Don’t we all wish we could embark on a road trip? If you’re living in the US, you’re probably (and wisely) eschewing any travel this week and inventing new ways to give thanks. If you’re in France –and in many other countries around the world– you’ve been stuck at home, not being allowed to venture beyond a 1 km radius from your domicile. How do we keep our sanity? Perhaps I can entice you to follow me: step into a vintage 2 CV for un petit tour on country roads along the Dordogne river? En voiture, Simone!
The cutest French car ever: la deudeuche!
After winning a photography contest organized by the département du Lot, I was over the moon when the prize was revealed: a half-day rental of a 2 CV! I rode in the back (and in the trunk!) of a 2 CV many times when I was growing up but never had the opportunity to actually drive one. My friend Raegan was set to visit us in September last year and I decided to schedule this little adventure so she could join in. The three of us rode to Blanat, near Rocamadour, where we met Benoit, the manager of Roc N’Roule. After filling in some paperwork, we were introduced to Jeannette, a beautiful Azure 2 CV6 Special! She would be mine for the whole afternoon.
Miss Jeannette takes a break in a quaint village along the way
It didn’t take me long to get reacquainted with the dash-mounted gear shift and it “cue ball” style knob: when I learned to drive, my mother had a Citroën Ami 6 equipped with the same style of manual transmission. As soon as I turned the ignition on, the familiar engine sound filled our ears. Loudly. It’s a very distinctive sound, one that never leaves your memory. Just as you can always tell when someone is riding a Harley-Davidson, you know when a 2 CV is driving by, without even seeing it. Overall, it was an easy driving experience. I just needed to remember that those cars were built before power-steering (a few biceps curls might help) and power brakes (anticipate!) The clutch felt a lot different from the one on the Citroën I’m currently driving but I’m proud to report I only stalled the engine twice. I “may” have flooded the engine after stopping to gas the car but my two witnesses have been sworn to secrecy…
The 2 CV dashboard: a prowess in minimalism
We picked an itinerary that would include mostly country roads, quaint villages, and opportunities to follow the Dordogne river. We stopped briefly along the way but the whole point of the afternoon was to drive and ride in the car, not to walk and tour churches or châteaux. Creysse, Gluges, St Denis-lès-Martel, and Carennac all deserve dedicated visits.
First time in Creysse: a (small) river runs through it. Actually, it meanders and loops around. Dotted with numerous stone bridges, the village looks like it is sitting in the middle of canals.
I was glad the tourist season was over so we could proceed at a leisurely pace. The drive along the Dordogne is sinuous; narrow roads were carved in the cliff; passing, or being passed, is pretty much out of the question. The danger here is not to get a speeding ticket but to be surprised by incoming traffic and have to slam on the brakes.
It helps that a 2 CV has only one pace and that’s pas très vite. I don’t think I could have pushed the car to more than 70 km/h, even if I had tried to. The upside is that you can almost make eye contact with grazing livestock when you drive 30 mph.
You’re likely to spot flocks of sheep and tribes of goats grazing on le Causse de Rocamadour
When we crossed the river on Pont Miret near Floirac, I brought my speed down to under 20 mph. This 140-meter long suspension bridge was built in 1912 and a decree specified it could be used by either one loaded car, two empty ones, or no more than five cows at a time. The cables looked sturdy enough and the wood ties seemed to be in decent shape. I just read the bridge is currently closed to “rejuvenate” the planking… Ouf!
Sadly, the weather was mostly overcast and a bit rainy. We didn’t get the chance to ride with the top down (yes, the 2 CV is the ultimate proletarian convertible!) On the other hand, I had several opportunities to put the midget windshield wipers into action and to use the flip-up windows, mostly to defog the windshield.
Driving miss Jeannette, a vintage 2CV, in the rain. Tiny (but mighty?) windshield wipers...
The afternoon went by too fast and I was a little bit sad to take Jeannette back home. If I were mechanically inclined, I would consider having a 2 CV of my own. Rick doesn’t quite share my excitement but, of course, he grew up with les belles américaines. Different strokes for different folks or, as we say here, à chacun ses goûts. You may recall that I previously published a photographic homage to the 2CV, an easy task since the beloved car is still commonly used in rural France: I usually spot one just about every time I drive to town and it always brings a smile to my face. Maybe I’ll run into lovely Jeannette again sometime…
A 1949 gray 2 CV (with the top down!) and a 1980 Charleston racing along the Dordogne river…
Vocabulary
Un petit tour: a short ride
En voiture, Simone: giddy up
Le département: county
Pas très vite: not very fast
Ouf: phew
Les belles américaines: beautiful American cars, usually classics from the 50s-60s
A chacun ses goûts: to each his own
To feed your dreams of Paris and plan your next trip, please consider buying a copy of my book Moments Parfaits in Paris, where you’ll explore every arrondissement through forty photographs and essays. Hint: it’s also a thoughtful holiday gift for this dear Francophile friend of yours… When you purchase the book, I will mail you a signed bookmark from France and stamp your envelope with this stunning timbre Trésors de Notre-Dame. If you are interested in buying French commemorative stamps, check my selection. Merci! Your support helps me maintain this blog.
Buy a copy of Moments Parfaits in Paris: I'll mail you (from France) a signed bookmark in an envelope bearing this collectible Trésors de Notre-Dame stamp!