2017
Traversee Paris
(the
photos use a slide show type of presentation, just click any photo to
start there.)
On Sunday January 8th, we attended the 2017
Traversee Paris event
organised by VINCENNES EN ANCIENNES. This
is the largest multi-brand club in France and this event is held twice
a year
in Paris in January and July. It
is a statement by the club that old vehicles still have the right to
traverse
the streets of Paris. We
stayed the night at a nearby hotel with secure parking. Incidentally
Paris is very security conscious at the moment with the streets
being patrolled by armed Police and the Military on foot.
Our
French motorcycling friends arranged the entry for us, and January was
perhaps
not the best time of year weather wise, but
July was not an option, as we are committed to so many other events
then, and
anyway the Paris traffic would be in full swing. Not
that it was very easy in January. The
event starts from the very impressive Chateau de Vincennes, which is
situated
in an extensive green area with lots of parking and open space and is
limited
to 700 vehicles of all types. TRUCKS,
VANS, BUSES, CARS, MOTORCYCLES, MOPEDS AND SOME VERY BRAVE CYCLISTS!
Many
participants were in period dress. Commencing
at 8.00 am, when it was still very dark, the traffic was very heavy
with lots
of sightseers and photographers, but no Police control, and no parking
restrictions. Although
we were given a very comprehensive route/ itinerary sheet it was not a
lot of
good on a motorcycle, so the order of the day seems to be “Just go with
the
flow”. The
route included many well-known sights with indicated stops along the
way: -
Place
de la Republique
Louvre,
Moulin Rouge,
Monmartre,
Sacre Coeur,
Madeleine,
Place de la Concorde
Invalides, Place de la Bastille.
There
was no designated parking, but there was great camaraderie—no problems
if you
double-parked or blocked anyone. This
is the “Spirit of Anciennes” we were told.
The
event ended at the Hippodrome de Vincennes (a large sports/athletics)
stadium,
where a meal was served in a restaurant overlooking the facilities
where the
vehicles were parked in a static display.
I
rode my SS80 along the route and my friend Jerome rode his S7
Sunbeam. Kate
joined our friend’s parents in a vintage Parisian bus that followed the
complete route.
It
was a fantastic experience and I enjoyed it immensely—but I cannot say
the same
for the Brough clutch! The
SS80 gearing is on the high side, so traffic lights at the end of every
street
and crowded slow moving traffic meant a number of stops to cool off and
a few
cable adjustments—but we got there in the end.
The
weather was dry and warm, but at this time of the year, it could have
been a
disaster, had the predicted forecast of frost and snow been correct.
IF
YOU ARE INTERESTED OR JUST LIKE OLD VEHICLES THEN LOOK FOR 17e
TRAVERSEE
PARIS
ON THE WEB
Ken
Baxter