Citroën marked more than a century of automotive history with the inaugural Citroën Classic Tour, bringing milestone models and nearly 30 collector cars onto the streets of Paris.
Held September 10, the first Citroën Classic Tour began at Parc André Citroën, where the French marque partnered with L’Aventure Citroën to assemble nine historic models celebrating significant anniversaries in 2026.
The setting itself has a connection to Citroën history. Parc André Citroën occupies part of the former Javel industrial site where Citroën manufactured automobiles beginning in 1919, making it a fitting departure point for a tour dedicated to the company’s heritage.
From there, the celebration moved onto the streets of Paris. Nearly 30 collectors joined the event with cars representing different periods of Citroën production, creating a rolling display of the unconventional engineering and design that have characterized the marque for much of its 107-year history.
CITROËN CLASSICS IN PARIS
Among the cars represented were some of Citroën’s most recognizable models, including the Traction Avant, 2CV and Méhari. Together, they illustrate several very different periods in the company’s history, from the front-wheel-drive Traction Avant of the 1930s through the utilitarian postwar 2CV and minimalist Méhari recreational vehicle.
The parade also gave the Classic Tour a different character from a conventional static heritage exhibition. Rather than keeping the cars within a museum or concours setting, Citroën returned them to the city streets where many of the models were once everyday fixtures.
That connection is particularly relevant in Paris. André Citroën established his automobile company there in 1919, and Citroën cars subsequently became an enduring part of the city’s visual identity. Models including the Traction Avant, 2CV and later DS became familiar sights throughout France while establishing Citroën internationally as one of the country’s most distinctive automakers.
The inaugural Classic Tour builds on the heritage work of L’Aventure Citroën, which preserves vehicles, archives and other material associated with the marque’s history. By combining that collection with privately owned cars, the Paris event brought both factory-preserved examples and enthusiast-owned Citroëns together in a single celebration.
With nearly 30 cars ultimately taking part, the first Citroën Classic Tour was relatively intimate by the standards of major historic-car gatherings. Its location and format, however, provided something harder to recreate: classic Citroëns moving through the streets of their home city more than a century after the company began building cars there.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Event: Citroën Classic Tour
Date: September 10, 2026
Location: Paris, France
Starting Point: Parc André Citroën
Organizers: Citroën and L’Aventure Citroën
Collector Cars: Nearly 30
Featured Models: Traction Avant, 2CV, Méhari and other historic Citroëns
Edition: Inaugural event
PHOTO GALLERY
