There isn’t much that will pull me out of bed early on a weekend away in Paris, but on my most recent visit to France’s capital, I couldn’t miss the Sunday morning event that draws hundreds of auto enthusiasts into the heart of the city. Framed under stunning architecture, the Place Vauban meet is an ode to everything great about the Parisian car scene.
Travelling down a silent Champs-Élysées at 10:00am, the only clue that something out of the ordinary was happening (from every other day of the week at least), were the faint sounds of engine noises.
Turning the corner revealed rows of cars parked roadside, with an ebb and flow of people mingling around them.
The beauty of this meet is its unaffiliated, spontaneous nature, with not a single organiser or governing body. It’s simply a Sunday morning pilgrimage to Place Vauban to socialise over cars.
The meet is chilled and relaxed; there is no pressure nor any barriers to entry. It’s just a good time under the watchful eye of Hôtel des Invalides and the classic buildings surrounding it.
Being the weekend of Retromobile 2024, this particular Sunday instalment featured a heavy influx of cars from other countries – including the UK and Netherlands – in addition to the local attendees.
And those cars included everything from classic Rolls-Royces to Renault Clio RSs, R34 Nissan Skyline GT-Ts and Caterham Seven SuperSprints, to supercar icons and niche French hatchbacks. Equal appreciation was given to all, something that speaks volumes about inclusivity in Parisian car culture.
The overcast, wintery weather was offset by a warm and inviting atmosphere. The hot coffee helped too.
The Place Vauban meet provides a platform for all car enthusiasts to enjoy, be it through socialising, photography or mechanical analysis.
There is something to be said about the power and universal language of car culture. I was able to communicate with French enthusiasts, despite not knowing nearly enough French.
As with any event though, the Place Vauban meet does face its challenges, with an increased police presence tied to the expected complaints that car meets attract. However, from what I saw, the police primarily just looked to maintain safety, keeping people off the street and out of the way of passing traffic, which was great to see.
If you’re ever in Paris on a Sunday, I really can’t recommend the Place Vauban meet enough.
Jack Major
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