You may have heard that ACF (Automobile Club de France) was founded 126 years ago in Paris and celebrated its birthday this week. The luxury private club has existed all these years without a single female participant.
The ACF building has an area of 10,000 square meters (107,700 square feet) and houses sport facilities, bars, a swimming pool, a library and numerous other public spaces. Why are women still off-limits in its ranks, even today?
Apparently, the issue lies in the new member approval system. Most club members are highly conservative and value old traditions, so whenever they need to approve or turn down a new candidate gender becomes an issue. There is no official ban or anything like that, just a long-standing unwritten rule about no women being allowed. New memberships have to be approved by at least two participants, and no one is willing to risk his reputation breaking the tradition.
However you may feel about this state of things in modern day France, there are two more things that would not hurt to know about ACF. First, the club does not hold any formal power or have any say in the automotive and motorsport societies of France. Second, it played a pivotal role in the past, having established the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a number of other prestigious international motorsport events.