100 Years of Passion, Innovations, and Popular Success. In Ferté-Vidame, in 2019, the “The Gathering of the Century” Citroën” highlighted the fantastic automotive heritage of the Chevron brand. As Citroën has clearly decided to become an almost low-cost car manufacturer, let’s look back at this incredible 2019 event that honored André Citroën.
It is no coincidence that Citroën chose, in 2019, with the support of L’Amicale Citroën & DS France and L’Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS, Ferté-Vidame, to organize “The Gathering of the Century”. Near the ruins of the castle, which was bought by Michelin in 1938, was the PSA test center at that time. Since then, this Stellantis site has been sold, recently in early 2024, to a forestry investment company. What will remain soon of the test tracks and other buildings of this historic site of the French automotive industry? The question is asked, but you know the answer… For three days in 2019, 11,000 collectors, nearly 4,500 Chevron cars, and 50,000 visitors participated in “The Gathering of the Century” Citroën. Five years ago, we were then far, very far, from the Citroën Ami and Citroën ë-C3. We can even write since then that DS Automobiles has reclaimed Citroën’s heritage, notably with the DS SM Tribute concept car.
Coming from all over France and all of Europe, Citroën clubs fully participate in “The Gathering of the Century”. Alongside the Traction, SM, DS, 2 CV, etc., and pre-war Citroëns, rare cars belonging to the French manufacturer’s heritage shine under the sun.
Citroën’s history also includes prototypes of all kinds, such as the Citroën RE-2 helicopter equipped with a rotary piston engine, and of course many presidential cars like General de Gaulle’s car, a car that can be nicknamed “Super DS”, considering its size and license plate 1-PR-75.
Upon our arrival in 2019 at Ferté-Vidame, a pleasant surprise awaited us, namely a parade around the perimeter of the secret test track. Around a bend, a half-track vehicle seems almost in action, then our excursion continues on the track.
We then discover a road used to test vehicles in real conditions. Rails, road signs, and other road infrastructures are used to develop autonomous driving systems.
The PSA/Stellantis test center did not stop there; in total, 32 km (19.88 miles) of bumpy tracks, perfectly paved, cobbled, or even dirt, not to mention all possible types of corners or crossing workshops, made up this site.
After this excursion, Citroëns as far as the eye could see made us realize the passion that reigns around the manufacturer founded in 1919 by André Citroën. In the aisles, we then remember the great moments of French Automotive with a capital “A”.
Picnics, moments of relaxation for others, then constitute “ephemeral postcards.” Some participants take us even further back in time through mini-theater scenes.
Finally, “The Gathering of the Century” Citroën of 2019 may have marked the end of an era, even more so knowing that at the end of last June, the Citroën Conservatory in Aulnay-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis – 93) closed its doors. To date, no official project is planned to create a new conservatory in France, and it is a shame, if not a scandal. Before, the Automobile with a capital “A” was elevated to the rank of art of living, which unfortunately tends to be lost… Find others pictures of the “The Gathering of the Century” on this link : “Rassemblement du Siècle”.
Text: Frédéric Lagadec
Pictures: LesVoitures.com (Alexandre Besançon)
