France National 2CV Gathering 2026
A collective report by the 2CV Club 92 Antony….
The 2026 National 2CV Meeting, the 31st edition, concluded with a historic French record of 3,368 cars present from May 14th to 16th in Villiers-sur-Loir, Vendômois (Pays de la Loire region).
The adventure of National 2CV Meetings in France began after the success of the World 2CV Meeting, hosted by Finland in 1975. France was chosen to host its own World Meeting in 1989 in Orléans. The temporary structure created for the event became a permanent organization for National Meetings in France, under the name A2CF, for “Association of 2CV Clubs of France.”
The A2CF’s mission is to unite local 2CV clubs with the Citroën and DS France Association. It brings together 100 local clubs out of the 200 registered in France, representing 3,800 members.
Following the first National Meeting in Le Creusot, Saône-et-Loire, in 1993, the association decided on an annual gathering in May, over the Ascension Day long weekend (4 days).
Applications from organizing clubs are selected at the A2CF General Assembly two years in advance. The A2CF’s permanent structure provides its expertise in logistics, legal matters, marketing, and environmental issues. Today, an annual schedule for the National Meetings is maintained while the World Meetings are held every two years.
The all-time attendance record belongs to the town of Salbris, in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France, for the 2011 World Meeting, with 7,035 participating vehicles from all over the world. To illustrate the scale of the event, here are some key figures for the 2026 National Meeting: Grounds: 30 hectares. Volunteers: 400. Sanitary facilities: 80 showers and toilets. Signage: 2 km of barriers and 20 km of markings for areas reserved by participating teams. Covered tents: 2,700 m². Food: 18 food trucks. Beer consumption: 9,000 liters!
Among the marketing tools of the National Meetings, there is an annual raffle with a genuine 2CV as the prize, restored thanks to contributions from parts suppliers and schools or training centers, not to mention the many volunteers involved in the organization. The vehicle to be won was already presented at the Champagne Classic Vehicle Show in Reims at the beginning of March, with the contribution of the A2CF and the organizing association “DeuchMil26 en Vendômois”.
Starting Wednesday, the 3,368 vehicles took up their reserved spaces. The highly variable weather made driving conditions difficult, but everyone remained in good spirits.
If 2CV or similar vehicle broke down, local professional assistance was available:
Each morning, a flea market was organized on the site to the great satisfaction of those seeking rare and original parts.
Entertainment
Numerous activities entertained the public, including the ever-popular 2CV disassembly and reassembly demonstration, which is always a huge success, led by a specialist in the event.
Off-road challenges on specially prepared hills also drew crowds. Typical rural scenes, such as the 2CV-chicken coop, brought back memories for older attendees.
The Nationale is also an opportunity to see or rediscover original models that you don’t see on the roads, such as a two-headed 2CV or a tractor with a 2CV engine, as well as iconic and rare models like the twin-engine Sahara 4×4 or other 2CV Raids and the recreation of the famous scene from the film Le Corniaud with Bourvil and de Funès.
The next edition of the National 2CV will be held in Saint-Jal in Corrèze, from May 5 to 9, 2027.
The following year, the 33rd edition will be an opportunity to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the 2CV not far from the Charade motor circuit, in Clermont-Ferrand, home of Michelin, from Thursday, May 25, 2028, again during the Ascension weekend.
A video trailer of the event can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/1193785551