Whole Network Most Recent TOP10 Automobilia Automotive Art German Cars Great Drives

 

Great Moments in France for Classic Racing Fans

Filed in archive Great Drives by Philip Powell on April 04, 2008

Jean Alesi Driving

You're planning a trip to the Champagne region of France in late summer and wondering what to do? Consider yourself fortunate because there is, indeed, a very special classic car event on September 12th-14th, one you shouldn't miss. The Weekend of Automobile Excellence is again being held at the historic Circuit de Gueux (better known as Reims) which opened in 1926 and hosted 14 French Grand Prixs until closing in 1972. The organisers promise plenty of action including demonstration drives by former F1 stars in vintage race carslinks, air displays, a VIP Village and Commercial Village, and some fabulous French cooking at the nearby Domain Pommery. Among the former racing heroes will be Jean Alesi who, at last year's Weekend, showed off the Mercedes W196 'Streamliner' that 5-times World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio drove to victory in 1954. A fascinating history can be found at the Rack and Opinion site.

But here's the fun part: if you can muster a suitable vehicle you'll get a chance to participate in three demonstration sessions around the circuit. "Reims" was a real road course using public roads and once competed with Spa-Francorchamps for the honor of being the fastest in Europe, thus your drive should be both exciting and packed with nostalgia. No car? You could rent a vintage sports car from the Open Road, our friends in the UK, then take the ferry to Calais, from where it's only a 2-hour-and-a-bit ramble to Reims. Rack and Opinion describes it as "filled with fast, open roads, iconic plane tree avenues and acres and acres of softly flowing green fields filled with vines... an eerie old place, it feels positively alive with memory." Everything you need to know about the 2008 Weekend of Automobile Excellence can be found here. A knowledge of French will help with the translation, or you can get in touch with Tony Merrygold. A package tour is available from the UK.






Permalink: Great Moments in France for Classic Racing Fans
Tags: Reims  F1  Fangio  Mercedes  Weekend  of  Automobile  Excellence  classic  vintage  antique  collector  old  car   

Trackback: http://www.creative-weblogging.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.pl/118838



Advertisement


Advertisement


RSSrss   | See all blog subscribe options
Googlegoogle   |   What is RSS?
Yahoo!yahoo
AddthisAddThis Feed Button
BloglinesBloglines
Newsletter

Use the search to look for other interesting posts



 
  • Advertise with us

  • Learn more about our advertising options or email advertising - at - creative-weblogging.com or give Luis a call at +1 (650) 331 8047.


  • Other blogs in the same channel in the Creative Weblogging Network







 
Tagcloud: 1980's Cars AC Cars Alfa Romeo American Independents American Specials Antique Autos As We See Things Auctions Austin Healey Auto Shows Automobilia Automotive Art Aviation Barn Finds Bentley BMW Books British Cars Buick Cadillac Canadian Cars Catalogs Chevrolet Chrysler Classic Boats Classic Rentals Concours Design Deusenberg Electric Cars European Specials Famous Drivers Fashion Items Ferrari Ford French Cars Fun Events General Motors German Cars Gifts Great Drives Great Gifts Historic Transportation Hot Rods Italian Cars Jaguar Japanese Oldies Lincoln Media Sites Mercedes MG Model Cars Morgan Movies Muscle Cars Museums Oddball Autos Oldsmobile Our Story Photographs Plymouth Pontiac Pony Cars Porsche Private Collections Racers Rally/Retro-Rally Rare Europeans Record Breakers Replicas Restoration Roads to Remember Rolls-Royce Romantic Notions Sponsored Post Station Wagons Tech Stuff Test Drives Vintage Racing Vintage Rentals Vintage Vans