In our guide on outings with your vintage car, we suggested a major event in the center of France: the Gazoline Festival. Organized by the magazine of the same name, this event held its second edition in Lamotte-Beuvron. The Alepoc teams did not miss this essential event. In fact, you may have crossed paths with us at our stand. It was a pleasure to meet our customers, hear your feedback, and connect with new enthusiasts.

The meeting was set for the weekend of June 3 and 4, 2023, for two days of celebrating vintage popular automobiles. Lamotte-Beuvron, as the host city, is known for being the birthplace of the Tarte Tatin. This typical dessert was created by the Tatin sisters at the end of the 19th century, in one of the city's hotels, which still exists. Another peculiarity of the city is its immense federal equestrian park, the largest in Europe, spanning over 400 hectares. These American-style facilities host not only various French championships but also various events such as the Gazoline Festival. Thus, more than 3000 cars gathered throughout the weekend in this movie-worthy setting.

An Exhibition of Beautiful Cars

Now that the introductions are done, we can get to the heart of the matter. The visit begins below the exhibitor area. On the main lawn, the organizers invited over 300 iconic vehicles from various clubs. It was the ideal place to find automotive rarities. Since Lamotte-Beuvron is located only 40 km from Romorantin, the home of Matra, the influence could be felt throughout the weekend with an impressive number of Matra-Simca Bagheera, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, as well as the presence of various models from the factory, from the Djet to the Avantime. It was an opportunity to discover one of the rare surviving examples of the Bagheera Courrèges, an edition produced in 379 copies, playing the trendy luxury card with its satin white paint and white and beige interior. This immaculate example was fully restored thanks to another Bagheera body. Unfortunately, these cars are prone to rust... Another gem from Romorantin was the only running prototype of the Murena 4S, nothing less! For the record, in 1981, a study for a more powerful engine was undertaken to allow the Murena to compete with the Porsche 924 Turbo. Two prototypes were created, one to test the engine, the other to try out the new body kit in the wind tunnel. It was the latter that was present! Unfortunately, the project was canceled by Peugeot.

Let's continue with Simca, represented by the Club Simca France, which was also present – we can't part ways anymore. There, one could discover a desirable Simca 8 Sport, in addition to the various models that made up our automobile fleet after World War II.

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On the lawn of honor, many beautiful Renault cars made the journey, notably the "gang" of the 4CV. Four magnificent models, fully restored, came and took us back in time to the 1950s for a moment. We have a confession: they won our hearts, especially the 4CV commercial Renault Service. Another "gang" of Renault cars, the Juvaquatre, were numerous and sparkling, enough to dazzle the eyes. Admit it, the combo of Renault Juvaquatre and Renault 4CV in the colors of Renault garages would be perfect in a garage, wouldn't it? It's impossible to mention all the beautiful machines present, but we can't overlook the charming Renault Dauphine 1093, produced in 2,140 units, which you might have seen on our social media during our last quiz. It is a competition model positioned above the Gordini, recognizable by its large headlights (USA style) and its two blue stripes. The lineage was also present with a line of Renault 8.

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Many Visitors in Vintage Cars

Our visit continues and takes us to the parking lot reserved for visitors, where all subscribers of the Gazoline magazine were invited to participate in the festivities for free. This vast parking lot hid other wonders. At Peugeot, many coupes, convertibles, and open-tops made the journey. Almost the entire range could be found, starting with two majestic 402 Cabriolet / Eclipse models, then several 404 convertibles and 504 convertibles, as well as their coupe versions (read: French cars in Italy: strong ties). These timeless cars were perfect under the bright sun. A rare Peugeot 203 coupe was also present (955 units produced). This car was shunned at its release due to its roofline considered unattractive, but it undeniably has charm, even 70 years later. In the same vein, a beautiful Peugeot 203 open-top allowed for open-air driving with the family. A magnificent Peugeot 403 open-top was also part of the event.

Discover our spare parts for Peugeot

On the Renault side, there were also coupes and convertibles, notably the Caravelle, the Floride, and some beautiful examples of R17. A very rare Renault Super 5 "belle île", made by Gruau, was also present. Although a true Super 5 convertible existed, the "belle île" appeared as a convertible pickup with its rear section cut out.

From convertibles to beach vehicles, there's only one step to take, which we will. Still at Renault, we came across a Renault JP4 and another handcrafted 4L Buggy. These were stripped-down versions meant for beach adventures. We also encountered a few Renault Rodeos, competitors of the Mehari. In fact, a club had come with colorful configurations.

These leisure vehicles had a thin line with utility vehicles depending on their use. At the Gazoline Festival, we were able to admire real vintage utility vehicles that brought back good old memories. These cars, which suffered during their active life, have endured to be showcased. We discovered the saga of Peugeot pickups with the 202 and 203 pickups lined up side by side. A Peugeot 403 covered pickup and a Peugeot 504 pickup were also present. One can't help but imagine what a current 508 would look like in pickup version. For van enthusiasts, there was a Peugeot D3 and its descendant, a Peugeot J9. On the Renault side, one could approach a very pretty Super Goélette in Alpine colors, and the Amicale de Touraine had brought several Estafette, including van versions and even family versions (very rare!). You had the choice of becoming a mover for Marcou furniture or representing Poulain chocolates. If you preferred the competition, a Banania Acadiane awaited you. At Citroën, a Type H, a former firefighter vehicle from the town of Dampierre Burly, was parked in the Retro Camping area.

Camping Holidays

Yes, one of the main attractions of this event was its area reserved for the Rétro Camping Club de France. In post-war France, the economic boom and motorization allowed the development of leisure activities. Vacationing became the norm, especially camping, and strolling through these aisles took us back to our childhood vacations, where the joy of escape was more important than comfort at all costs. Some could travel with the latest caravans from brands like Caravelair, Sterckeman, or Digue, while others preferred the authenticity of a Canadian tent. We let you admire the different setups present, with their typically retro accessories. A special mention goes to one of the rare prototypes of the Citroën M35 with a rotary engine. Surely, it did not experience vacations in its time.

Going on vacation was often a game of Tetris to fit all the luggage and the whole family. If you lacked space, you could equip your car with a roof rack and/or a trailer, like this Citroën Traction or this Citroën 2CV Charleston.

An Exciting Encounter with François Alain

 

The Gazoline Festival also featured activities with a military camp presence and rides in vintage vehicles. Road books were also offered to discover or rediscover the region at the pace of your classic car. On-site, you could board a rather special 2CV disco, which had transformed into a caterpillar with parts of Mehari. It was possible to meet the talented driver Bruno Saby, who made his mark with Renault and Peugeot, notably with the Peugeot 205 T16. You could also meet our dear François Alain, a fine connoisseur of classic cars and a television star. This personality stopped by our stand to greet us. We are very honored to know that he is familiar with ALEPOC.

It was with this warm encounter that the Gazoline Festival concluded. Its retro ambiance transported us to a parallel world, a world where taking the time to live was paramount. This friendly and family-oriented event welcomed over 20,000 visitors. A great success!