Musée Retro-Mobile-Drouais

1960 Facel Vega 500.  This vehicle was built in Dreux about 1 kilometre from the museum.

Some museums almost immediately bore you the moment you walk in, others have some sort of magic that encourages you to stay a while.  The Retro-Mobile Museum in Dreux is one of the latter.

The museum was founded by one Johanny Dutertre in 1980.   It feature cars, utility vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles amongst its many exhibits.  Every first Sunday afternoon of the month there is a classic car meeting and the museum is open to the public.

This is the type of museum that is a jumble of lots of interesting old cars and stuff rather than a pristine environment, but it works.  The photos should give you an idea of what the museum is like.  If you like old French road cars, give it a visit.

Dreux is the town in which Facel Vegas were made between 1954 and 1964.  The factory was in rue des Gaults.  The musuem is at 95 rue du Commandant-Beaurepaire, Dreux, 28100.  It is about 1 km from the old factory.  The museum is a beautiful old building, which housed an abattoir in former times.

Garage scene with a 1929 Peugeot 201.

1930 Delehaye 112 Ambulance.

Detail from a 1929 Talbot M29 Limousine.

1936 Simca-Fiat Balilla Berline.

1948 La Licorne 164 LR.  One of the last cars from this marque.

1922 Sidea PL Cabriolet.

1921 De Dion Bouton IE Torpedo.

1909 DFP E4 Phaeton (Doriot, Flandrin & Parant)

1929 Citroen C4 Torpedo.

1910 Hurtu Phaeton.

Its not all cars!

FACEL-VEGA
Facel stood for Forges et Ateliers de Construction Eure et Loir.   They started in 1939 and produced parts for the automotive and automobile industry.   From 1954 they started producing the famous French luxury car marque in Dreux.  Over 3,000 Facel Vegas were made before they closed in 1964.  Facel also produced vehicles for Panhard, Simca, Ford and Massey Ferguson amongst others.

1960 Facel Vega HK500.

Retro Mobile Club Drouais
The club - Retro Mobile Club Drouais - was founded in 1975.  It has regular gatherings on the day the museum opens.

January 2019 gathering.

The gathering with the museum forming the backdrop.

Porsche, Citroen and Volkswagen.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page. 

Supercars - Dreux Rallycross 2017

Winner at Dreux was Philippe Maloigne.

The premier category of Rallycross in France is Supercars.   They are 500hp plus four wheel drive cars similar to those that take part in the World Rally Championship and can reach 1000kph innless tan 2.5 seconds.  A variety of cars such as Citroen DS3, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta take part.  Definitely spectacular, competitive and fun to watch.  These photos are from the last round of the Chamionnat de France de Rallycross ar the Circuit Philippe-Chanoine in Dreux whicvh is about an hour south west of Paris. 

Work going on in the paddock during the lunch break on the Ford Focus of Jos Jansen.

Guy Moreton negotiating the joker section in his VW Scirocco.

Cutting the apexes in the Esses at Dreux.

Laurent Bouliou lifts a heel in the joker section in his Peugeot 208 RX.

The Peugeot 208 RX of  Rodolphe Audran.

The Ford Fiesta of  Laurent Jacquinet almost lost in the dust.

The Citroen  of Jean Juin.

The third car hits one o the barriers in the Esses.

Firmin Caddedu lifts a wheel in his Citroen C4 RX.

Jos Jansen finds it difficult to drive his Ford Focus due the damage.

Florent Bedeneau in his Peugeot 208 RX.   He was to be crowned Supercars Champion after Dreux.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Work in the paddock for the mechanics of Guerlain Chicherit's Renault Clio 3 RX.

Super 1600 - Dreux Rallycross 2017

Damien Meunier in his Citroen C2 Super 1600.

The Super 1600 category in French Rallycross is for 1600cc non-turbocharged front wheel drive cars and some 2000cc cars of up to 250hp with rules otherwise similar to the supercar category.   Samuel Peu was to end up winner of the final at Dreux and be the champion.

Battle into turn one with Samuel Peu leading.  He was to win the final as well.

Samuel Peu in his Citroen Saxo leads the field in turn two in a qualifying heat.

The Super 1600 cars at the start of a heat head into turn one.

Benjamin Godot leads the field into turn two in his Citroen Saxo.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Division 3 - Rallycross Dreux 2017

Jean-Baptiste Vallée in a Renault Clio 3 leads Anne LaureTriguel's BMW Serie 1 through the joker section.

The French Rallycross Division Three is one of my favourite rallycross categories.  The cars are silhouette cars with different bodies chosen by the drivers placed on tubular chassis with 3,500cc 450hp motors and 4WD.    There are lots of varieties of bodies and spectacular racing.  What more could you want? 

Jean-Yves Ollivier in the Audi TTRS chases the Mini Cooper of Bertrand Girardot.

Grégory Le Guerneve in his Peugeot was classified fourth at Dreux.

Nice agressive cornering from Emmanuel Le Borgne in  his Susuki Swift.

Seventh placed Franck Pelhatre leads a group through the esses.

Just after the start of a heat on Saturday, with Mathieu Trevian leading.  He was eventually to win the final. 

David Durand in his Skoda Fabia leads Jean-Luc Lachat's VW Polo around the Carousel.

Jean-Luc Lechat attacks corner two in his VW polo.

Anne laure Triguel in her BMW Serie 1.

For Division Four action from Dreux, click here.

For Twingo Cup action from Dreux, click here.

For the Rallycross Legends Show, click here

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Division 4 - Rallycross Dreux 2017

Antoni Masset in a Renault Clio 3 RS leads Geoffrey Blanchard's Honda Civic Type R and Thierry Gaignard's Citroen Xsara off the line at Dreux.

Division 4 is the rallycross equivalent of F2000 in French hillclimbing.  They are cars of 1,600cc to 2,000cc and with power up to 250hp with two wheel drive that are capable of around 0 to 100kph in 5.5 seconds.  They are an entertaining but reasonable cost rallycross category.  These are pictures from the final round of the French Rallycross Championship in 2017 at the Circuit Philippe Chanoine at Dreux.

Aurélien Crochard in his Renault Clio RS launches himself off the kerbs going into the last corner.

The start of another Division 4 heat with Xavier Goubill making a good start in his silver Peugeot 306 Maxi.

Nicolas Botherel in a Citroen DS3 battles it out with Jean Francois Blaise in a Peugeot 206.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Jean Mickael Guerin leads Thierry Gaignard.