Western France

From Normandy and Brittany, to the vineyards of Bordeaux... not forgetting Le Mans!

This region covers Normandy, Brittany, the Pays de la Loire, Poitou-Charentes and much of Aquitaine; it stretches from the western Channel ports in the North, down the Atlantic coast to the vineyards of Bordeaux.

The concours d’élégance in Deauville.

Racing through the night at Le Mans. (Courtesy Toyota Motorsport GmbH)

At its centre – in automotive, if not strictly geographical terms – is Le Mans, home to the world’s most famous endurance race for over 90 years. Le Mans extends a special welcome to British visitors, whether they come for the 24 Hours race or one of the classic events held there.

Historic motorsport fans are also in for a treat at Angoulême, where the Circuit des Remparts is one of the few races still run on an original street circuit. Until the 1950s, many more French towns held their own Grand Prix races – there were four in Normandy alone – and today several of these hold revival events, featuring demonstrations on specially recreated circuits.

The coastal resorts of Normandy and Brittany host many of France’s finest concours d’élégance, like those at Deauville and La Baule. Further inland you can visit the museums at Le Mans, Châtellerault or Lohéac – which also hosts France’s biggest autojumble – or drive on one of the many fine circuits in the region.

Contents

1. Manoir de l’Automobile, Lohéac

2. Château de Vernon

3. Le Monde de Jacques, Saint-Laurent du Mottay

4. Musée Auto Moto Vélo de Châtellerault

5. Musée Automobile de Vendée, Talmont-Saint-Hilaire

6. Musée de Mécanique Naturelle, Giverny

7. Musée du Moteur, Saumur

8. Musée Populaire chez Manuel, Migné-Auxances

9. Musée de Sanxet, Pomport

10. Musée des 24 Heures-Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans

11. Les Anciennes en Vallée de l’Eure, Breuilpont

12. Concours d’élégance, La Baule

13. Coupe Florio Saint-Brieuc

14. Dieppe Rétro

15. Elégance Rétrospective Automobile, Sarlat

16. Rallye Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux

17. Rallye Paris-Deauville

18. Rallye Dior Paris-Granville

19. Rallye International du Pays de Fougères

20. Rétro Festival Caen

21. Salon Auto Moto Rétro, Rouen

22. Sport et Collection, Le Vigeant

23. Tour de Bretagne

24. Traversée de Bordeaux

25. Autobrocante, Lohéac

26. Circuit des Remparts, Angoulême

27. Le Mans Classic

28. Le Mans 24 Hours

29. Classic British Welcome, Saint-Saturnin

30. Course de côte (hill climb), Étretat

31. Grand Prix Historique, Bressuire

32. Grand Prix Rétro, Le Puy-Notre-Dame

33. LM Story, Le Mans

34. Circuit Automobile EIA, Pont-l’Évêque

35. Circuit de Bordeaux-Mérignac

36. Circuit de Haute-Saintonge, La Genétouze

37. Circuit de Lohéac

38. Circuit de Loire-Atlantique, Fay-de-Bretagne

39. Circuit Renault, Saint-Just

40. Circuit du Val de Vienne, Le Vigeant

41. Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans

42. Piste Fontenay Pôle 85, Fontenay-le-Comte

The Circuit des Remparts in Angoulême.

Manoir de l’Automobile, Lohéac

With more than 400 cars on show, the Manoir de l’Automobile is one of France’s top car museums. Half-an-hour’s drive south of Rennes, the beautiful village of Lohéac is a haven for enthusiasts. As well as its museum, which opened in 1988, they can enjoy its circuit and frequent events. The village owes its revival to one man, Michel Hommell, who moved here in 1973 and has built up a thriving magazine business; for several years the Hommell sports cars were built here, and the former factory still maintains them.

Lohéac is renowned for its collection of Alpine berlinettes.

Once a farm building, the Manoir is built in the traditional stone of the region.

The museum has a strong focus on sports and racing cars, and features exceptional displays of Hommell’s own cars, from the very first prototype, and the largest permanent collection of Alpine sports cars. Cars on show include early A106 and A108 models, as well as the famous A110 berlinettes and the later A310. There are less common French sports cars from the 1950s and ’60s, too, from manufacturers such as Rispal, René Bonnet and UMAP, and more recent Le Mans contenders such as a Jaguar XJR-11, and Pescarolo’s Courage C36.

The famous Formula 1 hall.

Citroën’s ‘Petite Rosalie’ leads this display of prewar models.

Rally cars are a major strength of the Manoir, which has an exceptional set of Group B cars, including the Lancia 037 that won the World Rally Championship in 1984, a Delta S4, and Peugeot 205 Turbo 16. But even these are just an appetizer before the Formula 1 hall, with its breathtaking line-up of 18 F1 cars from the 1980s and ’90s, from constructors including Ligier, Jordan and McLaren.

Other highlights of the museum include the display of engines in the ‘Chapelle des moteurs,’ and the collection of 3000 model cars, complete with 30 beautiful dioramas by Francis Costanzo. On the upper floor, a series of displays recreate village life and add to the museum’s appeal for all the family.

Stained-glass window in the ‘Chapelle des moteurs.’

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Château de Vernon

At a time when many car museums in France have closed, it’s encouraging to see a new collection open to the public. Not far from the Val de Vienne circuit, the château is a beautiful 17th century listed building, which has been meticulously restored over the past decade.

Two Maseratis: a 1963 3500 GT Sebring and 1973 Merak.

Simca 5 and 8 in the ‘Nursery.’

Its owner, Jean-Pierre Nylin, began his collection of nearly 50 vehicles with a 1953 MG TD, and sports cars from the 1950s onwards continue to be a focus of the displays. English makes are well represented by a rare Jaguar SS 3.5 Cabriolet from 1940, and an original LHD Bentley Type R from 1953. Other marques include a 1959 Facel Vega HK500, a personal favourite of the owner, and an unusual Dinalpin, an A110 berlinette built under licence from Alpine in Mexico. More recent high-performance models include a couple of fine Maseratis, one of only three Lotus Esprit Sport 300s in France, and a Dodge Viper GTS prepared to Le Mans racing spec by Oreca. The charmingly named ‘Nursery’ section of the collection houses some small cars, including a couple of prewar Simcas, a Fiat 500 and a Mini Countryman. All the cars are in running order, and generally in good condition.

The beautifully restored exterior of the Château de Vernon.

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Le Monde de Jacques, Saint-Laurent du Mottay

This delightful site not far from Angers really deserves a section of its own, as there is no other place in this guide quite like it. Imagine stepping back in time to join a car-loving family at a country house party and you are ready to enter the world of Jacques Bru and his partner, Aline Luneteau.

In front of the Château de la Houssaye.

The entrance to the collection. (Courtesy Le Monde de Jacques)

In a château re-built in the 19th century, they have assembled an eclectic mix of old cars and automobilia. One building houses a selection of prewar cars, including a rare 1922 Zédel and an immaculate 1939 Renault Primaquatre cabriolet, often used for family trips. Next door there are more recent classics, from an Austin-Healey Sprite and Triumph TR3, to the legendary Citroën DS and 2CV. Throughout the château you’ll find old motoring books, catalogues and posters to browse through, as well as film and slot car racing rooms to enjoy.

But the motoring décor is only part of what makes this site so special. Jacques and Aline encourage you to stay and enjoy walks in the park, fishing, and horse rides from the stables nearby. Whether for a family or a club, they’ll be happy to arrange picnics, wine-tastings and even hot air ballooning.

Starting a vintage Peugeot Lion, one of the earliest cars in the collection. (Courtesy Le Monde de Jacques)

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Musée Auto Moto Vélo de Châtellerault

This museum must be one of the best-kept secrets for visitors from abroad, but is well worth a stop if you’re heading down the A10 autoroute, perhaps to the Futuroscope outside Poitiers. You won’t miss the distinctive twin chimneys of the building, a former arms factory.

La Manufacture, home to the museum. (Courtesy Musées de Châtellerault)

1961 Dodge Lancer and Simca 1000 in this re-created garage.

Re-opened as a museum by the town authorities in 1998, its impressive and well-presented collection of nearly 200 vehicles covers cars, motorbikes and cycles. Indeed, it’s one of the biggest motorcycle museums in France, displaying models from long-gone manufacturers such as Aiglon, Moto-Rêve or René Gillet, as well as a huge collection of scooters from the 1950s.

The cars on show, many of them French, are informatively presented in chronological order, beginning with a pre-1900 Panhard & Levassor. They include popular models such as the Citroën Traction Avant, but also rarities, such as a unique replica of a 1906 Brouhot, or a Longchamp de Courcy prototype from 1953. Some of the finest cars, however, must be the 1929 Voisin C14 Coach, the beautifully restored Georges Irat MDU from 1937, or the 1949 Delahaye 135M with its elegant bodywork by Guilloré. Looking ahead, the museum is building up a collection of electric cars.

Welcome to the museum! (Courtesy Musées de Châtellerault)

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