24 replies to this topic

[Martin Dewey]

Can anyone recommend any places of interest that could be taken in during a weekend stay in Paris?

So far my list includes the Levassor memorial in Porte Maillot, the Wimille memorial at the end of Avenue Foch, the Bois de Boulogne circuit, the FIA headquarters, and a motoring bookshop at 33 rue Constantinople. Anything motor sport-related would be of interest.

[Vitesse2]

The St Cloud circuit from 1946?

[lil'chris]

Montlhery isn't too far south either is it - assuming you could actually get into the place ?

[Jager]

Are you into models and memorabilia ?

Try Dan-Toys :



87 rue des Entrepreneurs
75015 Paris
(Métro commerce - ligne 8)

Tél.: 01.56.08.20.56

Open Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Sunday from 10:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m.

There is a map and other details at their website : www.dan-toys.net

[dretceterini]

There are a lot of model car shops and quite a few book and memorabilia shops in Paris. There are a few dealers in antique toy cars at the flea market. The best is probably Guy Scherperil, who has been selling antique toys for at least 30 years...

[Barry Boor]

Take care with Montlhery. Roger Clark and I went there on our way back from Pau a couple of years ago and could obtain no access to the place whatsoever.

All we could see was the support structure to the banking.

It seemed that the French Army was based there. (Not all of them, of course. )

[Alexey Rogachev]

Try Musée automobile de la Défense - there are (at least were in 1998) some motorsport-related displays, including Alain Prost's Renault RE30 from 1981.

[paulhooft]

I think Renault still has his Showroom with that small but nice Museum on the Avenue de Champs Elysee??
and there is a nice car museum in Pantin,in North West Paris, take the Metro for that one..
Paul

[Alan Cox]

There is a fabulous motor sporting restaurant in Paris (where a large gathering of TNFers met at this year's Retromobile), - it's "Le Volant" run by 'ancien pilote' Georges Houel.

It's fairly small with not a lot of spare room, and walls are plastered with old photos of Georges' exploits - with Moss on the '56 Tour de France, racing Alpines, rallying just about anything including doing the original London to Sydney, and also showing distinguished guests who have dined there, including Fangio.

Georges, was still in charge of the kitchen when we last visited and, although now 88, cooks superb, unpretentious French grub, and was delighted to come out from the back to chat, when the main rush has died down. Very entertaining company - and a man who clearly regards Moss as his great hero.



Or try Le Bistrot d'André, 232 rue Saint Charles 75015 Paris
http://books.google....zWCSI-QUz0ghdWg

[dretceterini]

Botique Auto Moto is a miniatures and book store owned by Jean-Marc Tessedre, who is co-author of the yearly books on the LeMans race. Here is their website:

http://www.boutiqueautomoto.com/

One store is on the northwestern outskirts of Paris, in Levallois-Perret (a metro stop is about a half-mile walk), and the other is in central Paris, near the Les Halles metro stop.

Jean-Marc or his wife are usually at the Les Halles store.

77 bis rue Voltaire
92300 LEVALLOIS PERRET
+(33) (0)1 47 37 23 12


6 rue des Halles
75001 PARIS
+(33) (0)1 45 08 05 05


Further contact information:

RALLY MANS (NANTES) internet.sales@club-internet.frCet e-mail est protégé contre les robots collecteurs de mails, votre navigateur doit accepter le Javascript pour le voir +33 (0)2 40 84 33 41

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The Renault Museum was still there on the Champs Elysse last time I was in Paris, which was September 2004...

[962C]

Originally posted by Alexey Rogachev
Try Musée automobile de la Défense - there are (at least were in 1998) some motorsport-related displays, including Alain Prost's Renault RE30 from 1981.

Sadly the museum no longer exists, as the collection was sold a few years ago. I think the one in Pantin is closed too.

The Renault showrooom on the Champs-Elysées is still there http://www.atelier.renault.com/, but I'm not sure about a museum. Citroën, Toyota, Mercedes and Peugeot also have showrooms in that area. They may have motor racing related exhibits, but I haven't got any specific details.

It might be worth checking the Artcurial website http://www.artcurial.com/en/ for classic and sports cars auctions. It would seem the next one is on December 10th. The cars being auctioned are usually on display at the Palais des Congrès at Porte Maillot 2 or 3 days before the auction.

[Alexey Rogachev]

Originally posted by 962C
Sadly the museum no longer exists, as the collection was sold a few years ago. I think the one in Pantin is closed too.

[Martin Dewey]

Thanks to all of you for your input! My itinerary is gradually filling up!

I'm particularly interested in the Paris road races of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Are there any remnants or relics of those events (in Paris or its environs) that anyone is aware of (apart from the Levassor memorial)?

[Alan Cox]

The Renault showroom hosts a changing itinerary of exhibitions associated with the Renault marque. A couple of years ago, when I visited, they had a splendid exhibition of photos by Robert Doisneau, who was employed by Renault at one time to document various facets of factory operations, as well as taking classic photographs which they used in their advertising. There are always a number of cars from the museum on display (but not necessarily racing models).

[AMICALEMANS]

hello !
I am leaving in Paris, so for motoring :

-Levassor memorial in Porte Maillot (difficult to find and i dont even know where it is !),
-the Wimille memorial at the end of Avenue Foch, (difficult to find and i dont even know where it is !),
-the Bois de Boulogne circuit (you need to have a good map to do it : road changes)http://www.forix.com/8w/bdb.html
-the FIA headquarters (it is place de la Concorde but nothing special !)
- motoring bookshop at 33 rue Constantinople. (a good one for old papers but expensive)

Botique Auto Moto is a miniatures and book store owned by Jean-Marc Tessedre, who is co-author of the yearly books on the LeMans race. Here is their website:

http://www.boutiqueautomoto.com/

One store is on the northwestern outskirts of Paris, in Levallois-Perret (a metro stop is about a half-mile walk), and the other is in central Paris, near the Les Halles metro stop.

Jean-Marc or his wife are usually at the Les Halles store. No they sold it 1 year ago : the shop still exist.

-The restaurant Le Volant still exist but without Roger Houel and it is now a Rugby restaurant !!!!!

-Monthlery : No access

-Saint Cloud : just pass only by car thru the tunnel It is a highway !

I Suggest :
-Conservatoire national des arts et metiers http://www.arts-et-m...s.net/?lang=ang : technical museume with some old cars old plane

-AUTO MOTO bookshop located at 83 rue de Rennes (not so far from Montparnasse) : a good place even with many english or us book

-On Champs elysées, you will find Espace Renault, The new C42 building (Citroen), Mercedes, Peugeot, Toyota with new and old cars on display.

-you can go to Boulogne, just to see the place of the old Renault Plant on the Island

-and if you are in Paris the first sunday morning of the month, you have to go to the Chateau de Vincennes and you will find a huge meeting of classic and sportscar.

[Alan Cox]

Originally posted by AMICALEMANS
-The restaurant Le Volant still exist but without Roger Houel and it is now a Rugby restaurant !!!!!

This is, indeed, tragic news. Has Roger sold out, and is Georges still with us?

[AMICALEMANS]

Sorry i made a mistake Jojo is Georges and not Roger ! yes he sold the restaurant, andhe is still with us (he can have meal for free in the restaurant every day said the new owner)

[AMICALEMANS]

Yes it is true.... Just look at it in the entrance...And that's all !

[Martin Dewey]

Originally posted by AMICALEMANS
.... Just look at it in the entrance...

Hi AMICALEMANS. Do you mean that the general public can just walk in and take a look?

[AMICALEMANS]

i think so (just because i did not go there since a long time) ! Near the entrance you have the famous "Hotel de Crillon" and you will be able to see some supercars in front of it. If you wanna have a pee, go to the hotel, it is a very fine place. .. If you are a richman, have a room and have a meal !

The restaurant le Bistro d'André is for Citroen Fan !

[Racing Lines]

Hi,

It looks like there is a confusion between FIA headquarters and Automobile Club de France headquarters. Both are Place de la Concorde.

FIA, ACF and hotel Crillon are in the same building which is owned by the ACF. It's a very important place from an historical point of view because of the ACF involvement in the birth of motor racing.

The Gordon Bennett Trophy is displayd in an ACF "salon" but, unfortunately, general public is not admitted. Don't forget that ACF is one of the more select club in Paris (with a swimming pool inside !). I'm not a member but i'm lucky enough to have had a look to this trophy. Emotional moment. And what a wondeful piece of art ! Nothing in commun with the modern and ugly trophies we can see on modern F1 podium sometimes...

If you are looking to a restaurant in a more "racing style" than le Bistrot d'André, try this one :
Auto Passion Café, 197 Boulevard Brune, Paris 14e, Metro porte d'orléans (in the south of Paris).

Have a good trip

[ensign14]

There's the Velghe family tomb at the Pere Lachaize Cemetary (somewhere near the north wall IIRC).

Didn't know J-M Teissedre ran the Automoto shop, I'd've got him to sign something otherwise. :

[Alan Lewis]

Having finally got round to reading Joe Saward's thoroughly excellent The Grand Prix Saboteurs, which I received for my birthday a month ago, I can certainly suggest searching out the various safe houses and so forth used by Benoist, Grover, Wimille et al, mentioned therein.

Maybe they're not strictly racing related, but I defy anyone to say they're not relevant.

APL

[dretceterini]

Originally posted by ensign14
There's the Velghe family tomb at the Pere Lachaize Cemetary (somewhere near the north wall IIRC).

Didn't know J-M Teissedre ran the Automoto shop, I'd've got him to sign something otherwise. :

J-M owns the shop, but I think he has others running both the central Paris and the northwestern Paris locations for him...

[AMICALEMANS]

I said : he sold Boutique Auto Moto 5 or 6 months ago ! His wife is still working sometimes at the shop !