1901-1961: Motor Show
As from 1901, in the days of the first horseless carriages, the finest automobiles lined up in the Nave. The motor shows were the opportunity to keep up to date with the latest technologies: the automatic carburettor in 1904, the plate clutch in 1905, dampers in 1906…
For many though it was simply the pleasure of keeping up with the latest fashions. The salon meant dreams for some, firm orders for others. It was the Grand Palais’ flagship event, in 1954 drawing a record one million visitors. Over the years, the annual motor show contributed to anchoring the automobile in the imagination and daily lives of the French.
