Reckless - obviously you've never been to Australia. 800k? A brief sojourn. Cheers, Bill

Location: Euroa, Australia

A cross-countryexpedition may well be fun but I would think hard before doing it in an 80+year-old car without back-up
My trip to PND last year clocked almost 2000 miles and much as I love driving on France's departmental routes I would't do it in an Austin7 without a complete strip-down/rebuild, leaving extra days to have in hand.
One only has to look at the sterling efforts that went into the Monte Carlo expedition earlier in the year. The best laid plans etc.
Get the trailer out RR and come to join the fun!

Location: Ripon

Take your time (100-150 miles a day leaves time for long lunches and early aperitifs) , use small roads (you won't see anybody else and it is safe to stop if you want a snooze or suffer a problem), make it a holiday (not a challenge) and you will have a wonderful journey.

Also, from memory, Bill has a Gite you could rent when you get there - lots to see in that area. My friends near Richelieu have two Sevens that you could visit also...

To be honest it's not the distance that bothers me. The car is reliable and I'm happy to do the distance with an overnight stop mid-way. The problem is the time. In midsummer we're pretty busy and taking off on my own for the best part of a week isn't going to go down well at home, so I'm going to have to give it a miss. My usual co-pilot Passepartout is battling a serious illness at the moment so he's not going to be available either.

I did do a run of about 100 miles each way in high summer last year and to be honest running the RP when the ambient temperature is over 30°C is not the most comfortable of experiences. It gets bloody hot in the cabin even with the windscreen and windows open. (Standard saloon - no sun roof - 4 blade fan)

I am still looking at the logistics of doing here to Santiago de Compostella and back, which I reckon will take me about a week, but there's no way I'm tackling that in high summer. Perhaps in the autumn.

I wish everyone in Le Puy a cracking weekend. I will be there in spirit. Santé!

The local brew, made in St Florent sur Auzonnet since 1888.

Location: Gard, France 30960. Used to be Languedoc-Roussillon but now it's Occitanie

I notice on Bill James' website that Le Puy ND is on one of the pilgrim routes to Santiago....qualify for a shell...?
David

Location: Stratford upon Avon

The GP Retro website for Le Puy Notre Dame has now been revised for the 2017 details, including entry forms in both French and English.

http://www.grandprixretro-puynotredame.com/actualites-grand-prix-retro.html?idActualite=15

The engine for our Ulster rep was finally assembled on Sunday, so hopefully will be in fine fettle for the fun in the sun in July, provided my broken wrist is also race fit by then!

Feel free to post here or drop me an email if more information is required.

Cheers,

Bill

Location: Saumur, France

Form filled in, cheque signed, in tomorrow's post, can't wait!

Location: Ripon

Well done Duncan, I've only got as far as printing the form, but will complete it this evening and pop it into the Mairie tomorrow I'm looking forward to meeting you and hope we get a few more A7s to join in with the fun.

Bill

Location: Saumur, France

The form seems to be impossible to fill in on the screen. It was the same last year. Perhaps the French one is easier.
I'm looking forward to seeing other brit entrants there, I might be mistaken but I think I was the only UK Austin 7 there last year?
I'm also looking forward to seeing your car ( and of course meeting you too Bill! )

Location: Ripon

Yes the font sizes have been set far too large for some fields, so better to do it the old fashioned way and the French version is just the same!

See you soon Duncan,

Bill

Location: In the sun!

Wow, another fabulous event with quite a few A7s and where I met lots of great seven owners and made good friends with like minded people.

A high note was meeting with our very own Duncan Grimmond, who has a lovely way with a single malt and constructs a fine and beautiful motor car indeed. The low point was breaking a piston ring on the Ulster Rep, so no track fun this year.

The engine came out in just an hour and will receive new pistons and probably a steel crank for safe and sure 6500ish revs.

I took hundreds of photos, so will investigate how to get some posted here over the next few days.

I think Duncan has some as well.

BFN,

Bill

Location: Saumur, France

Look forward to seeing the pictures (somehow!).

I have to dash out for my French lesson, so here's a quick taster from last weekends event:









Back later,

Bill

Location: Le Puy Notre Dame