Gathering of vintage Citroëns at the Cinquantenaire: a retro Sunday in Brussels

A gentle way out of bed

It was just another Sunday, waking up without an alarm, getting out of bed to the smell of freshly toasted bread and chai spices mingling with freshly cooked milk. These Sundays are often synonymous with taking the time to live, and letting yourself be surprised by your own hometown, Brussels.

It wasn't cold, it wasn't hot, the weather wasn't calling us to go out nor staying indoors, so I suggested to a photographer friend (her pictures can be seen here ) that we still take advantage of this grey sky (and therefore a diffuse and not too intense light) to go for a walk.

First steps

As is often the case, our route takes us towards the Cinquantenaire, and what a surprise it was when we arrived on the esplanade in front of the Cinquantenaire arch: the annual meeting of vintage Citroën from all over Belgium was taking place on this day!

Luckily, I was accompanied by Max, my Fujifilm X100V, from which I am getting better and better at extracting the potential of film simulations. This will go perfectly with the atmosphere that reigns that day: a little grain, and we are plunged back into the 1950s-70s which saw the rise of these Citroën models with timeless charm.

Colors , shapes, a visual journey

To be honest, I'm not the biggest Citroën fan. My parents took us on trips in Peugeots. They say there are always two teams: the Lego or Playmobil team, Xbox or Playstation. For French cars, it was a bit of a battle, too. But seeing these shapes we're no longer used to, the extravagance of the rear hydropneumatic shock absorbers, was a little step back in time that I'm glad I took.

These oldtimers, as they're called, were parading through the streets of Brussels that day at the call of the old Citroën club . The Cinquantenaire was their meeting place, and luckily, we were walking past. Talking to several of them, it's an annual gathering that takes place in front of the Cinquantenaire and aims to bring together the most beautiful Citroën collector cars.

It was a kind of little interlude, a step back in time for the eyes, for the ears, but also for the nostrils, with those whiffs of fuel. All this is made possible thanks to the enthusiasts who care for these old ladies. Thank you to them for keeping these memories alive and for showing them to the most curious among us during these days of remembrance, pleasure, and sharing.

A few images from this day

Below, I'm sharing some additional pictures from that day. All of these photos are available for printing in various formats. Feel free to contact me here if any of them would be a good fit for your home.

And if you're simply looking for a good place to sit near the Cinquantenaire, I invite you to discover Tulipe , the café that I was able to immortalize and where I recently drank one of the best chai in Brussels.