RVA66

Rassemblement Véhicules Anciens du 66 organizes a "Coffee and Cars" meeting in Perpignan, France, on the first Sunday of every month. We are often there!

French classics 10

Posted 07/04/2025 by Terje Bjørnstad

After weeks of rain and wind, we finally had some nice weather. It was a good fit. On the first Sunday of the month, car enthusiasts gather at a shopping mall in Perpignan to show off their old, special or exclusive vehicles. We were there as spectators.

One of the most attractive vehicles this Sunday was a red Ferrari F40. This is actually a vintage car. The last year of production was 1992. The Jaguar and the Opel GT are also vintage cars. The Opel had come to visit from Spain. Perpignan is located in what is called the French part of Catalonia with a short distance to Spain.

The Citroen Ami (the petrol version) is quite unusual in itself. But I didn't know it was also made as a convertible. There can hardly be many cars like this left anywhere in the world. This car has a – from what I believe – removable hardtop which could also be replaced by a soft top.

Notice the pickup in the picture above. It's a Volkswagen Sloop Developed and manufactured by Volkswagen Brasil. The Saveiro is a variant based on the Brazilian Volkswagen Gol (mk1) – a Brazilian version of the Golf. The Gol was never marketed in Europe.

Austin Healey Sebring Sprite

This car is probably an Austin Healey Sebring Sprite. The Sebring version was launched as a separate model and homologated for sports with upgraded brakes, engine and chassis, among other things. The car is probably a 1962 model. Real – or replica? In retrospect, several replicas of the Sebring have been built based on regular Austin Healey Sprites.

Nice cars from the 1970s. Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior and BMW 02 series in colors that were typical of this decade. Also notice the beautiful Ford Taunus. It was a large mid-size car for its time. Note the size ratio compared to today's Volkswagen Golf parked next to it. They seem to have similar exterior dimensions.

I have enjoyed visiting the activities of RVA66 with old, special cars and nice owners for several years. But this Sunday was probably the last trip. We have sold our house in France – but will probably find French cars elsewhere 🙂

See

The organizer's website

Sunday photo: A golden car meeting

Posted 03/06/2024 by Terje Bjørnstad

Carré D'or — Lamborghini Avantador LP700-4

We are currently in France, and as usual have visited the monthly car meeting in Perpignan, more precisely at the shopping center Carré D'or. On Sundays, the center is closed, and then the organizers of the car meeting get to collect old, rare and exclusive cars, owners and other car enthusiasts.

Many of the cars appear regularly. On Sunday before lunch, the roads are quiet. Then you can safely drive with the "finbilen" and many people take out their bikes for the week's short trip. I myself am often out cycling at that time. Cycling is a recognized sport here, not just during the Tour de France. It's fun cycling on a country road to meet a bunch of cheerful, mature gentlemen on an excursion with old mopeds, or a nice old 2CV with the roof down.

At car meets like this, you often meet visitors from the neighboring towns, or newly minted fine car owners with their newly acquired vehicles. One of these was the Aventador in the main picture. It was difficult to take a picture, because everyone wanted to take a closer look at it. What a beast! It has a V12 of 6,5 liters and 700 hp visible through the tailgate. The car is native to the neighboring town and I think it's quite special to see a car like that with insects on the front, hot wheels and a bit of dust after being on the road. Cars like this should of course be driven - not used for decoration.

Another "golden" car is this Mercedes-Benz 600 - judging by the nameplate, a 1972 model. It had entered the back road of the Carré D'or, and we caught a glimpse of it before it was driven into the square.

Palms and Americans

The palm trees at the shopping center have been planted. They grow well, but natural palms do not grow in the forests here. The palm trees and shopping center are reminiscent of the southern states of the USA. With some nice American cars under the Stars and Stripes, part of the parking lot was turned into Miami, or something like that.

Special French

Some English features

Three cars from Karmann

Summer cars from Alfa Romeo

See

The organizer's website RVA66

Pictures from RVA66 no. 300

Posted 06/05/2024 by Terje Bjørnstad

People flock to old, rare and exceptional cars in Perpignan. Last Sunday, the 300th meeting took place. These cars are history and culture – and cars should be driven, not stand still.

Regular readers know the posts with photos from French car meets in Perpignan, France. We have a small house in France, and when we are there, I take the opportunity to pop in when the meetings are arranged - always the first Sunday of each month. The meetings are open to classics, youngtimers, rare and exceptional cars and are held at the Carré d'Or shopping center in the east of the city. There is no doubt that the meetings are very popular. Sunday's meeting was number 300 in a row.

I am not the only visitor who does not exhibit any car. There are many visitors - entire families looking at the beautiful cars. Fathers show cars that their grandparents drove around in. All work in RVA66 is done on a voluntary basis, and it's free for everyone to come and see. RVA66 stands for Rassemblement de Véhicules du 66 - collection of vehicles from 66 - department 66 is Pyrenees-Orientales.

Terje's cars has a separate page called Cars from A to Z. Here I enter pictures and descriptions of car models I have driven myself, or taken pictures of along the road or at meetings like this. Eventually, I can show different cars of the same model – different variants, year models and facelifts.

Here are the pictures from last Sunday. My wife and I took a Sunday trip here, walked for about an hour, went back and had Sunday lunch in a town square. The temperatures down here by the Mediterranean are currently lower than in Norway. A small consolation is that a glass of red wine costs NOK 32 and that the first cherries have gone on sale at stalls around the city.

German cars

Had it not been for the small cars Isetta and BMW 700, BMW would not exist today. They were on the verge of bankruptcy during the 1950s when they bet heavily on large luxury models that people could not afford. The BMW 700 succeeded the Isetta-based BMW 600. It was a more grown-up car, but still with engines from BMW's motorcycle range – a 700cc 2-cylinder boxer engine. Besides the cabriolet, like the car in the picture, the BMW 700 could be delivered as a Coupé with a fixed roof and as a 2-door sedan.

Early coupé versions of the BMW Neue Klasse had a front end reminiscent of a shark's jaw – hence the nickname "Sharknose". The fine coupé shape was continued in the BMW E9, but unfortunately without the tough front end. BMW E9

I was unsure if the Mercedes-Benz 190 "Ponton" was offered in the same red as the car in the picture, but after searching the color chart, I see that the color is probably called "Feuerrot". No doubt it must have been a bold color choice in the 1950s, but since Mercedes-Benz supplied cars that went into public service, this may have been a nice color for firemen and doctors making house calls. Mercedes-Benz W120

Perpignan has a local importer of cars from Brazil and lately several nice cars have appeared from there. I also think the red Volkswagen originates from Brazil, because of the windshield. At one point, European Volkswagens got larger windshields, something Brazilian cars probably didn't get.

English cars

An early version of the Jaguar XK120 Roadster

There is a lot of interest in English cars in this French area. The nicest car at the meeting was in our opinion this early Jaguar X120 Roadster that appeared in the late 1940s (top series of photos). A more modern X150 also participated in the meeting. Jaguar XK150

"Nice colour" , exclaimed my wife when she spotted the lemon yellow MGB Coupé. Early V8 cars were fitted with Rover's 3,5 litre. Also note the beautiful MG A in the photo below. MG MGB

Italian cars

I brought pictures of two Italian cars from the car meet at RVA66. The most special one is probably the red Vespa 400. It has a 2-cylinder air-cooled rear-mounted scooter engine that, according to the specifications, should produce 14 horses and reach a top speed of 80-90 km/h. It can be registered as a heavy 4-wheel motorcycle (L7e). I think that if a new Ferrari and an old Vespa 400 are lined up next to each other in a place where most people travel, it is the Vespa that gets the most attention. Autobianchi

French cars

One of the most boring cars at the meet (according to my wife) was this Renault 12. I took the picture to complement an earlier post about this model – Renault 12 . The Renault 12 is more conventional than other Renaults of the same time. The intention was to offer a lot of car for little money – a successful concept that Renault succeeded well with.

The Renault 5 is hotly anticipated as Renault's new electric car for the masses – a car that has been given a retro design similar to the original cars that saw the light of day in 1972. Now the first model is being brought to light again. Renault 5

This Renault Floride Coupé is pictured here on Terje's cars earlier. Floride is the first version of this model. The next version was called Caravelle. The reason the Floride name was dropped was that the car was to be launched in the USA and there it was thought that Floride (Florida) would not work as a model name. I have also included a picture of a Renault Dauphine – one with an "Export" badge on the back – probably a model from 1964 or later that was also – or was to be – exported to the USA. Renault Floride – Renault Dauphine

The organizer's website RVA66

Photo Sunday: Perpignan 10-2023

Posted 02/10/2023 by Terje Bjørnstad

On Sunday we visited the monthly collection of old, special, rare or exclusive cars in Perpignan. We arrived a little late, so people and cars were leaving the event. So good that people take out their beautiful cars on a Sunday, - not only for us who visit the event, but also for everyone who can view the beautiful vehicles along the surrounding roads.

American muscle cars

Do you remember "Smokey and the Bandit" with Burt Reynolds og Sally field who had been assigned to be a "decoy" for the police so that Jerry reed managed to transport a load of Coors beer from Texas to Georgia in 28 hours. To help with the task, they borrowed a Pontiac Trans Am. Today this would be called "product placement". I myself was a young man at the time and wished I was the one driving the Trans Am with beautiful Sally Field by my side.

I've seen several Pontiac Trans Ams - but they haven't been real Trans Ams, - or they've been in very bad shape. A pure Trans Am is a beautiful sight.

One could wonder what the film team behind "Smokey and the Bandit" would have chosen if they couldn't get their hands on a Trans Am. Ford Mustang? Then Burt Reynolds had to settle for a Ford Mustang mk2 – a car that never got the same muscle car status as its predecessor and successors. If the movie had been made today, maybe they could have chosen a Shelby Mustang?

Air-cooled camping cars

Early Volkswagen buses are often called hippie buses, because they were popular among American hippies when the movement started in the late 60s. A hippie bus was a Volkswagen T1 decorated with flowers and psychedelic decorations. At the time, the Volkswagen buses were cheap both in acquisition and operation. Today, a nice hippie bus can reach staggering sums. On Sunday, this tough T1 with Belgian plates stopped by the car meet. It served as a means of transport and a home for the owner and his dog. I think that when you travel in such a great bus it is not difficult to make friends on the trip.

Transport and accommodation for visitors from Belgium

Peugeot Classics

I can't remember the last time I saw a Peugeot 604. They have simply disappeared and no one seems to see any value in looking after them. Truth be told, Peugeot did not manage to create any prestige model of the 604. Many problems arose during a turbulent time for the company. But the Peugeot 604 looks fantastic!

French and special

In France, the unsnobbish van Citroen C15 has the same status as the Volvo Duett had at home in Norway. The C15 is cheap, unsnobbish, simple and almost immortal considering that this was a model based on the Citroen Visa. One could probably also add that the C15 is a car that has a masculine and tough feel. The pictured C15 is, as far as I can see, a regular C15D with an external air intake and creative paintwork. The fact that it looks like a 4×4 can be defended by the fact that the C15, with its long suspension travel and drive on the front wheels, has impressively good passability in rough terrain.

Two different shapes – a rounded 2CV and a square Golf.

See

c15 — Rassemblement Vehicules Anciens du 66, 10-2023

Deutsch-Bonnet — Brooklands Summer Classic Gathering

The event's website – RVA66.com
Citroen Visa and C15

French classics 9

Posted 09/05/2023 by Terje Bjørnstad

It could have disappeared - the monthly car meet in Perpignan that has been running on the first Sunday of every month for 24 years. This spring, however, the organizers had had enough. They had grown tired of the ever-increasing number of BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes without classic status - with owners more interested in 'kids' and 'robbers' than cultivating a passion for old cars.

When the organizers tried to stop the influx of these cars, conflicts arose. Car meetings in Perpignan are run as a personal initiative. The organizer is free to limit access to the meetings.

But the matter has several sides. A broad event like this is of interest to many. Is it discriminatory to exclude certain vehicle groups? What criteria should be used as a basis for excluding "popular" street cars? Car model, year model, tuned engines and fat tires – or the drivers' appearance? This is a problem for other car meets as well. Earlier this year I was on my way to a car meet in England ONLY reserved for supercars. There, the organizers had made it clear in advance that people with Audis, BMWs and Mercedes were not welcome on the grounds that these vehicles are not special enough.

In Perpignan, the organizers have come up with a good solution with registration in the form of an annual pass and rules for how to behave. There are also requirements for the vehicles – age or that the vehicle is special and exceptional, etc.

I am happy that the organizers chose to continue and that many participants have appreciated the scheme. Last Sunday, not only vehicles that were old, but also rare, exclusive and special arrived to the delight of many.

PHOTOS

Ex Renault 4, Citroen Ami phase 2, MG 1300

Citroen BX GTI

This edition of the Citroen BX has a 16-valve engine of 1,9 liters producing 160 HP. It can do 0-100 in 7,9 seconds. The Citroen BX is a rare feature at car fairs. Where has everyone gone? This was a very popular model in the 80s. There were two Citroen BXs that had found their way to Perpignan this Sunday.

Citroen GSA X1

The Citroen GSA was the successor to the GS. A major improvement with the GSA was that it was styled as a hatchback coupé. The GSA X1 has been given sporty equipment, including round instruments and rear spoiler. The engine was 1300 ccm with 65 HP. The model was produced between 1983 and 1985.

Puma 1600 GT

Puma GT

Brazilian car factory that built light sports cars with mechanics from other Brazilian car brands. The Puma GT and GTE were built on chassis from Karmann Ghia (Volkswagen) and with engines from Volkswagen. This car is from around 1980 and has an air-cooled Volkswagen engine of 1600 ccm and 70 HP. The bodywork is made of fiberglass and the entire body weighs less than 700 kg. Rare car from Brazil to Perpignan.

Volvo Amazon Manor wagon on French plates

Renault Estafette (front), Citroen DS Pallas (rear)

Porsche 356A, Sud Classic Cars, St.Esteve

Renault brought 60s nostalgia into a youthful version of the R4

Renault 4 Sixties

The Sixties was a campaign model of the Renault 4 GTL produced in 1985 in a limited edition. What made the variant special were special colors - both outside and inside. It also got two plexiglass sunroofs. The cars were equipped with the 1,1 liter engine and 4-speed gearbox which was operated via "umbrella gear". According to advertising at the time, Renault was targeting a young audience – perhaps in an attempt to make the Renault 4 cool again. The Renault 4 was easy to drive and offered plenty of space for a reasonable purchase price.

Ford Capri GT 1700 XLR

The Ford Capri was produced both in England and in Germany. They used the engines they had. The car in the picture has a 1700 V4 engine manufactured in Germany. English Ford also had the V4 from the Corsair series which was also used in the Capri.

Peugeot 202 – family car and holiday car from the 40s

Indian motorcycle has started on the way home

Carre d'Or

The car meet is held at one of the many shopping centers around Perpignan. Carre d'Or is located along the flyover between Perpignan city and the coastal town of Canet-en-Roussillon. Over the years, the event has been held in several places around the city.

After having lunch at one of the eateries there, we found these beautiful Volkswagen buses left after the meeting.

See

RVA66 – the organizer's website

French classics 7

Posted 07/04/2022 by Terje Bjørnstad

French classics are not just about cars made in France – they are also about cars that the French love. They often appear at car shows like the one I attended last Sunday. An eldorado for anyone who likes French cars.

French brand identity

Volvo or Saab? Ford or Chevy? French brands also have their fans. Renault, Peugeot or Citroen? If you like Renault, you also like the Alpine models that are now owned by the Renault group. In the past, the Peugeot dealer in my town sold Simcas. Simcas still come by for service. Citroen took over Panhard in the mid-60s. It's not every day you see a Panhard in good condition. The car meet this Sunday was visited by no less than two Panhard cars. The main picture is a Simca Ariane that I haven't seen before. A Matra Bagheera and Talbot VF2 van are still frequenting these meetups.

Dance son jus

The French term is used for cars that are authentic - lived a life without being refurbished or anything like that. In the southern, Catalan part of France, cars do not rust. This means that several cars still roll for their own machine on original plates. I caught my eye in a Van den Plas - the luxury version of the Austin/Morris 1300 in a condition that could be considered 'in its own right'. Usually it is French cars such as Citroen 2CV, Dyane and Méhari or Renault 4 - which arrive in such a condition. Many classics have of course been renovated according to all the rules of art. In this part of France, there are still mechanics who like to fix the old classics.

About the meeting

The meeting point is the area around the Chateau Roussillon shopping center outside Perpignan. The meeting is open to all enthusiasts of old, rare or special vehicles – not just French cars. You meet on the Sunday of each month – officially from 9:00 to 12:00. In practice, most people arrive around 10 and leave at exactly 11 in time to be back for lunch. Sunday lunch with the extended family is the highlight of the week for many – including us Norwegians who live here.

Link to the car meeting

To see the official photos on the association's website, you have to scroll far down the page – until you reach the photo of a gray Renault 10. Click on the photo and you will be taken to the association's Flickr page.

The French

The nice Simca 1100 VF2 van often stops by. The Renault 4 van in the background is native to my own French neighbourhood. Many vans are still used on a daily basis, even though they have long since become vintage vehicles. Citroen 2CV, Dyane-based Acadiane, Visa-based C150, Renault 5-based Express, - and most recently yesterday I saw two different Peugeot 404 pickups along the road.

Simca 1100
Simca Ariane/Vedette

Citroen, Panhard and Peugeot. The blue Citroen GS was an X1 – a sporty edition with round instruments. This car has an air-cooled boxer engine of 1015 ccm. The Panhard PL17 also has a small air-cooled engine. With 2 cylinders, the engine emits a special warm, muted "crunch" when it runs. A Panhard should not only be seen – it should also be heard. The Peugeot 404 had its life extended as a pickup/utilitaire. They are still in traffic, but it is rare to see a 404 sedan.

Citroen GS/GSA
Panhard
Peugeot 403
Peugeot 404

The Peugeot 205 is undoubtedly a classic - and there are quite a few of them - not only at car meets, but also on the road. They are actually quite common features in traffic. I like to take pictures of special cars and the 205 is, in my eyes, a special car. But I have to be discreet when taking pictures, as many of the owners do not consider their 205 to be either special or rare.

Peugeot 205

A Peugeot 205 GTI can pose everywhere where fine cars travel. As here, it cuts a good figure next to a Ferrari Mondial.

Ferrari Mondial

Cars for eccentrics

Burton sports car based on 2CV mechanics.

The main image is a Burton 2CV. There is a Dutch company that builds these cars by transforming existing 2CVs into likeable sports cars. The black Panther Kallista is one of several Panthers who visit the meet. It would seem that there is a good Panther environment in these parts of France. The white Excalibur got a lot of attention when it arrived with a humming V8 engine. The brand is a newer American copy of the 30s Mercedes-Benz 500K equipped with the Ford Mustang V8. Here it backs into place between the small French cars.

Panther

Other cars

The Honda S2000 is a roadster/sports car that is a gem for all Honda enthusiasts. As you know, Honda are good at engines. The 2-litre in the pictured car produces a whopping 241 HP. I took the photo of the Volkswagen 1500 (Type 3) because it was in exceptionally good condition. It looked like it was brand new. The old bestseller Ford F100 is no ordinary car in Europe. I don't know the history, but it looks like it has lived an unrestored life in a dry area like Arizona - or in the same local environment it is in now.

Volkswagen 1500

Renault Sport

Back to this with French brand affiliation. French cars like Citroen, Peugeot or Renault? For me, it is Renault that makes my heart beat faster. One of the reasons is the involvement in motorsport. Renault and Alpine are not known for putting big engines in small, light cars. They trim small engines, reduce the weight of the vehicle and create good driving characteristics - so that you can get quickly through tracks and rally tracks.

Which French car brand is closest to your heart?

Alpine A310
Renault 4CV
Alpine A110

See

French classics 6

Posted 05/10/2021 by Terje Bjørnstad

Through a series of articles, I have presented French classics that I have come across at various car shows in France. It is not only about cars that are produced in France – but also cars that the French love.

Reunion with a local car meet

For the first time since Covid, it has been possible to visit the local monthly car meet in my part of France. The concept is the same as Cars and Coffee – an event open to all vehicles that owners would like to show off to like-minded people. The difference from our own events is the selection of cars and the audience.

Great car interest

You rarely find Volvo or Saab here - nor as many Japanese cars as at home. Here by the Mediterranean, it is Latin cars that dominate with fresh touches of Americans. American muscle cars are the same across the board. What I particularly appreciate is everyone who comes by only as spectators. The car is part of our culture and history. That's why I think it's great to see people taking pictures of family members in front of beautiful cars, grandfathers telling their grandchildren about the cars of old, and car geeks discussing details with the owners. It is about a broad car culture.

Today's favourites

I recognized several of the cars from the time before Covid. If I were to single out a winner in my eyes, it would have to be the Renault Dauphine Cabriolet signed by Henri Chapron. If I could choose a car for my own garage, it would have to be the Simca Rallye 2. My brother-in-law particularly liked the two-stroke Chevy Corvette C3 from the 70s - for many the finest model. We also got to study two new Corvettes in the C7 series up close. You can say that GM has been faithful to the concept. The C7 is a worthy successor to classics like the C3. The all-new Corvette C8, on the other hand, has a mid-mounted engine. It is therefore not impossible that the C7 can get the status of "the last real Corvette"?
.

About the meeting

The meeting place is the area around the Chateau Roussillon shopping center outside Perpignan. The meeting is open to all enthusiasts of old, rare or special vehicles. They meet on Sunday of each month - officially from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. In practice, most people arrive around 10 and leave at exactly 11 to make it back for lunch. Sunday lunch with the extended family is the highlight for many French people.

Link to the car meeting

The images

The pictures here on Terje's cars will eventually be posted on the reviews of the respective car models in the Car Catalog . This also applies to some pictures that have not yet been published. The pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

Henry Chapron — The Alpine A310 is, as usual, an eye-catcher

The last real Corvette?

Renault Dauphine

renault 16 — Renault 16 TX – great car with an engine that ran exceptionally well

Baur

Distinctive French cars

panhard — Panhard PL 17 Relmax S – large and comfortable car with a tiny two-cylinder air-cooled engine at the front. Typical French.

Foreign car brands

See

French classics 4

Posted 10/05/2019 by Terje Bjørnstad

Many great donations, 60th anniversary of Mini and a very special Peugeot 403. Image gallery from RVA66 - Collection of old, exclusive and special vehicles in Perpignan, France.

Not just French cars

Many of the cars in the collection were by no means made in France - but still highly valued. Americans, for example. It is quite common to see Ford Mustangs of various vintages on the roads. I think most of them have French history, ie sold as new in France. I have also seen several Oldsmobile F85s from the early sixties. I guess that model must have had some popularity in its time.

Cars like the Volkswagen Beetle and the Volkswagen Bus are popular collector's cars, here as elsewhere. The Beetles are called Coccinelle (ladybug) – or just Cox. On the occasion of Mini's 60th anniversary these days, the organizers had set aside an extended area for the Minis in attendance. All the cars got their own party hat on the roof. It was impressive to see so many gathered in one place, but the space allocated was actually minimal. Perhaps more Minis came than planned?

Do you remember Matra Bagheera?

French cars are always the center of attention for the audience. Simca, Peugeot, Renault, Citroen from when I was a boy, are popular with spectators at least as old. I don't know, but the Matra Bagheera sports car with three seats must have been a real "lady magnet" in the early 70s, and consequently the dream car for all of us who were young boys back then.

Rare French cars

Recently, several pre-war models have appeared. First and foremost, a great collection of Citroen Traction Avant, which was produced right up until the mid-50s. A stately long-edition Peugeot 402 also appears regularly. We are talking about real, French classics - but cars that few surviving Norwegians had any special relationship with? The Peugeot 403, on the other hand, was a very common car on Norwegian roads. The pontoon bodywork bore little resemblance to contemporary pontoon models from Mercedes-Benz. The Peugeot 403 was popular with taxi owners. Spacious, durable and solid. The Familiale version could be delivered with three rows of seats. At the last gathering in Perpignan, a very special Peugeot 403 appeared. A cabriolet, - you know the car that police lieutenant Columbo drove around in. Or "wheeled" you could say, since the car in the TV series had no engine and otherwise appeared to be particularly drivable. The red cabriolet in Perpignan, on the other hand, looked like new. The 1,5 liter purred like a cat – and moved almost as silently as Columbo's car.

More pictures

Click on an image - or thumbnail - to see it in a larger format.

a110 — This widened Alpine A110 got a lot of attention.

vw bubble — Beautiful VW bubble circa 1965/66 with sidewalls and black signs (fr).

The pre-war model Peugeot 402 in a long version.

Classic Opels. From left: Monza 2,5E and Manta GT/E.

mini — Classic Minis at Rassemblement Vehicules Anciens in Perpignan.

A rebuilt Citroen Acadiane and Citroen 2 CV Fourgonnette

Facts

The Rassemblement Véhicules anciens du 66 aims to collect cars that are either old, exclusive and/or special cars from the Pyrenees-Orientales (66) region of France. The event is held on the first Sunday of every month all year round. The meeting point is now around the Carré d'Or shopping centre next to the city's largest Carrefour centre. A map description is provided on the organiser's website. It is open to the public, who can either park at the Carrefour or inside at the McDonalds on the south side. Opening hours are between 9am and 12pm. You should not arrive after 10.30am as many people leave early to get their Sunday lunch.

The organizer's website
Photos taken by the organiser's own photographer
What happened to Columbo's car?

French classics 3

Posted 08/10/2018 by Terje Bjørnstad

French car collections differ little from Norwegian ones. On Sunday I visited the "Rassemblement Véhicules Anciens" outside Perpignan.

Short and intense

At 9.00 a.m., the first cars appeared at the "Golden Square" shopping center outside the French city of Perpignan, which is closed on Sundays. In the parking lot next door, the public came. There are many more spectators here. than at the Cars and coffee events at home. There was a pleasant atmosphere with several good comments between the cars. The event is quite intense. Already at 11.00 people started to move on. Half an hour later there were only a couple of cars left.

For me, the trip there takes just over 40 minutes each way. It was the first time I visited the new meeting point in the north-east of the city. I was a little unsure where the meeting place was, but I was looking for a stylish bubble and a 70s Mini. Several funny donnings followed. I myself am currently driving around in a Jeep Renegade – a vehicle that fitted in well with the festive spectacle.

Gallery

The pictures here will eventually be placed in the brand-based picture gallery on terjesbiler.no . A couple of the cars were so surrounded by people that it was difficult to take a picture. It's not every time you see a neat 21-window Volkswagen bus or a slightly "pimped" Lamborghini Espada. If you click on the pictures they will be displayed in full size.