Gallery: Retromobile 2017 – a short guide (before the crowds arrived)

Fast forward to today and the show no longer exists, diminished by years of declining interest and rising costs, the British Motor Show moved to London from its traditional Birmingham home and then burned out. It still saddens us at GRR that we can no longer attend these wonderful events. The new generation of motoring fan is missing out on what was a formative part of all our four-wheeled educations.

Fortunately for us in Europe, and especially if you live in France, the classic car market has taken over the mantle. Retromobile and shows like it continue the tradition of major motoring events, just switching the focus onto the older generation of cars, and allowing a smattering of modern machinery into the halls.

We will always do our best not to miss Retromobile under any circumstances. Just like the old motor shows, it sprawls across three halls of the Expo centre in Paris, filled with some of the most astonishing cars you could ever wish to see.

In the gallery above you'll find a small selection of those, from Ferrari F1 racers to Group B monsters, via some stunning classic metal. We'll have much more to come this week, but this is a gentle taster of what you could find on a walk round the show before the biggest crowds arrive.

Photography by Tom Shaxson.