An arrival of the Gard stage with the city of Antonins as a setting

Nîmes, a stage city of the Tour, is nothing new. But don’t let it fall in love with me, this time it is about sport on four wheels with, this Friday, September 3, the Tour auto’s foray into the city of Antonins. Officially launched from Paris at the start of the week, the event will end its 4th and penultimate stage that day at the foot of the arena, to leave on Saturday 4 in the early hours towards the Paul-Ricard circuit and the finish line. final, Promenades des Anglais, in Nice.

So this Friday, leaving Valence in the morning, the survivors of the 230 competing teams will be in Rochefort-du-Gard at the start of the afternoon for a special road test, before returning to the Lédenon circuit.

A “historic” Tour with models seen between 1951 and 1973

In the pure tradition of the Tour de France automobile of the 1980s, this Tour 2021 has continued for thirty years with this principle of crossing France via a course with timed events on closed roads and on circuits. The only difference, but a significant one, it is part of the world of so-called “historic” competition, opening its doors primarily to models seen on the Tour de France between 1951 and 1973.

So we will be able to see exceptional cars. Among the oldest, Ferrari 250 GT / 275 GTB, Shelby Cobra and Jaguar type E. Others seem to have escaped the 24 Hours of Le Mans guestbook, like the Ford GT40 and Matra MS650.

The Auto Tour is a business for experienced amateur drivers, but also for gentleman drivers. Autograph hunters will thus be able to watch for the road-opening BMWs of Ari Vatanen and François Chatriot, meet a former winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans Loïc Duval, or F1 driver of the 1980s with Belgian Thierry Boutsen (Porsche 911).