Billed as the premier salon for those with a love of old cars, this is a great show to attend. L’aventure Peugeot always bring cars from the Museum and the many French clubs put together a magnificent display of Peugeots, not to mention all the other marques that are on display. For further information: www.retromobile.com/
Ian Kirkwood writes; I realised this year was my 25th year of attending Retromobile. I first went with my late father by coach from Baldock in Cambridgeshire (I lived in Lincoln) leaving at 9pm on Friday night arriving in Paris at 6am on Saturday morning ,having a full day at the show and returning, tired, on Sunday morning. What attracted me was not only the fantastic array of vehicles that you just do not see in the UK but the eclectic mix of other things to see such as autojumble,toys,boats,motorbikes,tanks and art. The event has become more compact over the intervening years and some items on display have all but disappeared (presumably because of cost) but the basic foundation of this brilliant show is still intact and indeed improving. This year was the first year we have seen the results of the amalgamation of L`Aventure Peugeot with Citroen and DS.This move mirrors the direction that PSA is taking with their franchising strategy. The stand was very large and with the three Marques being able to show their models side by side in a three avenue style it was very different to previous years but it all seemed to work well. This year there was a tremendous Group B Rally theme in the massive walkway between Hall 1 and Hall 2 with the Peugeot 205T16 being very well represented. In Hall 3 CPUK member, Rob King, had been invited to exhibit his Peugeot 205 GTI 1FM (#1/25) on the Club 205GTI De France stand which was fantastic to see. Rob had gone from his home in Holland back to the UK to collect the car to then drive to Paris. After a few trials and tribulations (associated with lack of use) the show went well for Rob who then drove back to Holland on the Sunday night ready for a return trip to the UK to take the car to the London Classic Car Show the following week! Whilst some of the more established parts supply companies were missing from this year`s show the space was filled an even more eclectic mix of vehicles and automobilia which did not detract anything from the shows overall feel. Bealieu had their usual stand with two cars which were used throughout the show for display runs outside the exhibition halls. One of these fire spitting, noisy vehicles is owned by Duncan Pittaway, the son of one of my old bosses at Robins & Day, Doug Pittaway and it was great to hear that Doug is doing well. The sight of these vehicles being wheeled through the assembled crowd in the Hall to the outside is indeed a sight to behold and one you just simply would never see in the UK unless there were the obligatory crowd control barriers and army of hard hats, hi-vis wearing stewards in attendance! My favourite car of the show had to be the one off Panhard being shown in Hall 3. It was just amazing to see the standard of restoration from what was a basket case! I had a great two days in Paris this year and am already looking forward to 2018!
