17th Paris Crossing 02.12.2016: The 70s has the wind in its sails The winter Paris Crossing remains the major gathering

The 70s has the wind in its sails



The  winter  Paris  Crossing  remains  the  major  gathering  of  vintage  vehicles  at  the beginning of  the year.  Awaited by enthusiasts,  it brings together at  each edition*, more than  700  vehicles  (cars,  motorcycles,  bicycles,  tractors,  buses,  light  trucks)  in  the capital. 



Since  2016,  "Vincennes  en  Anciennes",  organizer  of  the  event,  defines  themes that  retrace  the  history  of  the  automobile.



 After  “women  at  the  wheel”  and  “going  on holiday”,  here  are  the  nineteen-seventies.  No  question  to  relegate  the  very  old  to  the closet, they will still be there, loyal to the post, to illustrate, by driving, the history of this heritage!


The 70s, creativity in everything!


The  1970s, a decade  full  of  turbulence on the  social and political  front, but avant-garde in  the  field  of  creation,  and  deeply  free.  Flared  trousers,  acid  colours,  flower  power, plexiglass, plastic, the Pompidou Centre, Saturday Night Fever, the Bee Gees...  so many symbols of this era.


In  the  field  of  cars,  with  the  oil  shocks  and  the  increase  of  petrol  prices,  the manufacturers  had  to  be  innovative:  more  aerodynamism,  and  smaller  and  more functional vehicles with lower consumption. Cars that did not meet these criteria became commercial flops like the AMC Pacer.



Automobile designers are legion, all brought their vision of the car of the future:Sergio  Pininfarina  (Ferrari  308  GTB...),  Giorgetto  Giugiaro  (Alfetta  GTV,  Maserati  Merak, Lotus Esprit...), Paolo Martin (Ferrari Modulo), Gaston Juchet (Renault 17), Robert Opron (the  CX),  William  Towns  (Aston  Martin  Lagonda),  Brooks  Stevens  (Excalibur),  Serge Gévin (2CV Spot).





The Renault 5 launched in 1972 became the best-selling car in France. The Mehari embodies the spirit of freedom, fantasy and  carelessness that  marked those years.



In the cinema, some cars make notable appearances: the DS (The Adventures of Rabbi Jacob), the Renault 16 (The Night Caller), the Mehari, inseparable from the Gendarmes of Saint Tropez or the Lotus Esprit (The Spy Who Loved Me) and, of course, the Ford Gran Torino continues to make us think of Starsky and Hutch!


The Volkswagen minibus created in the 50s was transformed into a caravan  in the form of combi VW, much more "peace and love".


The European motorcycle market, in decline since the 1960s, was shaken by the massive arrival of Japanese motorcycles, including the mythical Kawazaki H1 500 Mach3 and the Honda CB 750 Four and their descendants.



 The Europe of the BSA, Norton and Triumph, Guzzi and BMW, had to react in terms of performance and reliability by systematically incorporating in their products the innovations of the Japanese tsunami, such as disc brakes, electric starters, aluminum cylinder heads, and camshafts.



It was also in the 1970s that car manufacturers had to provide an anchorage for the seat belt which became mandatory at the front of leisure vehicles outside urban areas in July 1973. It became mandatory in urban areas from 1979.



"This Paris Crossing will be a great opportunity to highlight the "youngtimers", the young vintage  vehicles  from  the  1970s/80s,  until  1987  to  comply  with  our  rule  of  presenting vehicles at least 30 years old.



These popular cars are accessible to people who would like to  enter  the  world  of  collection  and  participate  in  good-natured  automobile  events  like ours. They are easy to maintain, manageable and perhaps a little less delicate than their ancestors", says Jacques d'Andréa, President of Vincennes en Anciennes Paris in zig-zag



A loop of 28 km in the capital which leaves from (around 8:00 am) and returns to (around noon) the esplanade of the Château de Vincennes (some of the cars will remain there on view until about 15h30).


This crossing offers a route in the most emblematic places of the capital.


Three vintage buses are available to the public from the esplanade of the Château de Vincennes (reservation required, number of places limited –10 !).



The  Paris  Crossing  will  welcome,  once  again,  vehicles  of  all  brands  and  all  eras.  All vehicles are over 30 years old.






«Vincennes en anciennes» is the foremost multi-brand French association of vintage cars


Created in 1998, the association hosts more than 1,200 members, men and women; this represents a fleet of  3,000  cars.   The Directors are also active  members of brand clubs. 



On  the  first  Sunday  of  each  month,  the  Association  meets  on  the  esplanade  of  the Château  de  Vincennes.  Extremely  dynamic,  the  Association  participates  in  many  events or  parades:  Heritage  days,  the  Telethon,  shows  dedicated  to  vintage  cars  (Automédon, Rétromobile, Reims...).





Practical information –


 Sunday 10 January 2016


Departure  of  the  cars  between  08:00  and  08:45  from  the  Esplanade  du  Château  de Vincennes.


Arrival around 12:00/12:30 Esplanade du Château de Vincennes where some of the cars will be displayed until 15:30.



Practical  information  and/or  reservation  in  the  vintage  buses  (according  to  availability): form  can be download ed  on  the  site http://www.vincennesenanciennes.com



- Price : 10 ! (bus)*


There  are  two  Crossing  a  year:  one  in  winter  in  early  January,  one  in  summer  in  late  July  or  early August (in 2017 it will be 30 July).







Anne Quémy , VEA photos