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Discover France onboard of our tour in the iconic 2CV Citroën guided by locals. La Petite Frenchie is a tour guide company that create experiences around the French art de vivre. Come onboard and admire the view as you drive by the most famous Parisian landmarks and into narrow hidden lanes holding the most incredible gems.

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How to Experience the Best of Paris in a Citroën 2CV Tour

Last Updated on 11th August 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my  privacy policy  and  disclosure  for more information.

The Citroën 2CV (short for Deux Chevaux, i.e. two horsepower) is the iconic French car and makes for a great vehicle in which to discover Paris. Here’s what it’s like to embark on a tour around Paris in a Citroën 2CV, as well as how to book this unique, unforgettable, and off the beaten path French experience for yourself!

In production between 1948-1990, eventually, over 3.8 million of these cars were produced. Today, these classic cars are the perfect way to experience Paris from a new perspective.

A brief history of the Citroën 2CV in Paris

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The idea for the Deux Chevaux was originally conceived in 1930s France when many farmers, as well as the general rural French population still couldn’t afford cars.

The idea was that an “umbrella on four wheels” would be produced, which would allow for four people to easily transport an extra 50 KG at 30 MPH (around 50 KMPH) so as to reach their desired destination, which was quite likely the local market.

However, the Second World War halted production of the 2CV, thus meaning that the car was not unveiled to the public until the late 1940s when the Citroën 2CV was revealed at the Paris Salon in 1948.

The following year, the car was sold commercially, and the following few decades saw a sharp rise in the number of sales, thus cementing the status of the Citroën as a classic car favourite.

Book your Paris City Tour in a Citroën 2CV

Incredibly well-reviewed, this personalised classic car tour of Paris allows you to create your dream itinerary. Whether you want to see Champs-Élysées, be dazzled by the Eiffel Tower, or simply check out the Louvre, this tour even allows you to choose the colour of your 2CV.   Check prices and availability here.

This quick whistle-stop tour of Paris comprises of many of the City of Light’s most famous attractions. En route, you’ll soon spy Avenue des Champs Elysée, Place Concorde, Arc de Triomphe, and Trocadéro, to the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Pont Alexandre III if you so desire. Check prices and availability here.

If you have a little longer to enjoy the city, then you might consider booking a tour hour drive around the City of Love. Explore the Left Bank, pass by Notre Dame Cathedral, enjoy the village vibe of Montmartre, and see the medieval streets of Le Marais in this 2CV tour. Check prices and availability here.

For those wishing to gain two new perspectives of the French capital, this combi ticket will allow you to enjoy the delights of exploring Paris in a classic car, as well as cruising on the waters of the River Seine with Bateaux Parisians, a glass-top riverboat. Check prices and availability here.

Imagine enjoying the iconic Parisian attractions and incredible sights by night, all while sitting in a vintage French car: it doesn’t get much more romantic than this. You can book this classic tour for an hour, or extend your excursion to two hours if you so prefer. Check prices and availability here.

Come rain or shine, cold weather, or heat spells, there are a few things you’ll want to know before going on your Parisian tour.

Firstly, be sure to bring a camera along, even if it’s just the one on your phone! Though you’ll want to enjoy the experience in the moment, it’s always nice to have something to remember your day by!

Next, the weather in Paris can be impossible to predict, particularly in the late spring when showers are fairly common. Though many of the Citroëns come equipped with plastic roofing that will allow you to enjoy the sites without getting wet, you’ll still want to bring some warmer layers as being in the back of the car can get pretty breezy!

Finally, there are plenty of other romantic things to do in Paris as well as many ways to enjoy Paris by yourself. If you would like to learn more about the areas and districts that you can experience by Citroen 2 CV, then here’s a complete guide to Montmartre , and here are my top recommendations for Le Marais .

Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, Paris, pizza, and history, though not necessarily in that order. A fan of all things France related, she runs solosophie.com when she's not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming her weight in sweet food. Currently based in Paris after studies in London, she's spent most of her life living in the beautiful Devonian countryside in South West England!

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EXPLORE PARIS IN AN ICONIC FRENCH VINTAGE CAR : THE 2CV !

Discover paris in a retro-chic way hop aboard our vintage citroën 2cv and let yourself be guided through the timeless charms of the city of light. book your unique experience now immerse yourself in an extraordinary parisian adventure with our citroën 2cv tours. enjoy the comfort and retro charm of this iconic vehicle while our experienced driver unveils the secrets of paris. explore the iconic landmarks, picturesque neighborhoods, and hidden treasures of the city of light in a truly unique way..

The Citroën 2CV, born in 1948, is a true symbol of French automobile history. Designed to meet post-war needs, it embodies the spirit of ingenuity and simplicity. Its iconic design, characterized by soft and rounded lines, has captured the hearts of millions of people around the world. The 2CV quickly became a social phenomenon, representing freedom, conviviality, and adventure. Its swift success is attributed to its reliability, ease of maintenance, and versatility. Today, the Citroën 2CV continues to evoke nostalgic enthusiasm, offering classic car enthusiasts a unique and authentic experience.

Discover Paris in a Unique Way

Step back in time and explore Paris through the rearview mirror of our Citroën 2CV. Our experienced chauffeur will take you on an unforgettable journey, revealing anecdotes and stories about the city’s iconic landmarks.

An Iconic Vehicle

Experience the irresistible charm of the Citroën 2CV, a symbol of French elegance. Its vintage allure, soft lines, and convertible roof allow you to fully immerse yourself in the Parisian atmosphere while ensuring absolute comfort.

Customized Tours

Paris at Your Own Pace: Choose from our carefully crafted tours, tailored to your preferences and interests. Whether you want to visit the major landmarks, stroll through picturesque neighborhoods, or explore hidden corners of the city, our Citroën 2CV tours adapt to your desires. We offer 4 tours :

1️⃣ Tour of the Highlights

To visit the historical Paris with its grand monuments, wide avenues, and iconic sites. Duration: 3 or 4 hours. Price for 3 persons: 3h – 280 euros, 4h – 340 euros. Hotel pick-up included.

2️⃣ Parisians’ Paris Tour

A tour that takes you away from statues, basilicas, and famous monuments, revealing an unexpected and delightful side of the vibrant heart of the capital. Duration: 3 or 4 hours. The route will be defined at the start, according to your knowledge of the city and your curiosity.

3️⃣ Tour by Night

A fascinating journey through the most beautiful illuminations of Paris at night. Duration: 2 or 3 hours, hotel pick-up and drop-off included. 2h – 220€, 3h – 310€ Fresh champagne with glass cups: 70€

4️⃣ Romantic Tour

Because love is in the air! Duration: 2 hours – 210€ Chilled champagne with glass cups: 70€.

A Passionate Local Guide

Our drivers are passionate Parisians who love their city. They will reveal to you hidden treasures, from typical restaurants to lesser-known alleys, offering you an authentic local perspective.

A Memorable Experience

Captured Moments ?: Capture your journey aboard our Citroën 2CV as our chauffeur, like Clark turning into Superman, transforms into a photographer. Leave with unforgettable memories and unique snapshots of your Parisian adventure.

Personalized Attention

With us, you are not just passengers. We pay special attention to every detail to make your experience unique. Whether it’s to celebrate a special occasion or to accommodate specific requests, we ensure that your Citroën 2CV tour is perfectly tailored to your expectations.

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Getting around paris, paris travel guide, paris essentials, train travel, paris arrondissements, tour paris in an iconic citroën 2cv with a private driver.

The Citroën 2CV is the most recognizable car ever produced in France and is still cited for its classic minimalist design and solid engineering. Now, imagine seeing Paris from your own private 2CV, with a knowledgeable chauffeur taking you to all the must-see landmarks — the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur and many others!

Essentially, all 2CV tours are private tours, since only 3 passengers can fit it the car. So, you alway receive special attention. We love it at night with the top of the care wide open. There are 2CV activities during the day, at night, that include hidden Paris speciality routes, or that include dinners and wine tasting. We can't imagine having more fun in a car!

Classic Paris Tour in a 2CV

This tour is "classic" in that it takes you to the classic, iconic and beautiful monuments of Paris in the space of a morning or afternoon. Like all the private tours we recommend, it's a fabulous way to get to know the city, and to see a lot in a short time. We also like that it includes pickup and drop off at your Paris address.

Exclusive – 3-Hour Private 2CV Tour + Ladurée

Start with pickup at your hotel, jump in the classic 2CV, and have your private driver/guide tour you around the top monuments and most interesting neighborhoods of Paris.

But this activity has a twist that we absolutely love — you take a break for tea and pastry at the legendary Paris tearoom, Ladurée . That's almost worth the price of the tour by itself!

Private Paris Highlights Tour in a Citroën 2CV

It's easy to spot the iconic monuments of Paris, through the windows and open top of a classic 2CV with an expert driver/guide. Your car meets you at your hotel and whisks you around Paris to see the things that make the city so special. This activity is available every day.

Romantic Dinner Cruises In Paris

Paris and montmartre by night tour in a 2cv.

What's better than a day spent tooling around in one of those crazy, kooky 2CVs? Nighttime in Paris, that's what! With a private driver, climbing up the hill to romantic Montmartre.

You driver picks you up at your Paris address (and return you later) and shows you the best of Paris iconic monuments by night. But then, you're driven up the hill of Montmartre to enjoy the view of that village-within-a-city. You end up at the highest point in the city, at the Sacré-Coeur Basilica.

Impressed? We haven't even mentioned the best part. While you're touring the city by night you'll be sipping champagne inside of your 2CV.

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Copyright © 2010-2024 Voconces Culinary Ltd, all rights reserved. Original photos © Mark Craft, all rights reserved.

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CEDRIC’S PARIS TOURS

The authentic citroën 2cv tour in paris.

We offer private and customized sightseeing tours of our city with our own convertible 2cv cars!

All you have to do is choose the ride you like, we're waiting for you, our paris tours:, paris by night 🌙, romantic night tour 🌙, x-mas lights tour 🌙, highlights tour, old paris tour, montmartre & sacré-cœur, paris off the beaten path, family tour, bachelorette tour, paris unique photo tour, the city of lights.

A “Midnight in Paris” vibe

An unforgettable light show

Paris' iconic sites!

Saint Germain, Le Marais & Le Quartier Latin

A unique area...

Saint-Martin canal, Belleville, hidden gems...

Multiple car tours!

Bachelorette party!

Tour with a photographer

Tours of Paris and Montmartre in the mythic Citroën 2CV.

[email protected]

+33 7 64 70 91 26

Tour of Paris

Book your next tour with us.

Get to the heart of Paris and feel its pulse. From the famous monuments to the tiniest streets (some so secret the locals don’t know them), get a ride in this cute little vintage car, the Citroen 2CV. Its a convertible (but can be closed if cold outside). We can pick you up anywhere in Paris, be it your hotel, airbnb, restaurant or train station.

Ready for adventure? Let’s go!

What you don’t want

❌ You don’t want to miss out on Paris beauty but have little time ⏰ on your hands

❌ You don’t want to walk tirelessly for hours, have to take the subway (metro) full of people and be stressed out 🚇 , and not know if the guide really knows what he’s talking about 🧐🤔

❌ You don’t want to be in a bus full of outsiders with a guide with a monotone voice telling you about the city (if you’re lucky, otherwise you’ll get to listen to a tape recording that will put you to sleep!🥱 😴 )

❌ You don’t want to be stuck in a traffic jam 🤬unable to get out and definitely not going thru the little streets that are the most noteworthy. The big bus is for the big streets, not the tiny streets.

What you want instead

✅ A full, personalized and intimate experience tailored to your needs.

✅ Something out of the box, fun 🤩 and not boring

✅ See Paris in the best way possible with an open roof cosy vintage car, for a panoramic comfy experience

✅ Someone who knows how to navigate Paris crazy traffic and the shortcuts to escape and not be stuck in it, and enjoying the beauty of if instead.

✅ Going out of the paved road and venturing in the tiniest little streets no bus could ever take.

✅ Save time and energy to really discover the core of the city, effortlessly 

✅ Get amazing memories in your mind, but also thru pictures 📸 and videos 🎥 

✅ Feel the vibe of the city and get to know its secrets 🤫 thanks to a local Parisian who actually knows what he’s talking about 

We offer tours of Paris in the legendary Citroën 2CV. Convertible, cute and funny, it attracts attention and sympathy while allowing you to admire Paris in all its splendor, with its convertible roof.  Accompanied by old French music 🎶, you will experience a step back in time. All this for an unusual experience. We will drive through the small secret alleys of Paris, full of history and charm. Every nook, square, sidewalk dotted with street lamps, for a feast for the eyes. It is a way of compressing time by seeing a large number of things in the time the tour lasts, and of feeling a particular emotion, like in a movie. You are the main character. Are you ready? Let's go. Beep beep!!

Whether you come here for the first time or are familiar already with the city, we’ll make sure your time spent with us will be sensational and you make the best of this experience in this magical city with such a charming atmosphere.   And have the best pictures to remember it (or to show off to your friends :-) )   If you are here for 1h, 2, 3 or even 5, we’ll make sure to make your time memorable and money well spent for an incredible unforgettable memory of this phenomenal city.   We are here to serve you so that the city of lights combined with our expertise will transfer those lights (or stars ⭐️) in your eyes.    In the day or night, under the sun ☀️ or under the rain 🌧, solo, in a couple or with friends, doing this tour in this little vintage convertible Citroen will prove to be a good investment, as fun and lovely memories will be the result of such a decision.   Have fun!

Whichever tour you choose, we have the resources and experience necessary to make it perfect. You will understand why this is so french once we take the little streets only this car can take, displaying the typical french lanterns we call « réverbères ».   Back then, Emily in Paris didn’t exist. But it coincides with the places I show you. Whether you want to feel special like the 2 actresses eating at the Maison Rose, taking a hot chocolate to meet Hemingway in café de Flore as in Midnight in Paris, read a book in Shakespeare and Co as in the movie Before Sunset, listen to Jazz in Caveau de la Huchette like in La La Land or have a midnight walk on the place of Rue du Haut Pavé, as in the Devil Wears Prada, you will have many occasions to feel like in a movie. Yes except you are the main actor, and it’s all happening in one scene, not multiple cuts. So be ready for an outstanding experience that will leave you wondering whether this is for real or all but a dream. We have various tours, of different areas. If you are ready to make a reservation, you can click the "Book Online" tab, or the "Learn More" button below to know more about what we do!

Merci pour votre envoi !

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Citroen 2cv Paris Tour

rinpadvAs a former Paris scooter tour guide know first had how great it is seeing Paris from the safety of a car and the relaxation of being able to kick back and soak it all in. So lets kick thing of by answering the first question that’s on everyone mind.

What is a 2cv Paris tour?

It is a sightseeing tour that has gained a fair amount of support from tourists visiting Paris. Some people take the time to hire 2CV car to take their own Citroen tour, and some use a tour company that specializes in 2cv Paris tours.

Citroen 2cv Tour Prices

We found just what your looking for! all the tickets, all the prices, all in one place for your 2cv Paris car tour…

BOOK YOUR 2CV TOURS HER E… 

What Is A 2CV? In France, 2CV cars are rather more popular than in the rest of the world. A 2CV is a vintage car that is often referred to as a Dodoche or Deuche because the 2CV is pronounced as “Deux Chevaux” in France. Between 1948 and 1990, Citroen where producing 2CV cars as a staple economy car in France. At the time, it had a very unconventional look, it had superior engineering, and was uncompromisingly utilitarian. When it was first released, it was considered to be technologically advanced. At first, the 2CV was created to help smallholders that were still using horses and carts, but by 1953, it was winning awards for technical ingenuity. The look is different but adorable, which is why the 2cv tour Paris trend has emerged over the last few years.              

Are 2CV Tours Expensive?

Hiring a 2CV car yourself and using it for a sightseeing adventure may seem like a real and very authentic way of getting around the city, but it is probably the most expensive way. After all, the people who are willing to lend you their vintage cars are often looking for a large deposit and a hefty fee to mitigate the risk of you damaging their car. Furthermore, it is tough to get cheap insurance for a vintage car, especially if you are not the registered owner. However, there are people that are willing to rent out their cars, and there are insurance companies that will insure you, but the cost is rather high.

If you wish to check out some prices here is a list of a number of different 2CV Tour At Different Prices..

Your other alternative is to approach a company that offers car tours and ask if they have a 2CV car tour. The car tours Paris has to offer are actually more varied than the bus tours, especially since the idea of private tours is rather popular in Paris. Taking a car tour is dramatically cheaper than hiring a taxi to take you around. Obviously, taking a 2CV car tour is going to cost you more than a bus tour because the trip is more personal, but you may be pleasantly surprised by the rates that private car tour companies are offering.

What Do Other Tourists Think Of 2CV tours?

The popularity of 2CV car tours is an indication that tourists like and enjoy the idea of a personal tour of Paris in a vintage car, but what do people think of the tours themselves?

As you can imagine, each tourist has a different experience depending upon the company running the tour and the staff they hire, but they also have a different experience based on their (the tourists) personality, their expectations, and the local conditions such as the weather and traffic conditions.

Many of the online reviews say that it is the guide who makes or breaks the experience. If you get a good guide, especially one that speaks fluent English and is personable, then you increase your chances of having a good time.

Some people enjoy the personal feeling that the tour gives them, and many enjoy having tourists photograph them in the vintage car. The car itself tends to draw a moderate amount of attention, which adds to the glamour of the experience.

In some cases you might find that the classic  2CV tours takes you places that you wouldn’t have thought of visiting, and to places that you didn’t know were important or historic. It is a great learning experience, and if you have a good guide, it is also very interesting and fun.

What Could You See In Paris In a 2cv Car

There are some places, such as Barcelona and London, where taking public transport will get you to the landmarks the fastest, but in Paris it is a little different. You are better off making your trip to each landmark via car. Firstly, you get to see the sights, and secondly, it may be quicker than taking public transport. Here are a few places that your 2cv tour Paris experience shouldn’t be without if you are driving yourself. They are also the places that car tours Paris companies will take you if you ask.

• Place des Vosges
• The Musée du Quai Branly
• The Petit Palais
• La Madeleine
• The Champs de Mars
• Dauphine Place
• The Saint Louis Isle
• The Ile de la Cité
• The Champs-Elysées
• Saint Sulpice Place
• The Panthéon
• The Alexandre III Bridge
• The Luxembourg Garden
• The Musée d’Orsay
• The Place de la Concorde
• The Trocadéro
• The Eiffel Tower
• The Institut de France
• The Palais de l’Elysée
• The Opéra Garnier
• The Pont des Arts
• Notre-Dame de Paris
• Saint Germain des Prés District
• The Place Vendôme
• The Arc de Triomphe
• The Invalides
• The Grand Palais
• The Musée du Louvre

Things To Note When Booking Your Tour

It is unlikely that you will be able to see all of the sights with just a day of touring, so why not try the places that are either miles from your hotel, or that are slightly trickier to visit by public transport.

The weather is going to affect your experience, but it only becomes a problem if your visibility is altered, otherwise you shouldn’t let a little wind or rain spoil your day.

Some tours either happen at night or go into the night, and you should consider a drive after the sun goes down because some of Paris’s landmarks look truly magical when they are artificially lit up at night.

A good guide will have no problem negotiating the traffic and zipping down little streets. Having an experienced driver behind the wheel makes all the difference. Remember to check online reviews before you choose a tour company and book a tour because it will help you avoid some of the less reputable companies that are here today and gone tomorrow.

As a final Gage of just how good an authentic, classic Citroen 2cv Paris tour is i often like to refer to TripAdvisor  for a rating and review system. At the time this was written a tour of Paris in a 2cv has a rating of 5/5 stars overall out of over 1000 people . It also is ranked #9 as best tours to do in pairs out of over 900 tours .

Have a great tour… BOOK YOUR 2CV TOURS HER E… 

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“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” – Ernest Hemingway.

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2CVParisTour.com

The Classic 2CV Tour

2cvparistour : paris sightseeing tours by 2cv.

This is our very classic tour!

Discover Paris during 1 hour in a vintage French 2CV car. We have designed this tour very carefully, and we keep improving it all the time! From one place to another, we always try to find the most charming streets and the little secrets of Paris.

With the Classic 2CV Tour, you can see* :

The Eiffel Tower The Champs de Mars The Trocadéro The Arc de Triomphe The Champs-Elysées The Grand Palais The Petit Palais The Place of Concorde The Madeleine The Opéra Garnier The Invalides The Louvre Museum The Alexandre III Bridge The Place Vendôme Notre Dame

All of this by the legendary 2CV car!

( * Each ride is unique! The itinerary can therefore be slightly different or customized according to your wishes! )

Arc de Triomphe

Place Vendôme

Opéra Garnier

Petit Palais

The Church of Madeleine

Champs-Elysées

The Louvre Museum

Grand Palais

Au Mouton et au Faucheur

Duration : 1hr

Price : 9 0€ per car (  1 to 3 people ), booking : first departure from 11am – last  from 10pm, pick up : anywhere from the 1st to the 8th district, book the classic 2cv tour.

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Paris sightseeing tours in a French 2CV car!

Tuesday, July 16, 2024 5:09 am (Paris)

• French Politics
• Automobile industry

Renault, the new official car of the French presidency

For Bastille Day on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron traveled across Paris in the Renault Rafale, the new presidential car.

By  Jean-Michel Normand

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The time has come for a change in the Elysée's fleet of cars. Reserved for the DS brand (Stellantis Group) since 2012, the president's official car is now a Renault. For the Bastille Day celebrations on July 14, Emmanuel Macron drove from the Elysée Palace to the Avenue de Friedland on Sunday in the Renault Rafale, described by the brand as its "new flagship."

During his first election, in 2017, Macron used a DS7, an SUV that he renewed in 2021 by adopting a plug-in hybrid version. Five years earlier, François Hollande had driven down the Champs-Elysées in a DS5, in the pouring rain.

Renault's presence in the president's garage is a major coup, highlighting a vehicle that is intended to embody the company's new top-of-the-range ambitions. The Rafale – the automaker owns this name, which it authorized Dassault Aviation to use for its fighter jet – is also a large SUV (4.70 meters long), reflecting the success of this type of vehicle on the automotive market.

Intense lobbying

The new car, manufactured in Spain, is presented with a "night-blue" body paint finish, is specially armored, and is "in keeping with the requirements of the presidential function," according to the manufacturer. It features a grille with a gradient representation of the tricolor flag, as well as removable banner holders and special 20-inch wheels.

After intense but discreet lobbying, Renault managed to win the contract before DS – which is unable to offer its DS9 sedan, produced in China – could renew its DS7. Since the 2010s, official "carriage" cars have been loaned by manufacturers rather than purchased.

The Rafale is part of a long tradition of presidential Renaults, inaugurated in 1920 by the 40 CV that carried former presidents Paul Deschanel, Alexandre Millerand and Gaston Doumergue. Since the early days of the Fifth Republic, however, it has been Citroën that has most often been chosen by the tenants of the Elysée, following in the footsteps of General De Gaulle and Georges Pompidou, who placed an order for the famous 1972 SM découvrable, which he used until 1995.

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French Cars Invaded NYC Last Weekend

I 've heard of Jeep's and muscle cars lining up for 4th of July parades. And I've even heard of Italian car clubs in the U.S. meeting to celebrate Columbus Day. But this is a new one for me: French cars parading through New York City for Bastille Day.

Fête nationale française  (French National Day) is a celebration held on July 14th every year. It is much like the USA's 4th of July. It commemorates the day in 1879 that French revolutionists stormed the Bastille, an armory, fortress, and prison in the middle of Paris that was loyal to the King of France. The yearly celebration is also known as "Bastille Day." But it also commemorates a less bloody day: on the one-year anniversary of the storming of Bastille (1790), the French people officially unified as a democracy.

On the 14th of July, French citizens and francophiles all over the world gather to celebrate Bastille Day. And New York City is no exception. One of my favorite aspects of the celebration was a parade of French cars.

Common French car brands include Peugeot , Renault, and Citroën. Over the years, they have produced some charming and quirky vehicles. So parades of French cars are always a joy.

This year's New York City parade included a lovely old Citroēn van, classic Renault sports cars, luxurious Traction Avants, futuristic Citroën DS cars, and of course many deux chevaux es. That's the Citroën "2CV" which was nicknamed for its two taxable horsepower and is a sort of French VW Beetle.

Citroën 2CVs are relatively inexpensive as classic cars go, but feature fabulous Art Deco era styling. So their owners tend to be an interesting, diverse group. The Citroën club is one of the main forces driving the annual Bastille day French car parade.

Next, learn how the Tour de France stage ratings might have been inspired by a 2CV's gearing , or see the New York Times' coverage of the Bastille Day car parade in the video below:

The post French Cars Invaded NYC Last Weekend appeared first on MotorBiscuit .

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Malcolm Moore in London and Kana Inagaki in Tokyo

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Saudi Aramco is betting the internal combustion engine will be around for a “very, very long time” as the world’s largest oil company spots a business opportunity from the rise of the electric car.

The state-owned oil group, which made $500bn in revenues last year mainly from producing and selling crude, last month took a €740mn, 10 per cent stake in Horse Powertrain, a company dedicated to building fuel-based engines.

The calculation by Saudi Aramco and the other shareholders in Horse, Chinese carmaker Geely and its French peer Renault, is that as the industry stops designing and developing its own combustion engines, it will start buying them from third parties.

“It will be incredibly expensive for the world to completely stamp out, or do without internal combustion engines,” said Yasser Mufti, the executive vice-president at Saudi Aramco responsible for the deal. “If you look at affordability and a lot of other factors, I do think they will be around for a very, very long time.”

Asked if he thought there would be internal combustion engines forever, Mufti said yes. Saudi Aramco has previously said it believes that even in 2050, more than half of all cars will still run on some sort of fuel. 

In 2021, the demise of the internal combustion engine (ICE) seemed assured after carmakers including Ford, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz, and governments including the UK, pledged to end sales of new petrol and diesel engines between 2035 and 2040. 

But with growth in electric vehicle sales slowing and trade protectionism rising, the future of ICEs is looking less bleak.

“We believe that as far out as 2035, 2040 and even beyond 2040 we still see a significant number of ICE vehicles,” said Matias Giannini, chief executive of Horse. “More than half for sure, and up to 60 per cent of the population will still have some sort of an engine, whether it is pure ICE, a full hybrid or a plug-in hybrid.”

That outlook presents an opportunity to consolidate production. 

Giannini said Horse had already secured “a couple of pieces of business”, and was in talks with several carmakers to supply them with engines.

“We have a variety of new engines coming out, for example, to address legislation,” he said, adding that while a lot of car companies had decided to stop investing in or developing engines in response to new EU standards, “we continued”. 

The joint venture was created a year ago, after Geely and Renault carved out their engine and transmission divisions and joined them together into Horse. The new €7.4bn, 19,000-employee company, which has 17 factories worldwide, is capable of building 3.2mn units a year and wants to produce 5mn, putting it roughly in the same league as Stellantis, the owner of Chrysler, Fiat and Citroën.

“There’s nobody doing what we propose to do,” said Giannini. “If you are a car company today and you are focusing 100 per cent on EVs and all of a sudden you realise that in one region your customers want a hybrid vehicle, you could partner with Horse Powertrain.

“You will still have your branded vehicle,” he added. “Everybody wins. You don’t have to make a big investment, you don’t have to reshuffle your engineering, you can have something much faster, still producing out of your plants, employing people out of your region and offering more options to the final consumer.”

Horse is able to build 80 per cent of the engine types currently on the market, according to Giannini.

Philippe Houchois, an automotive analyst at Jefferies, said it made sense for Geely and Renault to try to achieve scale by combining their manufacturing.

“The transition to EV is slower than some thought, and there are hybrids, which some thought would disappear, so the runway is longer,” said Houchois, adding that smaller car companies such as Honda and Nissan could be potential customers for Horse.

He also predicted that Horse’s “logical playground” for its engines would be in Europe. “In the world today, only Europe wants to kill ICE. Neither the Chinese nor the Americans are working in that direction.”

On the back of booming hybrid sales, Toyota recently developed a new generation of smaller engines with higher fuel efficiency that could potentially also be sold to other carmakers. Stellantis has also invested heavily in the long-term future of combustion-engine vehicles that run on synthetic e-fuels.

Saudi Aramco, meanwhile, has recently stepped up its efforts at building a global network of filling stations.

Last year it said it had 17,200 service stations, almost all in the US, China and Japan. This year it has bought into developing markets such as Chile and Pakistan, where the market for petrol and diesel cars is expected to have a longer tail.

Mufti said Saudi Aramco would focus on buying “well-managed” filling station networks where there was “strong demand” for fuels and “markets that offer growth opportunities”.

The Saudi oil major has also invested in research labs in Paris, Detroit and Shanghai, where it is trying to develop low-carbon and synthetic fuels.

“Our research with automotive companies and motorsports competitions has reinforced our view that synthetic fuel can be a drop-in solution in existing vehicles to reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector,” said Ahmad al-Khowaiter, Saudi Aramco’s technology and innovation chief, who first proposed the Horse deal.

Saudi Aramco last year bought US lubricant brand Valvoline for $2.65bn, and all engines produced by Horse will have their “first fill” with Valvoline products. 

Mufti said combustion engines could still see “significant improvements” that would make them competitive against EVs not just on cost but also on sustainability, especially factoring in the emissions and environmental impact of building vehicles. 

The venture’s success will depend on whether other carmakers are willing to put their trust in a company born out of their rivals.

“Not everybody understands at this point what the business model looks like,” said Giannini, adding that Horse needed to communicate that it was “an independent company to support everybody and not only its mother companies”.

But Mufti said he was confident that pragmatism would prevail. “At the end of the day everyone is here to make money,” he said, adding that carmakers were used to outsourcing to suppliers and that if Horse’s engines proved to be cost-effective and more efficient, “there’s a lot of value proposition there”.

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Rumor Has it The Tiny Citröen 2CV’s Gearing Dictated the Tour de France Stages

A gaggle of bicyclists are currently ripping around the French countryside in a spectacle that will make even an ironman triathlete self-conscious about their fitness. The first Tour de France was held in 1903, though in the route has changed a bit in the past 121 years. Rumor has it that the modern 20+ stage route, mapped out in 1947, is graded based on the gearing of Citröen’s adorable two horsepower 2CV.

Citröen first pioneered a front engine, FWD layout with its Traction Avant. But the expensive car did little to bring transportation to the masses. By WWII, a surprising number of French farmers still used horses and carts. So after the war, Citroën finally rolled out its budget-friendly and capable 2CV.

The car’s full name was the deux chevaux , which is French for “two horses.” The vehicle had two “taxable” horsepower. But don’t let the name fool you. Its BHP was rated at a mighty nine horsepower. I’ve ridden in a 2CV and am here to tell you, shifting isn’t optional.

The 2CV featured long-travel suspension because very little of France’s roads were paved yet. It also had a windshield-to-rear-bumper canvas sunroof. Once you folded it up, you could basically use the thing like a tiny truck. The roof also gave it the adorable nickname, “umbrella on wheels.”

While the 2CV’s engineering was relatively advanced, its bodywork and glass was all flat, to make it easier to repair. You can think of it as the VW Beetle of France. And it was the world’s first FWD car to sell more than a million units because it proved so popular all over the world.

As you can imagine, a nine horsepower first-generation Citröen 2CV would struggle with some of the hills the Tour de France bicyclists navigate in the Alps and Pyrenees mountains. On many of these hills you need to downshift severely. And, interestingly, they are categorized with “1” as the steepest. It is easy to imagine the Tour’s 1947 route planners in a little 2CV, grading each hill based on how many gears they had to drop. And this may be why this has been such a persistent myth.

The cycling publication Rouleur wrote, “Legend has it that the classifications were originally decided with a Citroën 2CV car, with the climb’s category judged to be the same as the gear necessary to motor up it.”

Rouleur interviewed Thierry Gouvenou, the Tour’s current race director, responsible for mapping the race route. He felt the legend was just that. “Perhaps the story came from a drunken night between journalists…In cycling we have so many stories like that that have been embellished over time. Maybe there’s some truth in it somewhere, but I’m not convinced.”

Gouvenou may be right. But my Tour de France headcanon will always include a team of sporting Frenchmen motoring around the countryside, planning the route of a race to reinvigorate their country after WWII, crawling up hills in a determined little 2CV so slowly it would be quicker to get out and pedal, and grading each climb based on the deux chevaux’s gear. Then stopping at the summit to let the poor thing cool down while enjoying a picnic and maybe a bottle of wine.

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Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.

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New York Today

Bastille day on the upper east side.

L’Alliance New York will celebrate the 14th of July with festivities marking the 235th anniversary of the famous storming of a Paris prison.

By James Barron

Good morning. It’s Friday. Today, and on Fridays through the summer, we’ll focus on things to do in New York over the weekend.

You’ll probably hear the phrase “vive le 14 juillet” — French for “long live the 14th of July” — on a four-block stretch of Madison Avenue on Sunday afternoon.

On the 14th of July in 1789, a Parisian mob stormed the Bastille, a prison that had come to symbolize everything that was wrong under the Bourbons’ despotic monarchy. That first victory against the “ancien régime” has long been celebrated as Bastille Day.

“We always refer to Bastille Day as ‘la prise de la Bastille,” or “the taking of the Bastille,” said Tatyana Franck, the president of L’Alliance New York, which is organizing the Bastille Day street fair on Sunday. “This is ‘la prise de Madison,’ a celebration of the values that France holds dear” — including “liberté, égalité, fraternité.”

For Francophiles and Francophones in New York and elsewhere, this Bastille Day is especially meaningful. Not only is 2024 the 235th anniversary of the uprising at the prison; it is the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s return visit to the United States (he arrived in August 1824). Franck, a former Alpine skier and former director of the Picasso archives in Paris and Geneva, mentioned the longstanding friendship between France and the United States that was underscored during the recent D-Day commemoration.

And the world will be watching, as the Olympics get underway in Paris in a couple of weeks.

Franck said there would be a nod to the Olympics with soccer and games organized by Asphalt Green, a Manhattan nonprofit that provides sports and fitness programs, along with fencing demonstrations. And there will be places to play pétanque, or boules, which Franck acknowledged is not an Olympic sport but is very French. (The game is somewhat similar to bocce.)

The celebration on Sunday, which starts at noon and runs until 5 p.m., will stretch from 59th to 63rd Street on Madison Avenue, and along 60th Street from Fifth to Madison Avenue. Even the cars on 60th Street will be French, once the Greater New York Citroën & VéloSolex Club’s annual Bastille Day cavalcade arrives. The drivers — fans of old French cars that had distinctive sideways-teardrop styling — will first gather at West 122nd Street and Riverside Drive at 10:30 a.m. By the time they pull up in front of L’Alliance New York’s headquarters, they will have driven around Columbus Circle and through Times Square.

If you’ve always wanted to paste your picture on a poster on Madison Avenue, stop at “Inside Out Project” truck between 59th and 60th Streets. People who are photographed in the truck can put their images on posters that will form a blocklong mural as part of a participatory project called “Les visages de la Francophonie” (“Faces of the French-speaking World”) by the photographer and street artist known as JR.

If you want wine or Champagne, there will be rosé and bubbly parties in Le Skyroom on the eighth floor of L’Alliance New York’s headquarters at 22 East 60th Street at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The schedule for the afternoon also calls for a performance of “Blank Placard Dance, replay” by the French choreographer Anne Collod at 12:30 p.m.

It’s a re-enactment of a demonstration created by the choreographer Anna Halprin amid the civil rights and antiwar protests of the 1960s, with performers carrying blank signs. L’Alliance New York says that people at the Bastille Day celebration can suggest what should be written on the signs.

At L’Alliance’s headquarters, the animated film “Chicken for Linda!” (“Linda veut du poulet!”) is to be screened at 2 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the lights will go down for the 2023 film “Daaaaaali!” It’s a comedy about a journalist who has several encounters with the surrealist Salvador Dalí for a documentary that never quite comes together.

L’Alliance New York is the new name for the organization long known as the French Institute Alliance Française. It was created in 1972 through a merger: Alliance Française, which was formed in 1898 to teach French, joined forces with the French Institute, which dated to 1911 and was set up to organize exhibitions of French art.

Franck said the four-word name was “not clear,” and — voilà — it became L’Alliance, which is the same in French and English.

“It’s also a very chic, very elevating word,” she said, “‘Alliance’ embraces our inclusivity, our innovation and our curiosity, and it’s a very modern name.”

Weekend Weather

On Friday and Saturday , prepare for a chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the morning and evening. Temperatures will climb to the high 80s.

Sunday will be mostly clear and free of rain, with temperatures in the low 90s during the day and, at night, in the mid-70s.

ALTERNATE-SIDE PARKING

In effect until Aug. 13 (Tisha B’Av).

What Else to Do This Weekend

Family-friendly events.

Family Day at the Queens Museum: Head to Queens on Sunday for a day of workshops, interactive installations and exhibition tours with Cas Holman, an artist and toy innovator, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

West Side Fest: Beginning on Friday, the West Side Cultural Network is celebrating all that Manhattan’s West Side has to offer, with free events stretching from Bank Street to West 30th Street. The fest includes open studios and rehearsals, workshops, free admission to Poster House, Dia Chelsea and the NYC Aids Memorial (to name a few), and more, throughout the weekend.

Kids in Motion: Hosted by NYC Parks, this drop-in program brings free activities — such as games, organized sports and crafts — to parks across the city, including Herbert Von King in Brooklyn and Ben Abrams Playground in the Bronx, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all weekend.

Arts and Culture

Picnic performances at Bryant Park: On Friday at 7 p.m., catch a free performance by Thandiswa Mazwai , a South African singer-songwriter and bandleader, in Midtown as a part of the Carnegie Hall Citywide concert series.

Community in poetry: Starting on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Governors Island, the 13th Annual New York City Poetry Festival will play host to two days of readings by local poets and poetry lovers across five mainstages.

The arts return to Governors Island: On Saturday, the Arts Center at Governors Island is celebrating its reopening with the exhibition “ Love Tapes ” by Wendy Clarke from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Free events and exhibitions will continue at the center through Sept. 29.

Summer Vintage Bazaar: Shop unique vintage, antiques and other goods from over 100 local vendors and dealers on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Manhattan. Admission is free. (The host, Grand Bazaar NYC, has also pledged to donate 100 percent of profits to four local public schools.)

Manhattanhenge 2, maybe : The summer spectacle known as Manhattanhenge — when the setting sun lines up with the street grid — makes a return appearance tonight and tomorrow. Given the forecast, Saturday evening could be more promising than tonight.

Forest Fitness Class: Head up to Fort Tryon Park on Saturday for a free fitness class , which includes a tree identification lesson, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

City of Water Day: Learn more about the waters of the New York region during the 17th annual City of Water Day , taking place across the five boroughs, as well as Westchester and Rockland Counties and New Jersey, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.

For more events in New York, here’s a list of what to do this month .

METROPOLITAN diary

The reminder

Dear Diary:

A dear friend visited me from California. After our visit, she was going to the Bronx to see her mother. She hailed a taxi, and I hugged her as the driver loaded her luggage into the trunk.

“Call me when you get to your mom,” I said.

A half-hour later, she called.

“I am calling to tell you I arrived,” she said, “and the cabdriver reminded me to call you.”

Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and read more Metropolitan Diary here .

Glad we could get together here. See you Monday. — J.B.

P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee . You can find all our puzzles here .

Geordon Wollner and Ed Shanahan contributed to New York Today. You can reach the team at [email protected] .

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James Barron writes the New York Today newsletter, a morning roundup of what’s happening in the city. More about James Barron