Auch, At the beginning of November, the ALEPOC team is in full preparation for this month's major automotive event. Christian, the founder, is wrapping up the final preparations to have an operational stand. Audrey, who accompanies us on digital aspects, is establishing the communication plan and creating digital materials so that you don't miss anything from this event. There is no time to celebrate Halloween – though we don't say no to a few candies now and then – because, since 1979, if there's one event not to be missed for classic car enthusiasts, it's the Epoqu’auto Show in Lyon.

Second major event for classic cars After Retromobile, Epoqu’auto continues to grow by bringing together more and more people, even internationally. An essential event that ALEPOC could not miss by exhibiting with some partners. A look back at this 2022 edition.

The figures for the Epoqu'auto 2022 show

In Lyon, the passion of the organizers of the fair is felt at every moment. More than 800 international exhibitors came to showcase over 80,000 square meters for three days. This diversity allows everyone to be satisfied.

This year, several themes were highlighted. The R5, celebrating its 50th anniversary, was showcased in Hall 7 with a magnificent booth created by Renault Classic (read: 50 years of the R5, it doesn't lack airThe ideal opportunity to rediscover the different versions of the R5 with a guaranteed favorite being the 1980 R5 Alpine Group II, Didier Auriol's Maxi 5 Turbo, and the three tricolor Turbos.

Hall 6, H44. This is not the position of a battleship, but the location of our booth. This year the space is expanding to immerse you in the world of ALEPOC, which remains above all a human and family adventure. The store has come to you with, on one of our displays making up our booth, a photo of Grégoire and Lylian at work to keep your old memories alive. They are the technical experts who welcome you throughout the year in our physical store at 116 Av. de la 1ère Armée Française (32000 Auch) or by phone. Unfortunately, they were not part of the event this year to fulfill all your orders. Another absence was our mascot Roger, who could not make the trip for his 100th birthday. Was he recording a new podcast to share his rich life story?Listen to the podcast). It is the mystery, but one thing is certain, his passionate spirit was present among us with the exhibition of a magnificent reconstruction of the R5 Turbo type Cévennes Tour de Corse by Jean Ragnotti. A legend that was created by one of our partners present with us, the Bousquet brothers. Originally from Millau, these two enthusiasts have golden hands, which they use to restore, reproduce, and enhance classic and racing vehicles. One is more into bodywork, while the other prefers mechanics. It's a symbiosis that is reflected in a car with meticulous details. This is also our way of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the small city car with dignity.

The celebrations around Renault continued with the different clubs. The 60th anniversary of the Caravelle and the Alpine A110 berlinette were present.

Lancia in the spotlight

Alpine, a name that allows us to cross the Alps towards Italy for a retrospective on the Lancia brand. It's an opportunity to give a nod to the many Italians who have made the journey. A legendary brand that fell into neglect, now showcasing the full extent of its ingenuity in Lyon. The Aurelia is the perfect example of the innovations launched by the brand with the first production V6 engine. It is also the first car mass-produced with Michelin X tires with radial carcass. Innovations that are accompanied on one side by magnificent bodies designed by the greatest Italian names - Pininfarina and Zagato - and on the other side, by the turbulent rally versions with the Fulvia, Stratos, 037, and Delta.

Legendary racing cars that marked the childhood of many people. A journey that could continue with a retrospective of rally cars. An opportunity to rediscover the 205 T16, R5 Turbo, DS Rallye, and Alpine A110 with their war paint.

Renault was not the only French manufacturer to have made the trip. The Adventure Peugeot / Citroën / DS was exhibiting, well surrounded by the various clubs. The stands allowed visitors to discover a retrospective on the Citroën CX, to see one of the remaining 86 examples of the BX 4TC derived from Group B, or to get close to the three remaining examples of the Traction Cabriolet 15 Six. On the side of Peugeot, , the little 104 blew out its 50 candles - that's a lot of cylinders - and the clubs showcased beautiful pieces like a very rare 401 Eclipse, the first convertible coupe in history, after the 301 of the same name, or even a magnificent Peugeot 402 Darl'Mat from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The beautiful coupes and convertibles Peugeot were present with the 203, 204, 403, 404, and 504.

Simca was represented with the Club Simca France. The opportunity to see two sports cars, the 1100 Sport and the 1000 Rallye 1. The Rancho, derived from the 1100, had its own stand. It's an iconic car that was the forerunner of today's fun cars. These are cars that have genuine interest for collectors, but they suffer from hard-to-find spare parts. This is why we invited another partner, Ludevic de l’Etoile Service, which specializes in reproducing parts using 3D printing. A magical technology that allows for the infinite reproduction of hard-to-find parts without the need for molds. At ALEPOC, we strongly believe in this technology to eventually offer the reproduction of parts for our four brands (don't hesitate to send us your requests by email to create a list).

French cars at Epoqu'auto

As it is a French exhibition, the various vendors highlighted cars from our country. Some models stood out to us, such as on this stand which showcased some Citroën with a rare M35 prototype with a rotary engine, a real 2CV 007, and a 2CV showing – brace yourself – 51 km!!

On another stand, cars with exceptional histories were present. The overview begins with this ID19, which has had only two owners and has never been restored. Three Peugeot were also for sale, including one Magnificent 205 Roland Garros and two 504s. The sedan had less than 8000 km on the odometer. Unbelievable! The 504 coupe (read: Peugeot 504 coupe, the commoner in an evening dressIt was a first-hand vehicle, delivered in 1971 and totaling less than 30,000 km. Cars in mint condition deserve suitable insurance like the one offered by ASCAR. Pauline and Marion had the pleasure of joining us at our booth this year to promote their on-demand insurance service, which allows classic car owners to insure their vehicles based on actual outings. When the car is in the garage, it is insured at a minimum level, and as soon as it hits the road, it is fully covered with comprehensive insurance. A revolutionary system that we recently introduced to you (read: save up to 50% on your car insurance with ASCAR).

The overview continues with a retrospective of Ford Europe, which allowed for the discovery of the different models offered in England, France, and Germany.

Other times, other customs, one could delve back into France in the interwar period with a retrospective of luxury car manufacturers. It is always fascinating to see the beautiful bodies, akin to haute couture, crafted around exceptional engines often derived from aeronautics.

For those who wished to leave with a gift, there was an auction organized by the Osenat house which featured, notably, a very rare DS Cabriolet La Croisette by Chapron and two Alpine A110s, one of which (the purple one) was a factory Group 4. 

While wandering around some stands, one could come across a few personalities from the automotive world. The classic car is inseparable from François Allain, this TV star shares his extensive knowledge in several shows such as Vintage Mecanic. For the younger ones, there were several YouTubers specializing in automobiles in the entrance hall. You could come across the designer Laurent Schmidt or even François from the channel Garage, Cars and Rock 'n' Roll which offers mechanical tutorials.

The Epoqu'auto visitor parking

If the numerous exhibitors did not satiate your thirst for classic cars, you just had to go outside to the visitors' parking lot to discover a vast array of cars. Many French cars of all ages were present. The eyes didn't know where to stop between the incredible and well-known SM Plateau carrying... another SM, a beautiful 205 T16, and those two 4Ls ready for the 4L Trophy (read: The 4L, the popular car that gives wings).

With so many stalls, it's difficult to showcase everything. However, our feet still remember it and our heads are filled with memories. We invite you to discover all our photos in these videos (there aren't just French ones ;)).

Video: French Cars at Epoqu'auto

Video: Foreign Cars at Epoqu'auto

Video: The Visitor Parking at Epoqu'auto

Last stop at our booth to have a coffee with Christian and myself. During these three days, we were the faces of ALEPOC, the ones with whom you, dear professionals, clubs, or passionate visitors, were able to have discussions. We wanted to thank you for these warm exchanges and these convivial moments around a subject that we are passionate about.

If it wasn't us, it might have been one of our partners. We thank once again Bousquet Workshop, L'Etoile Service – 3D Printing, ASCAR and theshock absorbers Record (not present on site) for their presence and good spirits at our booth. There's only one thing left to say, see you next year!