Come travel back in time or indulge your passion. Dream, marvel, learn, invest, meet artists, manufacturers, clubs, federations, spare parts and miniature sellers, restorers, and car dealers: anything goes at Rétromobile.
When the first Rétromobile show opened its doors in February 1976, few imagined that it would become one of the world's finest tributes to automotive history. The venue was the Gare de la Bastille. The idea was simple, almost audacious: to bring together collectors, clubs, manufacturers, and enthusiasts in one place to celebrate classic cars. At the time, the word “collection” evoked stamps rather than car bodies. And yet, from the very first edition, the magic worked.

 

« Rétromobile was not just a motor show, it was an idea: that the motor car deserved its place in our cultural heritage. »

- Marc Nicolosi, co-founder of Rétromobile

 

black and white photograph of the front of one of the first retromobile salons

The aisles buzzed with passionate conversation as visitors lingered in front of pre-war Bugattis, Delahayes, Hispano-Suizas, and Citroëns. Very quickly, Rétromobile became a place where cars told stories—stories of pioneers, craftsmen, and visionary engineers.

In 1981, the show moved to the Porte de Versailles, where it finally found a venue worthy of its stature. It was there that it grew, decade after decade, accompanying the boom in the collectors' market and the emergence of true institutions: brand clubs, coachbuilders, specialist dealers, and exceptional restorers.

The 1990s marked a turning point. Retromobile became an international event, attracting visitors from England, Italy, Germany, Japan, and the United States.

In 1993, an auction was held there for the first time, establishing the show as a key player in the global market. Since then, the sales organized by the show and its partners have featured exceptional models such as the Ferrari 250 GTO, Mercedes 300 SL, and Bugatti Type 57, sometimes breaking world records.

Each edition is enriched by thematic exhibitions that have become legendary: the Citroën Kégresse caterpillar vehicles from the Croisière Jaune, Porsche tractors, French presidential cars, and even futuristic prototypes born from the dreams of engineers. Rétromobile is a unique blend of nostalgia and curiosity, where visitors come to admire the past in order to better understand the present.

aerial view of the Retromobile show with classic cars and visitorsRetromobile exhibition archive stand with classic cars

 

« Here, everything smells of oil, memory and passion. »

— Jean Todt, former president of the FIA, during his visit in 2015

 

Over time, the show has also evolved. The arrival of a new generation of collectors in the 2010s has brought a breath of fresh air. Youngtimers, supercars from the 1980s and 1990s, digital craftsmen-restorers, and online platforms have found their place alongside pre-war models.

Today, Rétromobile is no longer just an exhibition: it is a place of transmission, expertise, and emotion. A space where enthusiasts meet to exchange ideas, dream, and sometimes drive away at the wheel of a piece of history.

2025 marks a historic milestone:

Rétromobile celebrates its 50th anniversary. Fifty years of shared emotions, roaring engines, meticulous restorations, and extraordinary collections. Fifty years of encounters, audacity, and knowledge sharing.

Since 1976, Rétromobile has welcomed entire generations of enthusiasts. Some of today's visitors came here as children, hand in hand with their parents. Others began their collecting careers among its aisles, captivated by the elegance of an Alfa Romeo or the lines of a Jaguar E-Type.

Retromobile show archive stand with Mercedes classic cars in the spotlight

 

 

« Rétromobile is our Proust's madeleine. It brings back the cars of our childhood, but also the dreams we have never stopped pursuing. »

-  A loyal visitor, 2020 edition

 

 

poster for the 50th anniversary of the Retromobile show

For this anniversary edition, the show pays tribute to its own pioneers: those who believed in the heritage value of the automobile when no one was yet talking about industrial history.

Halls 4 and 7 at the Porte de Versailles will house automotive treasures to the delight of visitors from all over the world. The unusual, the extraordinary and the unexpected will compete for the limelight, but passion will be the common denominator of this 50th edition. Come and travel back in time or indulge your passion. Dream, marvel, learn, invest, meet artists, manufacturers, clubs, federations, spare parts and miniature sellers, restorers and car dealers: anything goes at Retromobile. An international event in Paris, the first show of the season for classic car enthusiasts.

Retromobile is both a witness and a driving force.

For half a century, this show has been thrilling those who love cars, not for their power, but for their history.

Register for 2027

At the Rétromobile exhibition, you'll find...

  • Carmakers
  • Clubs and federations
  • Events organizers
  • Press
  • Automobilia vendors
  • Parts and tools vendors
  • Car vendors
  • Auction houses
  • Bodywork restorers
  • Insurance
  • Car art galleries
Blue vintage car

Save the date: from 03 - 07 February 2027 in Paris

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