Zoom, zoom!

This morning we packed up and drove from Tours to Bayeux (288 k's)

via Le Mans. On such a wet and gloomy day

we were very happy to stop and visit

the Musée des 24 Heures, which houses

over 150 racing vehicles.

Andrew was in his element

and I found the fun facts on the descriptive cards

about each exhibit very interesting.

Two hours disappeared very quickly!

In 1923 this Bentley was the lap record holder

in 1924, it was the winning car of the Le Mans 24 hour race.

….......................................................................................................

This little Bugatti, Type 40 featured a female team in 1928

and achieved a most commendable result.

…........................................................................................................

The red car was one of the first Ferrari's to enter the race

and was the 1949 winner.

….........................................................................................................

For Downton Abbey fans...Talbot sports cars with hemi engines and

the Wilson preselector gearbox always performed well

and took the chequered flag at le Mans in 1950.

….........................................................................................................

This 1959 Citroen was designed for use on rough country roads

by farmers or workmen and proved its worth

by taking two young French students

around the world 1958 – 59.

….........................................................................................................

Electric Vehicles are nothing new.

Early in 1908 Krieger built electric 4WD buses

that were used as ambulances during WW1.

…..........................................................................................................

1929 Packard Convertible Coupe

Packard was the symbol of luxury and quality

in American automotive engineering.

The advertising said ask the man who owns one...

Hollywood legend Clark Gable owned several!

…...........................................................................................................

Socema Gregoire 1952 Prototype Turbine.

The aircraft gas turbine and efficient

aerodynamic aluminium body marked out

Gregoire as a great designer.

The project was shelved due to cost and braking problems.

….............................................................................................................

1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Eldorado Brougham

Featuring...automatic transmission, power steering,

electric windows (all six of them), air conditioning,

powered adjustable seats, with memory,

automatic eye headlamps, vanity case etc!

…..........................................................................................................

Andrew's first car was a 1963 - 64 white Mini 850,

not quite as glamorous as this one!
............................................................................................

Andrew took over one hundred photos today

I need to draw the line somewhere,

this last one shows Andrew in the early Formula One exhibit.

Andrew is standing between a display featuring

Jack Brabham and Jackie Stewart

These cars are not theirs...but they were on display.

Jack Brabham's car

Jackie Stewart's car.

I love the tartan upholstery.

…..............................................................................................................

There is another interesting place to visit in Le Mans,

Cite Plantagenet, the ancient fortified centre,

is surrounded by the greatest Roman Walls in France.

They feature complex geometric patterns

attributable to the late 3^rd century.

Once abandoned, the area has been restored,

and is often used as a film set...

like Leonardo di Caprio’s “Man in the Iron Mask”,

Gerard Depardieu’s “Cyrano de Bergerac”

and Al Pacino’s “Bobby Deerfield”.

The area is a maze of narrow cobbled ways,

overhung with 14^th century timber framed houses.

We arrived in Bayeux late this afternoon and it will be our base

to explore this corner of Normandy

for the next four days.

Today we walked 6.22 k's