Goodwood to Angouleme Circuit of the Ramparts

[funflair]

Anybody who has seen the Goodwood revival thread may know we planned to head straight to Angouleme for the Circuit of the Ramparts, again classic car racing from around the 30’s to the 90’s.

We got on the ferry Monday night after a refuelling stop at Wetherspoons at Port Solent, two nights at Saumur and we are now on a campsite at Angouleme and it’s a couple of miles or 4 into the town,

Nice enough pitch no electric €49.50 for 5 nights and Mrs funflair has just reported that the shower block in lovely

Accueil - Circuit des remparts

www.circuitdesremparts.com

Stay tuned for lots of photos of old cars

 

[funflair]

As a general observation re France we have not been for a few years, the roads are lovely the verges well kept and the trees don’t overhang the road, what’s not to like? Well I got flashed on the N10 but wasn’t much over the 80km/h limit for over 3500kg, loads of Spanish trucks were passing us and overtaking not allowed either for over 3500kg, we like to travel non peage and had a lovely drive today through nice villages and countryside, and check in at the camping was a breeze So all is good.

 

[Barchetta47]

Sounds like a fantastic event which now I know about I need to visit in the future!! Another one added to the list.

 

[funflair]

So it's Friday and the event hasn't really started yet, we cycled in from the camping this morning (just under 5 miles) got or wristbands for €30 each and splashed out on a programme as well,

A couple of bikes first but most if not all of the racing is on 4 wheels,

The town is actually lovely and typically French, pavement cafes and beautiful old buildings,

Of course every direction you look there is an old car

Or not so old, these are Venturi (I guess French)

This is Jean Louis Schlessers Schlesser Buggy,

And one for bobnick

 

[funflair]

So as mentioned €30 gets your wristbands that gives access to the paddock area and the racing on Sunday, there are various events and displays on around the town as well but these are all free, there is a really interesting Museum that is certainly free Sat/Sun but they waved us in today as well, it has a temporary Bugatti display but wasn't very good as the only car was 1/4 replica.

Being France they have a display of Renaults,

These are LeMan cars from 1953,

And this is not the paddock area so all still free to view,

OK its is now but not many cars in yet,

A couple of nice little supercharged Austin Sevens.

Right I have been told I have to go and cook tea

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[Flairy]

You’ve got some good weather

 

[Two on Tour]

We were regular goes to the Circuit des Remparts, but I'm afraid that the event went downhill over the years from free entry to the paddock and viewing points around the circuit and only pay for the grandstands to the taking money from you at every opportunity, also the race entry fees became so high that none of the people we raced with go there anymore along with us, that said, the racing itself is still great and a spectacle to be enjoyed.

 

[funflair]

You’ve got some good weather

Better than Goodwood and for a fraction of the price

 

[bobnick]

So it's Friday and the event hasn't really started yet, we cycled in from the camping this morning (just under 5 miles) got or wristbands for €30 each and splashed out on a programme as well,


View attachment 948882

A couple of bikes first but most if not all of the racing is on 4 wheels,

View attachment 948884
View attachment 948883

The town is actually lovely and typically French, pavement cafes and beautiful old buildings,

View attachment 948890
View attachment 948891

Of course every direction you look there is an old car

View attachment 948892

Or not so old, these are Venturi (I guess French)


View attachment 948894

This is Jean Louis Schlessers Schlesser Buggy,

View attachment 948893

And one for bobnick

Oh the memories. I was in the stand at the end of the church at the start line. Watching them coming up the hill hairpin right then past the church and start line again.
When i can get my uploading pics sorted again i'll post some of my Rally Rangies. Very sim to above.
Best mussels n fries ever had in one of the street cafes as you mention.
Really wetted my wantness to go again.

 

[bobnick]

Not the best pics but some of mine.
The FJ40 was my very first sponsord car, i had no choice of vehicle, The RRs are all mine with mostly John Eals engines.

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[funflair]

Not the best pics but some of mine.
The FJ40 was my very first sponsord car, i had no choice of vehicle, The RRs are all mine with mostly John Eals engines.
View attachment 949100View attachment 949101

Great memories I bet

 

[funflair]

Last couple or three and then some more tomorrow if you want, or even if you don't

That's or pitch with the morning sun (cool on an evening though) and the funny bike, semi recumbent tandem.

Very nice gullwing Mercedes 300SL, next to a De Lorean,

And finally just another one of the town.

 

[funflair]

Just a little something to ponder on,

Cable brakes on a Bugatti,

And how do you like these dampers

Right at the start I said most racing would be on 4 wheels, I was hedging my bets in case a Morgan was here

 

[Manic]

My 76 2CV I used to build a 3 wheeled kit had a simpler type of friction dampers on the front like that.

 

[funflair]

So today (Saturday) is really the day for looking around the paddock as all the cars should be in and most of the exhibits are in place but we did most of that yesterday,

The rest of the Concours de elegance were in place and looking good,

A few bikes,

A very pretty "Salmson" (never heard of it but it has it's name on the front)

A nice Mustang next too a very nicely finished Citroen DS,

And a rather special Citroen DS but I can't remember what it is so hopefully somebody can help otherwise I have to go back tomorrow and find out.

And a couple of rusty old Harleys for WESTY66

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[funflair]

A few more for bobnick

Sorry my camera skills seem to be deserting me, the rather shaky sign says that it is based on a Mercedes G280 and has a "Polyester" so fibreglass body.

It's most like obvious that that they are "rally raid" Dakar cars,

 

[Wanderlust]

I presume you have had a dry few days then ? Rain has followed us South from Goodwood all the way to Fussen and is now following us back up again .

 

[funflair]

I presume you have had a dry few days then ? Rain has followed us South from Goodwood all the way to Fussen and is now following us back up again .

Sorry about that Brian, it was raining when we left Fussen in May, hope you enjoyed it all the same, and yes we have good weather here oops sorry.

 

[funflair]

Right this is the last for this evening,

Fiat 500,

And of course there has to be a Mini in the mix and a very tidy engine bay,

I spotted this very official looking pice of wood with a Bugatti stamp on, my guess and it is only a guess is that it is petrol tank "dip stick" can anybody confirm either way?

 

[Flairy]

Most enjoyable thankyou Martin+jen

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[WESTY66]

So today (Saturday) is really the day for looking around the paddock as all the cars should be in and most of the exhibits are in place but we did most of that yesterday,

The rest of the Concours de elegance were in place and looking good,

View attachment 949716
View attachment 949719

A few bikes,

View attachment 949721

A very pretty "Salmson" (never heard of it but it has it's name on the front)

View attachment 949720

A nice Mustang next too a very nicely finished Citroen DS,

View attachment 949722
View attachment 949718


And a rather special Citroen DS but I can't remember what it is so hopefully somebody can help otherwise I have to go back tomorrow and find out.


View attachment 949717

And a couple of rusty old Harleys for WESTY66

They’re not rusty

 

[WESTY66]

I presume you have had a dry few days then ? Rain has followed us South from Goodwood all the way to Fussen and is now following us back up again .

Sorry about that Brian, it was raining when we left Fussen in May, hope you enjoyed it all the same, and yes we have good weather here oops sorry.

T’was Blummin gorgeous last weekend

 

[Wanderlust]

The cars look fantastic although the 500 exhaust doesn't look too secure.
We also enjoyed Fussen even with the rain, rode around the lake despite 4 Celsius... nose a bit chilly by the finish line.

 

[bobnick]

The FJ40 i had was so slow (there were slower ones though) and uncomfortable (short wheelbase) it was painful. However the 6 rallys i did in it it finished all and i got a 5th place.........................................because a lot of the other cars didn't get to the end.
6 rallys in that thing was more than enough.
Look up The Masafi Rally and The Desert Challenge for egs.

 

[funflair]

I mentioned that the classic non racers have a little drive out, consume food and drink most likely and then back into the town, when we were here 12 years ago there was a fantastic and varied selection and I was hoping for the same but sadly this year the quality was missing and there were a lot of modern cars on the run, but a few oldies all the same.

Right it's practice this morning and racing this afternoon, and the sun is out again

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[funflair]

Last day today, practise this morning and racing this afternoon,

This is our morning cycle in with the town in the distance,

Many of the cars from yesterday's run out are now dotted around the town and there are lots of people milling around, This TVR demanded a photograph (I have a soft spot for TVR's) and loved the paint.

A nice supercharged MG,

And then to the racing it has to be said that the spectating is not the best, although this is a Renault Alpine there were about 6Porsche 911's and the noice was deafening with the buildings in front and also behind, the Alpine sounded lovely though,

We then moved and stood on a bench we had a half decent view as the cars came up the hill, in this race they were all over 100 years old and to be fair the hill was a struggle for them,

We had to stop long enough to see a race with about half a dozen Mini's in and then we called it a day as apart from anything it was boiling hot and I was burning.

So that's it, we have enjoyed it, not as good as 12 years ago when we came, glad we have seen it again but won't be rushing back anytime soon but not ruling it out completely.

 

[bobnick]

Don't think i would be interested unless i had a grandstand seat to watch the racing, as i did last time i went.

 

[funflair]

Don't think i would be interested unless i had a grandstand seat to watch the racing, as i did last time i went.

With hindsight I think you are correct but also think the racing is only really a small part of the weekend so It didn't spoil it for us.

 

[Flairy]

We’re are you now?still travelling.

 

[funflair]

We’re are you now?still travelling.

Yes still here Brian we had a lazy day on Monday, a shortish bike ride and sat on a bench outside a church to live stream a friends funeral, Yesterday we shopped and then moved on to Taillebourg on the Charente river another Camping Car Park spot a bit tight through the barrier but we we got in OK and I think out will be easier, today we had a lovely ride along a closed road most of the way to Saint-Savinien which turned out to be a lovely spot with a cracking free Aire right by the river (next time) the ride out and back was obviously mostly flood plane as we were following ditches all the time and we saw a good few Heron's lots of Egret and one Lesser spotted woodpecker, we we're watching for Kingfisher but alas none to be seen.

We have neighbours now but a nice quiet spot all the same,

We managed to find some sunflowers that hadn't died off,

So this is Sainte-Savinien with river frontage onto the Charente,

A nice church inside and out,

Now this seems to be a brilliant job creation scheme, they have obviously laid new tarmac as it's nice and black but somebody must have decided it is too black so they are sandblasting it to reveal the grey grit brilliant,

Riding back following the Flow Velo cycle route we spotted this rather nice Chateau basically in the middle of nowhere,

And this garden using old plates and crockery rather than flowers, you would have enjoyed the ride jongood and Sue would have been to plant plates in the garden.

So all in all a nice day out and not having been to France for a few years we are loving it

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