France + All Things French
Have you noticed how often you hear car horns honking when walking the streets of Paris? It is a sound that is synonymous with any busy global city, but Parisian drivers seem to make more noise pressing their car horns than many other cities I've spent time in (well, maybe on par with New York and Shanghai). However, Paris is the city of light and romance so shouldn't it be quieter!
Our first trip to our new French village holiday house was only days after settlement of the property had been completed and we had planned a full and varied holiday of purchasing furniture, meeting our neighbours, sightseeing and generally enjoying being in our new French holiday home and fitting it out.
We decided to fly from Australia to Frankfurt, Germany and then make our way to the house in the region of Côtes d’Armor, Brittany sightseeing along the way.
Living in France continually surprises us with the new things we learn. Let me tell you about one of the men in our village called Monsieur Yves, or as we dubbed him, Monsieur All-About. Monsieur All-About drives a very tiny car, which we later learned was an Aixam. Monsieur All-About seemed to drive in circles around the village all the time. Round and round he went.
Who doesn't love the Citroen 2CV? It's the iconic French car loved the world over. The Citroen 2CV holds a romantic place in many hearts as the classic French family car that provided freedom at an affordable price and with loads of style. Today, they are collected, restored and loved across the globe.
Citroen’s 2CV, purportedly the icon of founder Andre Citroen’s career, was designed with the aim of ‘maximum mobility at minimal cost’ (Reynolds 22). The final result left the market speechless; some in indignation and others in sheer surprise at the ingenuity.
More French than a baguette is the Deux Chevaux or French Citroen 2CV which is also known affectionately as the ‘tin snail’. There is no disputing the enduring popularity of this iconic French classic car. My love affair with this little car has developed over the years I have been visiting France and I always look out for them when touring around the country.
If you too have a love of the ‘tin snail’ then here’s a brief article on the car and where you can find tours and hire vehicles in France.
If you want to enjoy this classic car when in France there are a number of car rental agencies and tour operators that specialise in 2CVs. Snail’s Pace Holidays is one company: they suggest you pack a picnic, roll back the roof and enjoy driving around the beautiful South West of France at a snail’s pace.
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