In which Sid and Doris take old Hermann to the classic car street circuit racing around the town walls of Angoulême in the Charente.
The winding 1,300 metre street circuit was first used for an eighty lap Grand Prix in 1939. Following a period when Citroen Tractions Avant mythically raced Opels and Mercedes, Formula Two came back to the streets from 1947 to 1951.
Well supported by the town and department of Charente, the Remparts is now a three day festival of car stuff with races on the original circuit. Classic Travelling made our arrangements for ferries, hotels, access, stands, entry into one of the Saturday ‘rallies’ and provided an experienced host (who brought his own MGC Roadster). For your first time it’s a good way in.
Herman had his pretty hard top on as rain was forecast for the first day of the trip. Our Remparts d’Angoulême went like this: Wednesday evening ferry from Portsmouth where there were MGs, Tigers, TRs, Healeys, Corvettes, AMGs, Jaguars with some driven by our fellow travellers.
The drive to Angouleme was split across two days. We stopped for lunch in Vitré where we were so laid back we went castle bashing. See above for perfect French fortified 15th century château.
Sid bought a copy of Gazoline. 
This has much in common with Practical Classics and in this edition continued their rebuild of a Matra Djet. Picture later, but it does all join up.
Dinner that Thursday evening was in Saumur on a replica of the type of open wooden barge used to carry building sand on the Loire in the company of our fellow travellers. Could have been terrible but Wily Sid dressed for winter North Atlantic. And in a tributary we saw a real beaver.
On Friday we drove down to the hotel in Angouleme which was hard to approach given the amount of roads closed to fill the place up with Pacific Grove style car shows and a street race circuit. Stuff just sitting about in the street, as above.
Or here. The Bugatti paddock was full of a special breed of French car loon with floppy hair, big designer frames and very possibly a cigar as seen on the Mille Miglia. The satchel hanging off the side might look very like affectation, but there really isn’t anywhere for spares or luggage. Unless you had it trailered in.
Doris very taken with a Renault 8 Gordini. Storming 1397cc rear engine on twin Weber carbs. Very lovely. When presented with one for sale in UK Doris passed.
On Saturday we and Hermann set out for the “International Rally” after more than an hour in the holding control. Effectively this is a miles long public-road queueing opportunity to get to a coffee halt that had us pining for the competence of Goodwood or our own Southern Car Club.
Above a participant in mid engined R5 Turbo. On the Corsica rally persons of enormous talent could keep them pointing mostly forward on tarmac. The Rally speeds on Saturday were only a challenge for the cooling system.
As we left the coffee spot (that we had cut route to visit) Hermann started making bad rear brakes bound on noises.
After four visits to garages who were desolé they could not help we found these Turks who discovered the driver’s side rear pads destroyed, though I was sure we’d started with plenty of pad and disc. Back to the hotel to make more efforts to cure on Monday morning.
In the meantime here are cars from early Paris Dakar, a very different event from now and mostly French.
The Simca Rallye a favourite of ours. See André Chappement to know why.
A UK Alvis, but not ours. This is a 12/50 perhaps a late 1920s model with about 52bhp. Perfectly OK for a two day run from Caen. We hope for more. And a car, of course.
Just nice cars everywhere with exhibits from TVR, Venturi, Jaguar, Renault, Bugatti, Citroen…
Ditto. A Matra Djet for you looking smart on period Dunlop wheels.
On Saturday night the Formula Junior teams kindly adopted S and D for the evening, seen here in the paddock on race day. Behind is the Junior of US racer Richard Spritz.
Race Sunday was loads of fun, especially the Minis (well suited to this narrow track) and the 1960s cars. Romain Dumas raced a Porsche and was magic to watch.
Monday morning we got early into Garage Gire where Monsieur said he would sort out the pads. The caliper is shared with early 911s so he would have spares and sort out the jammed piston.
Then a long drive to the Channel, dinner in Ouistreham (a surprisingly nice port) then night boat and so home.
S and D recommend Angouleme.