I have many passions and interests in life, and one of them is automotive photography. I have many very well connected friends in the world of vintage cars (most of them British of course) and we spend a lot of our free time trying to locate barn finds and attending classic car shows all over the country. OK, mainly the South West. We’re not Jay Leno rich after all…
The “something that maybe you didn’t know about France” is that, although the modern cars we produce are absolute crap, we used to be number one before the war when it came to luxury cars. The Brits had Rolls and Lagonda, the Americans had Duesenberg. We had Bugatti (yes, FRENCH!), Talbot, Hotchkiss, Delage, Delahaye, Salmson… We even had Facel Vega and Alpine in the 60s!
I started a website for my automotive photographs a while back and never told you guys about it. I thought it was off topic and maybe you don’t care, but we all have a petrol head in the family. Maybe they’ll be interested. The site is called Autoportraits. I am adding a blog section to it next week as I have way too many pictures I want to share and the galleries are getting a bit crowded. I hope you visit the site and enjoy it. Let me know what you think! 
MY FRENCH HEAVEN 
I’m not into cars (you would think less of me if you knew what i drove!) but this was still a fascinating read. Fabulous car photos!!! Off to check out autoportraits!
I am quite fond of your Bentley. What are you talking about?!
seriously, i won’t tell you. it’s the ugliest car ever, but it’s practical!
Superb images Stéphane and I love the website – see you at Circuit des Remparts perhaps ?! 🙂
Thanks Jane! And are you kidding?! Of course we’ll meet there and I really would like to do lunch or dinner! I’ll be there all three days of the event. I don’t want to miss a thing!
Sounds like a plan! I’ll let you know when I’m going – I have my boutique open Saturdays and Sundays but I’m determined to get there this year! A bientôt!
How wonderful! I cannot wait!!
🙂
Oops, I also wanted to say, my cousin is a near fanatic Alpine admirer and is driving a low white one (oh, should I know the model?) since I can remember.
Tell him to go see the site. He may enjoy it. One of my nephews has the same car. It’s called an Alpine Renault or Berlinette. Most of them are blue, but I saw a white one with orange stripes the other day that looked mamazing
Interesting, I will tell him.
I put my name down for the black Amilcar, what an absolutely beautiful car! And an appropriately beautiful picture, if I may say so. It is love at first sight for me and a minute ago I had never heard about the name, now I know a bunch of Trivia: Never wear a long scarf in one of those, otherwise Isadora Duncan.
🙂 You know I had never seen an Amilcar before last year at the car show where I took the picture. They are quite cute I agree!
Totally
I don’t care much for cars, but your photos are amazing. You could easily sell them as stock photos. Or perhaps you are already doing just that?
Thanks Stefan. I haven’t sold them on stock but I’m in contact with some good car magazines…
Oh I love this. I never learned to drive (am about to turn 46) but yes, I most certainly would if I could drive something like you have featured here…fabulous!
Let’s get you a Jag then 😉
I had to take a peek at the website, purely for photographic interest of course, love those old wrecks on the barns and the photos in the workshop too, you have a great eye!!!!!!!
Thanks! Barn finds are like the holy grail for any petrol head. Even more so for car photographers ☺️😉
Thanks Stephane! I suffer from over saturation of car talk, food/wine/travel/people are my thing but i’m sure you’ll hear from malgay very soon….
Who’s Malgay?
My husband, right now he’s sitting here drooling over your pics
Ahhh! Tell him I wrote the post just for him!!
Thank you for sharing you treasure trove of classic cars images.
You have a great sense of photographic composition.
Is the first photo a TR5 or TR6?
I am hoping it’s a TR6.
We had the fun of owning a well sorted one for 15+ years.
I can tell you about the feeling of freedom, adventure, feeling the road thru your seat etc, and Sandra will remind me yes all true but, tell them about the rain getting in, the engine heat etc,
Our little TR6’s main purpose was to take us to wineries with like minded friends.
One of the TR6’s main features was that you could always find room for a dozen bottles of wine, to take home.
Your modest fee for photography is very modest, it is the airfares that are the stumbling block for us, and also sadly.. we are yet to replace my beloved car.
I couldn’t tell you what kind of tr that was. I am a Jaguar man myself… My aunt bought a Herald convertible brand new in 1968 and still drives it every day. I will add a blog to the car site son. I hope you follow it. And Sandra’s been a great reader of my blog for a long long time, so I know we are destined to meet one day!
Mind you the airfares are all the way to Australia…
Therés always swimming… (Yes, I hope she told you I have a shitty sense of humour)
Looking forward to us spending time together over a long lunch.
Am I right in imaging that you also have an interest in watches and if so do you have another blog with more magical images?
Oh no! I have a 50€ watch on my wrist. I wouldn’t mind a Cartier though. It’s just that for the money I could invest in the car of my dreams…
You might find this interesting
http://www.petrolicious.com/we-discover-clark-gable-s-jaguar-xk120-hidden-beneath-the-brickyard
On YouTube Petrolicious have some of the most amazing car video clips, story and photography
Enjoy
Malcolm
Absolutely stunning! For me, the XK 120 is simply the most beautiful car ever made! Thank you so much Malcolm!!
I love Bugattis! If I ever win the lottery…. 🙂
Oh me too! I want a Royale 😜
Delahaye is one of my favorite cars ever!!
Cheers, Cari
>
Me too! How have you been?? We need to schedule a long over due Skype!!
Oh Stephane! Your photography could make a vintage automobile lover out of anyone – even me! So nice to see you posting again! Amazingly beautiful photos!
Thank you my dear Jodi!!
Love these fine old beauties! I can see myself in a Lagonda.
https://dorrieanne.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/1933-lagonda-16-80/
Will be hanging out at Autoportraits, fur sure! ;->
Virtual hugs,
Judie
See I knew you were pure class my dear Judilyn! I actually saw my first Lagonda in real life last weekend at a show. The guy had driven it all the way down from England…
Is it as heart stoppingly, drop dead gorgeous as I have it pictured in my mind? I found one for sale, but alas . . . the cost was, indeed, heart stoppingly steep! Still a girl can dream of driving with the wind blowing her scarf – but not like Isadora Duncan!
Ha ha! I will share pictures later this week. I think you’ll love it….
I love any and all photographs you share! ❤
That makes me very happy ☺️
I just looked at all your auto photos! For some reason I really like the Barn and Shop photos the best. 🙂
You know what? Me too! They make me sad and ecxited at the same time… Am I weird? ☺️
Not at all!
It is such a pity that we cannot drive such cars nowadays anymore. They were so elegant and beautiful. Thank you for these amazing photos.
I soooo agree with you! They all look alike these days 😔
The cars were so romantic then, were not they? There is nothing romantic about the cars nowadays 😦
Tell me about it. I wouldn’t say no to a Porsche though;)
Then came Citroen and it all went to Hell! 🙂
Except for the 2cv and the DS I agree ☺️
Oh dear, I just visited your “Autoportraits”. It gives me goose-pimples, you are out of this world!! This is great-takingly good. 👍
😊
😀 It should actually have been breathtakingly, but great-takingly doesn’t sound too bad. It’s really great. OMG.
Just LOVE your automatives! ❤
Almost unreal, I feel like walking right into the scene and take a seat. Now which door opens for me …? 🙂
All of them open to true ladies such as yourself dear D!
😘
CAn I have the blueish/silver Bugatti? Please?
Let me win the lotto first 😉
😀