Henri Louis Rougier, (28 October 1876 – July 1956)[1] was a French sportsman, racing cyclist, pioneer aeroplane pilot and sporting motorist.

[6] After World War I he manufactured a limited number of Rougier motor cars, based on Turcat-Méry chassis but with mechanical design improvements and exclusive coach-built bodies.

[7] Henri Rougier was the main dealer for Turcat-Méry motor vehicles, and like most other manufacturers he used racing and competition as both a technical development and publicity aid for marketing.

[11] In 1923 Rougier competed in the French Grand Prix at Tours, driving a 'Voisin Laboratoire' he retired after 19 laps.

In January 1911 23 cars set out from 11 different locations and Rougier was among the nine who left Paris to cover a 1,020 kilometres (634 mi) route.

The rally comprised both driving and then somewhat arbitrary judging based on the elegance of the car, passenger comfort and the condition in which it arrived in the principality.

[4][5] The Turcat-Méry motor manufacturing business began in 1895 when Alphonse Méry of Marseille bought a Panhard-Levassor and a Peugeot.

His younger brother Simon Méry and his brother in law Léon Turcat, both engineers, decided to improve on both models with their own design, a 2.6-litre, four cylinder, five speed car with electric ignition, radiators at each end of the engine and two speeds in reverse.

[Note 1][15] The chassis were then bodied by coach-builders such as Million Guillet in Levallois-Perret Paris and the exclusive finished models were badged and registered as 'Rougier'.

The Grand Prix was the first aviation tournament held in Germany, having been triggered by the public enthusiasm for Orville Wright's demonstration flights at Templehoff and Potsdam in August 1909.

Crossing the Cap d'Ail I was hit by a sheer wind that stopped the plane and tossed it like a rubber ball.

After several attempts I finally headed downwind, travelling over 100 km per hour towards the Bay of Menton where I hoped to find shelter and ditch in the sea, but, by the grace of god, after passing the Rock of Monaco, I found calmer winds and managed to land safely.

... On landing on terra firma I was soaked with sweat despite the icy wind, arms bruised, breathless, happy, relieved but nonetheless upset that the elements had stopped me from achieving my goal.