What it's like to drive across Paris with 700 classic cars

"Clemsie McKenzie" (thestirringcolumn) 01/09/2018 at 11:25 • Filed to: None

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Last weekend I joined “La Traversée de Paris”, an incredible event where 700 classic cars get together twice a year and drive across Paris. Surely the best way to visit the city!

We all met on the outskirts of Paris at about 7am. It was cold, damp, and more importantly still dark so I left immediately with the trusty Oppo Clio to go to the first step of the trip, up Montmartre. Montmartre is probably one of the most cliché places in Paris, but it’s also staggeringly beautiful, especially at dawn like here. Well I say dawn, but there wasn’t much sun to be seen at all even well pas sunrise. But I think that gave the scene even more character, as the first cars started to go through.

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I didn’t want to get swallowed up in the stream of cars, so after about half an hour I left Montmartre for the next stop, Les Invalides, via Arc de Triomphe (somehow empty for once!).

Reminder: the Arc de Triomphe is HUGE. 4CV for scale.

Some people were even having a bit of baguette breakfast on the back of a Citroen DS station wagon, just in front of Les Invalides. They out hon-hon’ed everyone.

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Next, just across the Seine and into Place de la Concorde. Paris is a small city by US standards, so most of the beautiful stuff is a few minutes away. Well, on a deserted Sunday morning, at least!

Place de la Concorde had been transformed in a magnificent parking lot for the occasion, filled with both cars and people. All smiling, in the middle of Paris, can you believe that?

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Felt good to enjoy Paris with anything other than diesel smell around too. I much prefer poorly carburated fuel!

But anyway, people started to move, either to get home or to finish the drive back to Vincennes, where it all started.

I was feeling pretty sick by then, so I didn’t stay long in Vincennes. Fortunately I live pretty close! And most people didn’t make it back to that last stop, anyway. Some got directly home, so went to the optional luxury meal, and I’m sure many were still lagging behind by the time I got there.

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What a wonderful trip that was. I was blown away by all the cars - but I somewhat expected that. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with Paris, even though I’ve sort of been living and working here for years now. It’s just neverending beauty. And witnessing it with hundreds of classic cars around, and seeing so many smiles instead of the usual Parisian shrugs, that made it even more special.

If you ever get to visit Paris, try to do it during the Traversée. I promise you won’t regret it!

I just posted a big gallery of my favorite pics from the event on Drivetribe, if you want to see more of it you can go there:

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Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 11:33

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AVANTIME

Arrivederci > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 11:51

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Very awesome - reminds me of my trip there last spring, which was sans all the amazing cars of course. I just love that Alpine A110.

Clemsie McKenzie > Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner 01/09/2018 at 11:52

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Yeah I took that picture specifically for Oppo haha! Also this one:

Clemsie McKenzie > Arrivederci 01/09/2018 at 11:54

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I love Alpines so much. Too bad they got so expensive!

InFierority Complex > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 12:32

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I’ve been looking forward to this since you posted about it the other day. Very impressive turnout. The Toronado (I think) and the Fiat is probably my favorite.

Who would have thought that not one, but two, 78 Corvette Indy replicas would make a showing in Paris.

Clemsie McKenzie > InFierority Complex 01/09/2018 at 12:35

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There’s a real American classics scene here in France. Everytime I go to an event like this, there’s alway a group of people with US cars. Mustangs, Corvettes, and even more rare and exotic stuff. Never fails to surprise me!

DutchieDC2R > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 12:57

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That first photo, isnt that where C’etait un Rendezvous ends? Beautiful event, beautiful cars, not so beautiful weather, haha.

Clemsie McKenzie > DutchieDC2R 01/09/2018 at 13:01

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It is! Up Montmartre, really incredible place. And yeah the weather was a bit shitty (couldn’t feel my hands hours after I got back), but I’d argue that it was part of the charm!

Chariotoflove > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 13:03

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My first drive across Paris was at midday in a rental Focus, and it was frustrating. This looks like it was significantly more awesome.

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 13:26

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Hon hon hon

Clemsie McKenzie > Chariotoflove 01/09/2018 at 13:26

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Yeah I don’t normally recommend driving through Paris. People are mental, and the public transport system is pretty good anyway. But there’s no way I’d take the Metro during such an awesome event!

Chariotoflove > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 13:33

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Your way was the right way to do it.

Clemsie McKenzie > Chariotoflove 01/09/2018 at 13:42

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Couldn’t agree more!

Jonee > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 15:01

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Awesome stuff. A pretty amazing collection of cars there. I can’t pick a favorite, but it might be this guy. I love how well used it looks.

Clemsie McKenzie > Jonee 01/09/2018 at 15:41

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I knew you’d love this one! And yeah it’s really cool that it’s apparently unrestored!

Jonee > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 16:40

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This is my kind of event. I would have had trouble catching my breath. When do they do the next one? In the summer? I’m going back to Europe this summer and this would be so cool to see in person.

Clemsie McKenzie > Jonee 01/09/2018 at 16:47

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First week of August I think!

kanadanmajava1 > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 18:30

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That looks extremely fun. Too bad I wasn’t there.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 18:35

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What is the pretty little blue car? A Panhard of some sort...?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 18:36

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Beautiful! I want to take those FIAT 500s home! :(

Jonee > Clemsie McKenzie 01/09/2018 at 22:46

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Cool, thanks!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Clemsie McKenzie 01/10/2018 at 05:03

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awesome!

Clemsie McKenzie > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/10/2018 at 08:11

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That’s an Alpine A106, the first Alpine ever!

Clemsie McKenzie > pip bip - choose Corrour 01/10/2018 at 08:12

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Thanks man!

Clemsie McKenzie > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/10/2018 at 08:14

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Yeah me too! My dad had one for a long time, I miss it a lot!

Clemsie McKenzie > kanadanmajava1 01/10/2018 at 08:16

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Well, they do it twice a year, so if you ever find yourself in France again you never know!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Clemsie McKenzie 01/10/2018 at 12:54

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Wow those Alpines!!! I will need to make my trip across the pond to coincide with this event.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Clemsie McKenzie 01/10/2018 at 16:19

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The granddaddy!!! I have a model Alpine A110 on a shelf here at home! :D

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Clemsie McKenzie 01/10/2018 at 16:20

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Damn! Why did he sell it! :(

Tell him to give it to me! :D

Clemsie McKenzie > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/11/2018 at 04:13

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The first one because the floor was so rusted the passenger could put his feet on the road, the second one because after ten or something years he wanted a change and bought a Barchetta instead. My sister is still pissed at him for that!

Clemsie McKenzie > CaptDale - is secretly British 01/11/2018 at 04:15

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Well, it’s twice a year, once in early August, the other early January! You won’t be disappointed if you do make it...

CaptDale - is secretly British > Clemsie McKenzie 01/11/2018 at 11:01

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Now to find a vehicle to drive in it.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Clemsie McKenzie 01/11/2018 at 15:42

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Barchettas are also on my list of cars I want! :D

Clemsie McKenzie > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/11/2018 at 17:56

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I can recommend them! Thing’s awesome. I mean obviously it’s no Miata, but I think you do different things with it than you would with a Miata. More Sunday cruising stuff. Plus it’s just pretty!

Clemsie McKenzie > CaptDale - is secretly British 01/11/2018 at 17:57

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Yeah I’m still locked at that step unfortunately!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Clemsie McKenzie 01/11/2018 at 18:54

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Also, if they are as reliable as Richard’s somehow proved to be in that one older Top Gear episode, they aren’t bad in that regard either! :)

Also...so pretty....also (as a plus for me, being a Canadian), they were only ever sold as LHD, so no matter where I imported one from, I wouldn’t have to deal with the struggle of finding an insurance company willing to do RHD / the higher cost of insuring something RHD here!

Clemsie McKenzie > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/12/2018 at 04:41

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My dad’s seems to be pretty reliable! It’s pretty much a Fiat Punto underneath anyway. Which I think is a good thing, in the grand scheme of reliability.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Clemsie McKenzie 01/12/2018 at 17:04

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Yup! :D

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Clemsie McKenzie 02/07/2018 at 06:37

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How did I miss this post! Awesome shots Clemsie!

Lovely mix of classics. Also great to see a pre-A110 Alpine for a change

Also, I have to know, did somebody show up in a 275GTB, or a 450SEL 6.9? (you know, for maximum C’était un rendez-vous)

Clemsie McKenzie > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 02/07/2018 at 06:43

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Thanks! Yeah I’m sure someone did, but I didn’t get to see nearly all the cars so I don’t think I saw one of these!