4
Introduction
D
ig a little deeper, however, and you’ll soon uncover a real passion for cars and aprofusion of things for the car enthusiast to see and do. A survey carried out by the French historic vehicle federation, the FFVE, in 2005, documented 5500 events taking place each year, or the equivalent of one in every ‘département’ every week of the year.
Over the past fifteen years I have had the good fortune to live in Paris, and to discover many of these places and events with fellow car club members. Some, like Rétromobile in Paris or the Cité de l’Automobile in Mulhouse, need no introduction. As I talked with friends back in England, however, I realised that many of these attractions – often in areas popular with holidaymakers – were little known, and that it was hard to find information about them, especially in English. In fact, there didn’t seem to be a guide like this in English, or even in French. And so the idea for this book was born.
France for car
enthusiasts
Each chapter in this guide has five sections, ordered as follows; Museums, Shows & Tours, Market Place, Motorsport and Circuits. France has fewer grand collections
France is the world’s most popular
destination for tourists. If you’re reading
this guide, there’s a good chance you’ve
already been there ... perhaps many times.
Speed or style, sometimes you don’t need to choose! (Courtesy Le Touquet-Paris-Plage) / Opposite: A ’56 Porsche 356 in the 2010 Trophée en Corse. (Courtesy Rallystory).
For car enthusiasts, France sometimes gets a bad press, with its arsenal of speed cameras and pollution-beating measures in major cities. Many French people have traditionally shied away from conspicuous displays of wealth, and large, powerful cars have long been heavily taxed.
A750 N88 E80 E80 E11 E11 E11 E11 E70 A75 A89 A75 A75 E7 E7 E80 E80 E9 E9 E9 E72 A64 A645 A66 A20 A20 A62 A61 A65 E5 E5 E70 E70 E80 A63 A63 A64 A64 A65 A641 E5 E606 E70 E72 A10 A89 E3 E50 E60 E60 E3 E62 E401 A87 A83 A84 E60 E60 E46 E15 E54 E54 E15 E511 E60 E50 E50 E5 E9 E60 E62 E601 E5 E603 E62 E62 E70 E401 A104 A1 A13 A813 A84 A85 A87 A83 A10 A10 A20 A85 A837 A10 A20 A11 A719 A71 A77 A5 A6 A5b A77 A19 A10 A10 A71 A19 E402 E50 E50 E44 A16 A29 A88 A81 A11 A13 A28 A150 E21 E21 E611 E15 E15 E15 E714 A391 A39 A36 N7 A46 A40 A7 A8 A7 A26 A4 A38 A5 A311 A31 A31 A26 A2 A1 A25 A26 A34 A4 A4 CSR A16 POITOU-CHARENTES AQUITAINE MIDI-PYRÉNÉES LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILON PROVENCE-ALPES-CÔTE D’AZUR BOURGOGNE PAYS DE LA LOIRE BRETAGNE CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNE ALSACE LORRAINE LOWER NORMANDY (BASSE-NORMANDIE) UPPER NORMANDY (HAUTE-NORMANDIE) PICARDIE NORD-PAS DE CALAIS The Regional Nature Park of the Causses de Quercy Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park Cévennes National Park Pyrénés National Park Écrins National Park Vercors Regional Natural Park Jura Mountains Regional Natural Park Morvan Regional Natural Park Northern Vosges Regional Natural Park Gravelines Calais Saint Omer Boulogne-sur-Mer Étaples Berck Isbergues Auchel Abbeville Dieppe Fécamp Yvetot Barentin Val-de-Reuil Bolbec Honfleur Pont-Audemer Bernay Évreux Dreux Nogent-le-Rotrou Alençon La Ferté-Bernard Vernon Gisors Beauvais Saint-Just-en-Chaussée Méru Lisieux Ouistreham Bayeux Saint-Lô Cherbourg-Octeville Coutances Granville Avranches Vire Flers Mayenne Laval La Flèche Sablé-sur-Sarthe Château-Gontier Châteaubriant Segré Fougères Vitré Saint-Malo Dinan Saint-Brieuc Guingamp Lannion Morlaix Landivisiau Landerneau Douarnenez Quimper Concarneau Quimperlé Loudéac Pontivy Hennebont Lorient
Auray Vannes Redon
Guérande Saint-Nazaire Pornic Challans Vertou Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez La Roch-sur-Yon Les Sables-d’OlonneLuçon
Les Herbiers Cholet Bressuire Parthenay Thouars Saumur Chinon Châtellerault Fontennay-le-Comte Niort Saint-Jean-d’Angély Saintes Cognac Angoulême La Rochefourcauld Brantôme Périgueux Bergerac Sarlat-la-Canéda Brive-la-Gaillarde Tulle Ussel Issoire Courmon-d’Auvergne Thiers Montbrison Firminy Monistrol-sur-Loire Annonay Tarare Roanne Vichy Moulins Belleville Villefranche-sur-Saône Givors Le Pont-de-Claix Modane Moûtiers Albertville Chambéry Aix-les-Bains Rumilly Bellegarde-sur-Valserine Bourg-en-Bresse Mácon Tournus Montceau-les-Mines Le Creusot Autun Beaune Dole Chalon-sur-Saône Digoin Lons-le-Saunier Pontarlier ValentigneyMontbéliard Vesoul Langres Chaumont Troyes Romilly-sur-Seine Sens Joigny Auxerre Montargis Glen Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire Nevers Bourges Vierzon Loches Romorantin-Lanthenay Amboise Blois Vendòme Châteaudun Pithiviers Nemours Issoudun Châteauroux Le Blanc Guéret Aubusson Montluçon Saint-Amand-Montrond Avallon Fontainebleau Provins Belfort Cernay Guebwiller Luxeuil-les-Bains Remiremont Colmer Épinal Mirecourt
Neufchâteau Rambervillers Etival Clairefontaine Obernai BischwillerHaguenau Wissembourg Bitche Illkirch-Graffenstaden Saint-Dié-des-Vosges Lure Oyonnax Annecy Cluses Belley Lagnieu Sallanches Bourgoin-Jallieu Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne Riom Aurillac Saint-Laurent-Médoc Ambarès-et-Lagrave Saint-Médard-en-Jalles La Teste-de-Buch Langon Bazas PissosMoustey Marmande Agen Condom Dax Orthez Tarnos Bayonne Saint-Jean-de-Luz Oloron-Sainte-Marie Lourdes Saint-Gaudens Foix Rivesaltes Pamiers Auterive Castelnaudary Carcassonne Narbonne Béziers Agde Limoux Mazamet Castres Graulhet Muret Tarbes Mont-de-Marsan Aire-sur-l’Adour Auch Villeneuve-sur-Lot Moissac Cahors Saint-Affrique Millau Ganges Alès Mende Arles Beaucaire Orange Bollène Nyons Valréas Pierrelatte Montélimar Aubenas Le Puy-en-Velay Saint-Flour Yssingeaux Privas Valence Romans-sur-Isère Carpentras L’Isle-sure-la-Sorgue Cavaillon Apt Manosque
Digne-les-Bains Gap
Briançon
Pertuis MiramasSalon de Provence Istres
MartiguesVitrollesGardanneTrets Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-BaumeBrignoles Draguignan Fréjus Sainte-Maxime Grasse Antibes Menton La Crau Hyères La Ciotat SèteFrontignan Bédarieux Lodève Castelsarrasin Montauban Gaillac Albi Carmaux Rodez Decazeville Figeac Villenave-d’Ornon Saint-Junien Royan La Rochelle Rochefort Ploërmel Lamballe Bruz Falaise Argentan L’Aigle Carvin Douai Somain Seclin Douchy-les-Mines Maubeuge Aulnoye-Aymeries Fourmies Hirson Caudry Cambral Albert Péronne Saint-Quentin Noyon Tergnier Charleville-Mézières Sedan Verdun Longwy Thionville Maizières-lès-Metz Saint-Avold Pont-à-Mousson Dieuze Sarrebourg Lunéville Toul Saint-Dizier Vitry-le-François Châlons-en-Champagne Soissons Fismes Crépy-en-Valois Compiègne Crell Clermont Meaux Chantilly Bar-le-Duc Rombass Jarny Arraz Béthune Louhans Soustons Dunkirk Lille Amiens Rouen PARIS Le Havre Caen Brest Bordeaux Pau Toulouse Perpignan Montpellier Marseille Toulon Nice Aix-en-Provence Nîmes Avignon Grenoble Lyon Geneva Dijon Mulhouse Nancy Metz Reims Saint-Étienne Clermont-Ferrand Limoges Poitiers Nantes Rennes Angers Le Mans Tours Orléans Besançon Strasbourg
Spain
UK
Germany
Switzerland
Italy
Belgium
The
Netherlands
Luxembourg
58 The Regional Nature Park of the Causses de Quercy Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park National ParkCévennesPyrénés National Park
Écrins National Park Vercors Regional Natural Park Jura Mountains Regional Natural Park Morvan Regional Natural Park Northern Vosges Regional Natural Park Spain UK Ireland Belgium Germany Switzerland Italy The Netherlands Portugal PARIS Le Mans Limoges Lyon Rheims Bordeaux Toulouse Perpignan Marseilles Calais Dijon Montpellier Corsica Luxembourg 2 3 7 5 6 10 4 8 9 11 14 21 17 12 19 23 15 16 13 18 20 22 30 32 31 26 39 34 38 42 40 36 37 25 1 35 24 29 41 27 33 28
118
Museums
Shows & Tours
Market Place
Motorsport
Circuits
Southern France
Practical information
October every year Different route around Corsica each year www.rallystory.com +33 (0)1 42 12 07 08 contact@rallystory.com
Trophée en Corse
Porsche 356 against a backdrop of the Mediterranean. (Courtesy Rallystory)
W
here the Tour de CorseHistorique (page 140) has a strongly sporting bent, the emphasis for Rallystory’s annual tour of Corsica is on leisure and enjoyment. Taking their inspiration from the 1921 Corsican Grand Prix, the organisers prepare a different route each year, divided into six stages and covering about 1000km (620 miles) around the island. Entrants meet in Marseille for the ferry crossing to Bastia, or another of the island’s ports, and then spend three days on the island’s winding backroads, staying in 4-star hotels and enjoying meals on the beach or quayside. There are no average speed requirements or special stages on closed roads, simply an itinerary to follow and prizes for everyone who keeps to the route.
Clearly, the formula appeals; the Trophée en Corse celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013 and attracts over 100 participants. Entry is open to all classic cars, primarily covering the period from 1945-80. It’s understandably popular among owners of sports cars from manufacturers such as Alpine, Lotus and Porsche, who come to enjoy the so-called ‘island of 10,000 corners.’ There’s also a smaller GT category, open to more recent GT and rally cars.
Lotuses old and new enjoying the trip. Left: The distinctive logo for the event. (Both courtesy Rallystory)
Museums
Shows & Tours
Market Place
Motorsport
Circuits
Central France & the Alps
Circuit length: 2300m
Circuit de Mornay, Bonnat
Practical information
Open by reservation (contact circuit) Château de Mornay, 23220 Bonnat 46.322955 N, 1.928483 E www.circuit-mornay.fr +33 (0)5 55 62 41 78 info@circuit-mornay.frD
eep in the rural‘département’ of the Creuse, the Circuit de Mornay is a delightful place to visit. When it compared the racetracks of France a couple of years ago, French magazine Sport
Auto had no hesitation
in giving it top marks; for its beautiful setting, the undulating and technically challenging
track and the welcome of its hosts.
The circuit was established by Pierre Petit, a successful former racer, who was the French Formula 3 champion in 1982 and went on to achieve pole position at Le Mans in 1995. It has been designed to stretch drivers’ skills, with a carefully structured ten-level training programme, inviting participants to progress from the basics of track driving to the champagne of a podium finish! The school utilises its own Formula Renault 1700 and 2000 cars, which can reach a top speed of 250kph (155mph). The track is also used by the motoring press and manufacturers, and can be hired by clubs like the Mustang Club de France, who chose it for its annual track day. The beautiful 15th century château has a large restaurant and a billiard room in which to relax after a day on track.
239
Event calendar
1 2 3 May4 56 7 8 9 10 1112 13 1415 1617 1819 20 2122 2324 2526 27 2829 3031
24
Month Event Chapter / Region Section Page
All year Vincennes monthly meeting Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 33 Jan Traversée de Paris en anciennes Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 32 ... Rallye Hivernal Classic, Vallauris Southern France Motorsport 138 ... Rallye Monte Carlo Southern France Motorsport 128 ... Rallye Monte Carlo Historique Southern France Motorsport 130 ... Ronde Hivernale Historique, Serre Chevalier Southern France Motorsport 139 ... Salon Auto Moto Prestige et Collection, Nîmes Southern France Shows & Tours 116 Jan/Feb Exposition Concept Cars, Paris Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 28 Feb Rétromobile, Paris Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 20 ... Traversée de Bordeaux Western France Shows & Tours 84 ... Trophée Andros (final), Super-Besse Central France & the Alps Motorsport 186 ... Rallye Neige et Glace North-East France Motorsport 225 Feb/Mar
May change Monaco Motor Legend Southern France Shows & Tours 114
Mar Coupes de Printemps, Montlhéry Paris & the Ile-de-France Motorsport 50 ... Rallye de Paris GT & Classic Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 30 ... Avignon Motor Festival Southern France Shows & Tours 112 ... Les 100 Tours, Circuit du Castellet Southern France Motorsport 132 ... Bourse d’échange d’Arras North-East France Market Place 221 ... Salon Champenois des Véhicules de Collection, Reims North-East France Shows & Tours 220 Apr Tour Auto Optic 2000 Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 22 ... Youngtimers Club, Montlhéry Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 34 ... Top Marques, Monaco Southern France Shows & Tours 117 Apr/May Expomobile, Chelles Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 27 ... Odd years Vintage Revival, Montlhéry Paris & the Ile-de-France Motorsport 51 May
... Odd years Rallye Dior Paris Granville Western France Shows & Tours 78
... Rallye International du Pays de Fougères Western France Shows & Tours 79 ... Tour de Bretagne Western France Shows & Tours 83 ... Even years Grand Prix Historique de Monaco Southern France Motorsport 122 ... Grand Prix de Monaco F1 Southern France Motorsport 124 ... Grand Prix de Pau Historique Southern France Motorsport 126 ... Corse Sud Classic Rallye Southern France Motorsport 134 ... Critérium des Cévennes Historique Southern France Motorsport 135 ... Rétro Auto Forum du Var, Fréjus Southern France Shows & Tours 115 ... Classic Days, Magny-Cours Central France & the Alps Motorsport 180 ... GT Days, Magny-Cours Central France & the Alps Motorsport 184 ... Uriage Cabriolet Classic Central France & the Alps Shows & Tours 178 May/Jun Locomotion en fête, La Ferté-Alais Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 29 ... Rallye Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux Western France Shows & Tours 76 ... Circuit Historique de Laon North-East France Shows & Tours 213 Jun Autodrome Heritage Festival, Montlhéry Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 25 ... Rallye des Princesses Paris & the Ile-de-France Shows & Tours 31 ... Classic British Welcome, Saint-Saturnin Western France Motorsport 91 ... Grand Prix Historique de Bressuire Western France Motorsport 93 ... Le Mans 24 Hours Western France Motorsport 90
