What have you done today with your Austin Seven

[Reckless Rat]

It is customary, on the first Sunday of the month for there to be an ad hoc assembly of classic cars at the "Pôle Mecanique" the Alès race circuit. After morning coffee I dusted off the RP and made my way there to find only two cars, a 2CV and a Renault Dauphine and a handful of stalwarts also as perplexed as I was. After a quick chat I set off back home. On the way I decided to pass up and over the climb to Laval Pradel out of Alès to give the RP something to do. On arrival I stoppped off at "Ets Jouvert", a haulage and civil engineering contractor at the entry to the village. Old Mr Jouvert died a few years ago but his son who now runs the company decided to create something in his memory. His dad has salted away a number of wartime military vehicles, which were just gathering dust in the back of their hangar. The son parked them all outside and created a memorial to the French Resistance (of which his father was part) and here it is. There are 11 vehicles in total, a Citroen 11BL "traction" a Jeep and a collection of american heavier trucks of various sorts.



which reads " In August 1944 the FFI (French Interior Forces) and the 1st Division of the Free French Army passed here along the Regordane Way on route to Paris during the liberation of France"






As far as I can tell, none of the vehicle have been restored and are still in their original condition. Sadly over the past few years a degree of pilfering has occured on anything not bolted down... the Citroen's engine and gearbox disappeared one night.

I also took a "Little and Large photo parked next to a huge Caterpillar dumper...