Another French icon, the Solex motorised bicycle used to be a common sight throughout France – although in earlier times it was powered by a noisy smelly little 2-stroke petrol engine. Something like 80 million Solexs were produced as a cheap form of transport after the Second World War.The original production line closed at the end of the 1980s, but now it has been re-invented as the E-Solex an environmentally-friendly way of getting around town using battery high efficeincy power to boost your pedalling.
You can now enjoy a one of these very French machines by hiring one for a day or half-day in St Omer (62 Pas-de-Calais, Nord Pas-de-Calais).
Les Belles Echappees also hire out Citroen 2CVs, tandems and trikes and offer a number of packages which can include route suggestions, restaurant and hotel combinations etc.
Les Belles Echappées invite you to a journey off the beaten track in search of simple pleasures connected with emotion and collective memory.
You can find a video showing the 2CVs in action on You Tube Les Belles Echappees translates as a good time or break!
Les Belles Echappees, Chemin des murs, Ferme de l’Abbaye – 62500 CLAIRMARAIS
Tél : 03.21.98.11.72
There are other options for raking to the road “a la francaise” – e.g. the 2CV tours of Paris with 4 roues sous un Parapluie (4 wheels under 1 umbrella); Or hire a classic Citroen TA in the Loire Valley with Quart de Tours (37 Indre-et-Loire, Centre)
Further south Joffreny Tours offer classic and modern British cars (and others) for touring the French countryside from their base near Chalus (87 Haut Vienne, Limousin) – although helpfully they have an office in the UK
Lots to do and see – Hire a classic standard MGB Roadster, a V8 MGB Roadster, a BMW Z3 Roadster or a Triumph Stag (soft-top or hard-top) and take off on a sightseeing tour of the Limousin, Charente and Dordogne, in west central France, with all of its historic towns and picturesque chateaux, and sample some of the fine food and wine along the way. This is beautiful touring country and there are very few cars on the road…
We would like to bring to your attention a bit of mis-information about our product, the Velosolex that is posted on your website (http://frenchduck.com/latest/archives/2008/05/getting-around-northern-france-french-style.html). You wrote that about 80 million of our Velosolex have been manufactured, the correct amount is 7 million. You also wrote the our product has been re-invented as an electric bicycle. Pleas note, we are alive and well, still being manufactured in northern France. The same two cycle engine clean burning with catalytic convertor Velosolex meets all EU pollution requirements and delivers exceptional fuel efficiency. The product that you claim has replaced our product is a Chinese built electric bicycle that requires a long period of battery recharging, has limited range,requires a frequent expensive replacement of of an enviromentally toxic battery. We would greatly appreciate that the corrections be made.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
Henri Lawrence
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the Velosolex team
http://www.velosolexamerica.com
http://www.greaternycitroenvelosolexclub.com