The Ardennes event to revive the passion for vintage vehicles
How was the Rétro d'Yvois born?
The Rallye des Abbayes era
Since 1998, the Rallye des Abbayes took place every year starting from Carignan, a regularity rally, part of a national challenge. It was intended for vehicles built before 1975 and four people organized this rally, which was very successful. But tastes and preferences change!
From post-war sports cars, Eric Philbiche, the organizer, soon found himself with pre-war sports and racing vehicles, almost from the very origins of the automobile. The Rallye des Abbayes had run its course.
The turning point of 2006
A first trial, in 2006, with vehicles all dating from before 1940 put the initiators on the right track.
The Teufs-Teufs Yvoisiens club however needed an important and recognized event to both promote itself and bring people to Carignan.
2006 thus saw the end of the Rallye des Abbayes.
Birth of a new idea
Eric Philbiche was thinking about a new formula for 2007 with some keywords, such as: "before 1940", "sport", "Carignan", "closed course", etc...
In 1998, Eric and his wife had participated in an event where Porsche 911s drove on a closed course, at the same time as cars from the 1920s.
This didn't seem ideal to them. Too risky. Too many differences between the cars, hence the idea of categories, by engine displacement, adding motorcycles, but up to 1945 maximum, while respecting the traffic code, that is to say, holding demonstrations, without ranking, without timing or anything else.
The beginnings of the Rétro d'Yvois
There would therefore be:
- A Cyclecar category: less than 350 kg and less than 1100 cc
- A Grand Sport category: more than 1100 cc
- A Motorcycle category
- A Classic category
And all this, before 1945 or 1940, since there was virtually no automobile production during the war.
Eric and his wife Augusta, Rémi and Valérie, had a year to refine all this and above all to find volunteers to join them. Without them nothing could be done. Saturday would be reserved for a drive to discover the charms of our region. A first date was set for July 2007. At that time, there were 33 registered participants, a few barriers and a few hay bales.
Today, the Rétro d’Yvois is:
110 crews, of which 70% are foreigners (we even had, in the past, a participant from New Zealand, after a 3-month sea crossing)
More than 500 hay bales
About a hundred volunteers
New features with a track for vintage pedal cars and balance bikes for young children
A car and motorcycle parts swap meet
A barrel organ
19 marquees to accommodate all these vehicles
A bit of history about Yvois, now Carignan...
Carignan, which has hosted the Rétro d’Yvois since its beginnings, is a town of nearly 3,000 inhabitants, located in the east of the Ardennes department, not far from the Meuse department and Belgium.
Carignan, previously named Yvois, located on the Roman road from Reims to Trier, was fortified as early as the Gallo-Roman era. A border town of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V surrounded it in the 16th century with a fortified enclosure, with casemates still existing today. In 1639, Louis XIII razed the town.
Having become French in 1659 and renamed Carignan, Louis XIV endowed it with a belt of ramparts, of which many elements remain: bastions, walls and a restored guardhouse. The whole complex was listed in 1994.
The town was nearly 90% destroyed during World War II and rebuilt from 1949.
We need you!
Whether you are amateurs or enthusiasts of vintage vehicles, put your talents at the service of the Rétro d’Yvois!
Each edition relies on the energy and goodwill of many volunteers. Their valuable help contributes to making this event a successful and friendly moment for everyone.
With us, volunteering means feeling useful, joining a friendly event and a united team. There are missions for everyone, according to your availability and desires, but also sharing your skills based on your experience. It’s also gaining experience but above all a human adventure with meetings and sharing… In short, only positive things!
