Destinations / JOURNEY
MY HUSBAND, DAVID, rushed to the window, threw it open and peered over the balcony of our Airbnb. “What are you looking at?” I said. He pointed out a 1930s Bugatti. Then another
gasp when he spotted a 1969 Renault Alpine, just like the
one he owns.
We had come to Angoulême, in the southwestern region
of Charente in France, to celebrate David’s 50th birthday.
He is a car enthusiast, not of all cars, but mainly European
cars that pre-date 1975. David was bitten by the bug as a
child growing up in England, watching his father tinker
with old steam cars and peeking into the local mechanic’s
garage, which bought and sold Renault Alpines.
We had set out from San Francisco for Angoulême
to see the Circuit des Remparts, a historic car race and
event that takes place over three days in September. After
the race weekend was finished we spent six days driving
around France. Although we saw plenty of other attractions, our itinerary was inspired by historic racetracks,
including Le Mans and Reims-Gueux.
The town of Angoulême is about three hours south
of Paris by TGV train, a ride that includes views of drab
suburbs, rolling hills and small villages. The train station
lies just below the plateau of the historic city center, and
after a short taxi ride up a steep hill and around a maze of
one-way streets we arrived at our apartment, where we
had a view of the town hall built in the 13th century. We
also realized that our Airbnb was directly across from
the race paddock and at turns one and two of the course.
Race action could easily be seen from the kitchen and liv-
ing room windows. We would be waking up to the sounds
and smells of engines roaring — it was the perfect start to
David’s birthday.
Angoulême is a walled city overlooking the Charente
River. The ramparts that protected the city date back to
the fourth century, and many sections are still intact. The
Circuit des Remparts began in 1939 but racing was sus-
pended during World War II and didn’t start again until
1947; since then the race has been held annually. It is a
street circuit, not unlike Monaco, and one of the last street
races in France. The track is short, just under a mile long,
but what it lacks in length it makes up for in drama. There
are steep hairpin turns on the old city streets and the cars
zoom by houses with only a small sidewalk and low metal
barriers as separation.
We watched the Concours d’Elegance, the red carpet for
cars, where contestants show off their vintage vehicles and
dress in period costumes that correspond to the year the car
was built. The day before the race, the pedestrian streets
of the shopping district were lined with hundreds of cars —
some part of the race, others belonging to local enthusiasts
or people who had taken part in the half-day rally around
the countryside. We saw everything, from autos in mint
condition to ones with a well-worn patina — there were
Rileys, Jaguars, Citroëns, Renaults and so many more.
Before the race, we walked along part of the track and
found ourselves enjoying all the town had to offer beyond
racing. Aside from the Circuit des Remparts, Angoulême
hosts a big comic book convention each year and, as a result,
there are many colorful public murals throughout the city.
We wandered narrow cobblestone streets looking in vari-
ous shops and stumbled on the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
Vehicles in the race
paddock, with the
town hall in the
background. Opposite,
clock wise from top
left: Automobile eye
candy; a Renault Alpine
on race day; a mural;
a line of Jaguars;
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d’Angoulême;
drivers’ meeting.
