The Banville Hillclimb.

by Joe Saward(courtesy text & photo www.grandprix.com): Back in the good old days of motor racing they used to have Grands Prix for all kinds of things. The opening of the Montlhery race track in 1924 was celebrated by with a Grand Prix de l'Ouverture and each year the Paris Automobile Salon boasted a Grand Prix du Salon. The tradition continued until after World War II when France's first autoroute opened at St. Cloud in 1946 and a race was held in celebration. But probably the strangest event of all in that era was at the opening of the Banville Garage in Paris. The Banville was the world's first multi-storey car park. But it was no ordinary garage.It was the 1920s and the generation who had survived World War I wanted to live life to the full. Everything seemed to be changing. Flying had arrived and automobile ownership was growing, social conventions were breaking down and fashion was the thing.

Kommentar abgeben...