In 2009 during Christmas as a little vacation I visit Paris. As a Panhard Levassor driver I made a visit at the avenue D'ivry. This was once on the outskirts of central Paris the place where french quality automobiles where built. In 2009 the building had no visible function but the Panhard sign was still there. Standing before the old factory the idea arose to bring back to it’s birth place my Panhard Levassor X 46 from 1925.
The following years other projects asked there time and in the beginning of 2017, I felt it was time to bring the Panhard back to France and I wanted to push the throttle.
But when was the right moment? This answer was easily given, that had to be during the weekend of Vintage Montlhéry. Visiting the old circuit during this spectacular event was the goal where Panhard also made some history.
Begin May we had our routes planned and we hit the road. With stopovers at little villages as Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique, city centres as Maubeuge and Geraardbergen for lunch or drinks we travelled through the south of the Netherlands, Belgium and the north of France. In 3 day we arrived south of the circuit Montlhéry. The next day we had a warm welcome by the organisation of Vintage Montlhéry. To be there with my old Panhard was a milestone. See all the beautiful sport and racecars in a great ambiance of the old circuit and meet some friends and new enthusiast prewarcar fans made it a great day.
The next morning we drove on the Périphérique of Paris. Without any problem we arrived at the avenue D'ivry. The old factory Panhard & Levassor is recently transfered to a office and appartment complex. The building is now surrounded with restaurants, offices and shopping centres. It was a nice experince to be there and all the french people where helpfull and enthusiast.
The route through Paris following the Seine, Notre Dame, The Eiffel tower and the Arc de Triomphe, with a sprint on the avenue des Champs-Elysees was an advanture. With a coffe break at a typicall french terras for coffee and cake and a lunch nearby the Eiffeltower with many thumbs up and surprised faces made it a more relax and enjoyable day. The last bit through the suburbs of Paris let us end in a quit village north of Paris.
The next days our journey continued along chateau Chantilly back through belgium to our home in the Netherlands. The whole trip with nice B&B’s, good food and a lovely route was a great experience. The visit at vintage Montlhéry, driving through paris, the photoshoot at the Panhard building, the positive reactions along the route and to travel with a prewarcar for a longer time gives a lot of inspiration. Certainly this trip will get a follow up.
Text and photos: Ruud de Pater
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Sometimes you just have the need to push the throttle
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