Two weeks ago in Paris, more than 100 historic automobiles gathered in the early morning chill at Polo de Paris in Bois de Boulogne for the Tour de Paris — a celebratory drive through the center of the Cité des Lumières.
Organized by the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens to mark the end of World Motoring Heritage Year 2016, and FIVA’s own 50th anniversary, the Tour de Paris was arranged by the club Vincennes en Anciennes with the support of FFVE (Fédération Française des Véhicules d’Epoque).
The drivers and passengers of the historic cars represented more than 35 countries across six continents, with the oldest vehicle taking part being a 1900 De Dion-Bouton driven by 27-year-old Miss Rupali Prakash (above, Gautam Sen photo courtesy of FIVA), from Bangalore, India. Two other cars also enjoying the attention of admirers were an ex-maharaja Delage D8 with a glamorous Figoni body that returned “home” for the first time since starring at the Paris Salon of 1930, and the Le Mans-winning Lorraine-Dietrich from the 1920s.
As the early morning rain gave way to a cloudy but dry day, participants were able to absorb the sights and sounds of the historic French capital as they rolled past the Eiffel Tower, down the Champs-Élysées and into Montmartre before closing with lunch at PSA (Peugeot-Citroën-DS) Headquarters near Porte Maillot.
