COURSE DE COTE DE SANCERRE 2014

Having been to this event for the first time last year, I had to be back again this year.  Sancerre is a
beautiful setting for a hillclimb and there was the a good number of regional drivers attempting to beat the hill record, get fastest time of the day or win their class.

Didier Thorin in a Marcadier Barzoi goes past the house after the finish line

There were the usual selection of road cars, GT cars, modified saloon cars, sports racing cars and single seaters to entertain us.  Some which particularly caught my eye were the French kit cars such as the Scora and the Marcadier.  For instance there was the beautiful Marcadier Barzoi inspired by Colin Chapman's Lotus and built by Andre Marcadier from 1970 onwards.  Later kit cars were the Scora built by Jacques Durand from 1974 as pictured below and which look more modern and aggressive.

Let me take you on a photographic ascent of the Sancerre Hillclimb and later introduce you to the winners and take you through a trip around the paddock which was the old Sancerre railway station.

The Scora Maxi of Jean-Claude Thirault

The hillclimb starts in Menetreol sous Sancerre and then quickly turns left under the viaduct

Quickly the route goes right before a quick climb to the third corner

Steve Braillon brushes the hay bales on his rapid exit from turn 3 in his Honda Civic

Franck Alloin applies opposite lock going through turn 4 in his Mygale Susuki

Guillaume Mouche exits turn 5 in his Mitsubishi

and then continues up the straight past the paddock entrance towards turn 6

A single seater exits turn 6 past Joseph Mellot's winery

One of the sports prototypes goes through the fast left hander at the end of the straight

David Thorin negotiates the final hairpin in his Peugoet Coupe

Nicolas Buguellou on the long exit from the final corner in his Peugeot 205 Rallye

Bruno Beyer in his old March 803 makes the short dash to the finish line

Welcome to the paddock

which is the site of the old Sancerre Railway Station

We had seen Rodolphe Simonot's Alpine Renault A110 out on the course

in the paddock, I was surprised to find that it had a Toyota engine!

Last year's winner, Serge Thomas in his Norma M20F was unbeatable again and took FTD

Closest came Sebastien Chabin in his 2nd placed Dallara F396 

Completing the podium in 3rd place was Gael Boisson in his Dallara 399

Anthony Dubois won his class in his beautiful Scora Maxi

Top lady driver was Stephanie Tordeux in this Ligier JS49 seen here after the end of her run

Come and join us next year to watch cars like this Apine Renault A310 climb the Sancerre Hill

and for Gareth, a picture of a Nissan, the 350Z of Alain Langumier

In the GTTS class was this Porsche GT3 Cup car of Steve Compain

In France you can take your dogs to watch motor racing!  They seem unconcerned as the Norma 20F races by.

A la prochaine.

All photos copyright John Etherton.  For your information all of these photos were taken by a compact camera but a good one - A Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ18.