RETROMOBILE PARIS 2023

FAINE VISITS THE FRENCH VERSION OF CLASSIC HEAVEN

- JON FAINE

PRETTY MUCH every reader of this fine organ will have visited the occasional car show. Try to imagine one without a single Monaro, Torana or Ford GT-HO. And barely an American presence, only a few Mustangs or Corvettes and not even a passing mention of Bathurst. 

Instead, multiple Bugatti and Bentley scattered around the place, dozens – yes dozens – of early Maserati and Ferrari jostling for floor space, more between-the-war coach-built exotics than you can count, and an eye-glazing endless array of early Porsche, XK Jaguars and Pagoda-top and early Mercs amongst the glittering jewels. Add in the occasional marque you have never heard of, and we have set the scene for Retromobile 2023.

Occupying three gigantic exhibition halls in the middle of Paris, just minutes by Metro from the Eiffel Tower, it should be on your bucket list, as it was on mine and this year offered me my chance. It is not just the cars, which are mouth-watering in their variety and quality – but also the clothing, books, model cars, automotive art, sculpture, ornaments, watches, tools, ephemera, spare parts and collectables on sale.

For those who stop for lunch, it should be no surprise that the catering runs to oysters, prawns and snails as well as the obligatory platters of cheese and charcuterie. Not a meat pie in sight. And – not a word of a lie – there are champagne vendors dotted around the halls, if you want something other than beer or ‘vin rouge’, also in plentiful supply.