1650 Mile French Road Trip

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Back from another nice 3 week holiday in France. Camped down in southern Brittany, after the Biarritz (spelt: Spain) trip a couple of years back in the 205 we felt that less miles were necessary. No problems with the car, ran really well considering I hardly use it the rest of the year, apart from getting off the ferry back into England.

Turned on the lights on the ferry and the dipped beam failed. Had a grope around in the dark and rain (welcome back to England) quick call to Miles (thanks!) couldn't fix it. Pulled the fuse from the driving lights and applied gaffer tape to the headlamps and set off.

 

All this fits in the 205

 

 

Gratuitous shot

 

 

Managed to arrange "a small detour" to a museum I've wanted to go to for years - "Le Manoir de Automobile" in Loheac. Amazing collection of french cars and motorsport cars. There's a small track attached where they were about to hold a round of the french rallycross championship.

 

Found this too, although it was a 1/8 scale model - 309 Pikes Peak project - anyone shed any light?

 

 

Found this great pedal car - have you got this Henry?!

 

 

Link to some shots from museum

 

http://entertainment.webshots.com/slideshow/580726322eWDvUf

 

 

 

On the way back we stopped off in Normandy for a few days with my parents. We managed to get the Austin out for a run to the sea. Funny seeing people gazing at you in bewilderment as you roll into town!

 

Edited August 15, 2011 by Simes

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Looks like you had a good time, at least the 205 developed a fault when you were almost home.

 

Just look how much bigger the clio & C3 are compared to the Austin!!

 

The pics from the museum are ace, renault Alpine, 205 turbo16, BX rallycar etc, brilliant.

 

g

[Richie 32]

Enjoyed the museum pictures. Am I right in saying there is a Peugeot museum somewhere in France? Nr Reims?

 

Looks like a pleasent camp site, im told the French camp sites are much much better than ours. Its amazing how much stuff you can get in a 205.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

 

Just look how much bigger the clio & C3 are compared to the Austin!!

 

The pics from the museum are ace, renault Alpine, 205 turbo16, BX rallycar etc, brilliant.

 

g

 

Yep, although it's thoroughly over engineered and being able to see the sides in the engine bay and the floor is quite unfamiliar.

 

I didn't (for once) take pictures off everything, roughly 400 exhibits. They had a full compliment of Group B cars, R5 maxi, Lancia 037 and S4, RS200 and 6R4. Bugatti EB110, Mk1 & MKII RS2000's, Simca 1000's etc etc. F40, 288GTO, 308GTS, Testarossa and a 250GT SWB. A dad encouraged his young son to jump a small barrier had have his picture leaning against the 250. His mum looked rather shocked when I told her it was worth around 2 million euro's!

 

Well worth a visit.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Enjoyed the museum pictures. Am I right in saying there is a Peugeot museum somewhere in France? Nr Reims?

 

Looks like a pleasent camp site, im told the French camp sites are much much better than ours. Its amazing how much stuff you can get in a 205.

 

Yep, french sites rock, they all tend to be of that format rather than an open field, we hardly bother in the UK

 

Peugeot museum is at Sochaux nr. to Mulhouse. In Mulhouse is the Schlumpf museum (National motor museum of France) home of 3 of the 6 Bugatti Royales and the largest AFAIK collection of Bugatti's in the world. Back in 1991 when I last visited I was more interested in the 405T16, 205T16 and Dakar T16!

Definitely worth a visit.

 

At Reims there is a museum in the town, pparently it's not bad. But don't turn up on a Monday like I did a couple of years ago as it will be shut!

However there is the old Grand Prix circuit with the grandstand and pit garages which have been recently repainted. I managed a 'small detour' there back in 2005 in G692 EPC (RIP) on our way to the Alps.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2011 by Simes