Every year for the past 4 years, an unmissable event has taken place in Saumur: the Anjou Vélo Vintage.
I was there, not on a touring bike, but in the Village between Brooks and Pashley, in my stand Le Vélographe where collection and design happily mixed.
A velocipede from 1869 was not far from the funny Japanese rearview mirrors from Charly .... the recycling creations of Eric Lorenz and Trent Jansen facing the vintage Campagnolo and simplex pieces. The sometimes rainy weather made us appreciate the elegant clothes, from Georgia in Dublin and the Folup wide-brimmed hats , tested live.
Great encounters too, Tontons Vélo always at the party and neo-retro visitors, to whom I offered beautiful LCK notebooks illustrated with my improbable bikes, thank you La Compagnie du Kraft !
I will remember for a long time this lady who pointed to a Peugeot brochure from 1966. "That's my husband there, she said to me... he's here, he's doing the ride with Tom Simpson's jersey..." Simpson, pro world champion in 1965, swallowed up by Mont Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France, victim of doping. Hey, there's a crowd in front of my stand... Jacques Botherel, amateur road world champion in 1965, is there. That's strong, especially since I had refused to sell the batch of brochures to an English enthusiast that very morning...
There has to be something for everyone, I said!
