bugatti at La Baule, September 1931.
21. Not one of Hélène’s best-chosen poses, at the Marseille GP, Miramas circuit, August 1933.
23. After the drivers’ meeting at Biella, early June 1935. Note Chiron’s hostile arm language, second from right. Second from left, Tazio Nuvolari, Didi Trossi, Tony Brivio and, behind Hélène, Johnny Lurani.
24. Hélène takes a corner in her Alfa Monza at Montjuic Park, in the Penya Rhin GP, Barcelona, late June 1935.
25. Taking a photo-call in her Alfa Monza before the Comminges GP at St Gaudens, August 1935.
26. Basco Béarnais, club president, congratulates her after the Pau GP, February 1935.
27. Hélènes scrapbook records her victory at La Turbie hillclimb, April 1936, despite mechanical problems at start.
28. One of Arnaldo Binelli’s extraordinary set of photographs of Hélène’s crash at São Paulo, 1936.
29. Her first public appearance after the São Paulo crash. Here she is leaving Santa Catarina hospital in September 1936.
30. At the wheel of ‘Claire’ before the Yacco trials, May 1937. Left to right: Simone des Forest, Odette Siko, Claire Descollas.
31. Hélène on the Montlhéry speedbowl during the Yacco trials, 1937.
1. Baby Hélène in 1900, sitting on her mother’s lap outside a stable door at Aunay-sous-Auneau.
2. Hélène catches her friend, the artist and illustrator René Carrère, as he looks up from his bath.
3. Resting on her hotel bed at Brighton in 1920. The photographer is probably Marcel Mongin.
4. During her first years in Paris, Hélène earned some money by posing for photographs like this.
5. In 1923, Hélène tried her hand at a self-portrait. This is the first documented appearance of the name ‘Hellé Nice’, used here as her signature.
6. This dapper couple are the Norwegian dancers who called themselves The Rocky Twins, who were good friends of Hélène’s in her dancing years.
7. One of two photographs of herself as a promising young dancer which Hélène took care to preserve, and to display.
8. Hélène, front row, second left, relaxes with fellow-performers after an evening at the Hotel Miramar, Cannes.
9. Hélène gets to grips with a white dove while showing off her gorgeous smile, and a bit more.
10. Striking a pose before setting a new speed record at Montlhéry, 1929.
11. Just before driving a Bugatti T43A at the Actors’ Championship of 1930. She may be helping to publicize the car’s new Grebel headlamps.
12. In triumphant pose on her T35 Bugatti in 1930.
13. Hélène is congratulated by an admiring Jean Bugatti after she takes third place in the Bugatti GP on the Sarthe circuit at Le Mans, June 1930.
14. Hélène gets friendly with her US publicist, Harry Riggins of the Hot News Agency, during her 1930 tour. Her scrapbook playfully calls him ‘my secretary’.
15. ‘Oh what a girl and good scout. Send some more over France.’ Frank Wirth of the Hot News Agency pays tribute to a great sportswoman in 1930.
16. Left to right: unidentified friend, Mrs Hankinson, Hélène and the Hankinsons’ youngest on Daytona’s speed trial beach, September 1930.
17. A sedate Daytona speed trial, which took place during Hélènes 1930 holiday with the Hankinsons.
18. A drenched Hélène in shocking road conditions on the Dauphine Circuit for the Grenoble GP, August 1931.
19. Hélène chats to fellow Bugatti driver Charles Grover (‘Williams’) before a race at La Baule, September 1931.
20. Flat out at the wheel of a Rothschild Bugatti at La Baule, September 1931.
21. Not one of Hélène’s best-chosen poses, at the Marseille GP, Miramas circuit, August 1933.
22. Hélène wears a racer’s wind-helmet even when she’s away from the wheel. Unidentified location, 1933.
23. After the drivers’ meeting at Biella, early June 1935. Note Chiron’s hostile arm language, second from right. Second from left, Tazio Nuvolari, Didi Trossi, Tony Brivio and, behind Hélène, Johnny Lurani.
24. Hélène takes a corner in her Alfa Monza at Montjuic Park, in the Penya Rhin GP, Barcelona, late June 1935.
25. Taking a photo-call in her Alfa Monza before the Comminges GP at St Gaudens, August 1935.
26. Basco Béarnais, club president, congratulates her after the
Pau GP, February 1935.
27. Hélènes scrapbook records her victory at La Turbie hillclimb, April 1936, despite mechanical problems at start.
28. One of Arnaldo Binelli’s extraordinary set of photographs of Hélène’s crash at São Paulo, 1936.
29. Her first public appearance after the São Paulo crash. Here she is leaving Santa Catarina hospital in September 1936.
30. At the wheel of ‘Claire’ before the Yacco trials, May 1937. Left to right: Simone des Forest, Odette Siko, Claire Descollas.
31. Hélène on the Montlhéry speedbowl during the Yacco trials, 1937.