Ninety vintage vehicles are taking part in the historic Pays de Lozère rally throughout this weekend

Ninety old vehicles over 35 years old will circulate in Lozère this weekend. Midi Libre – Jean-Louis Roche

These Saturday June 29 and Sunday June 30, 2024, ninety old vehicles at least 35 years old will travel nearly 350 kilometers throughout Lozère. The start is given in Peyre-en-Aubrac at 10 a.m. this Saturday.

Two days, 350 kilometers of road, 90 vehicles and 180 participants! The historic Pays de Lozère rally is back for its 21st edition, this Saturday, 29 and Sunday, June 30, 2024. Organized by the Lozère association Écurie Gévaudan, this event is above all a hike open regularity automobile to which is added a navigation part. "Competitors must respect the Highway Code because the roads remain open to usual traffic", specifies Michel Caminada, in charge of relationships of competitors.

Two different tests

Forty-seven duos take part in the regularity category and forty-three in the leisure navigation category. "The first consists of maintaining the requested speed as precisely as possible throughout the route, explains Michel Caminada. The second is more of a treasure hunt. They must follow a precise route and note, for example, the letter or number of the markings in their logbook."

Each team is made up of a pilot and a co-pilot. Some enthusiasts will travel tens, even hundreds of kilometers to get to Lozère."There are teams from the department, but not only that. Groups also come from Paris, Toulouse, Nice…", lists the competitor relations officer.

The route remains secret

The central point of this historic Pays de Lozère rally is Peyre-en-Aubrac. The departure and arrival will take place in this town, on Saturday and Sunday. The program is already known, but the exact circuit remains secret until thirty minutes before the departure of each team. "At 10 h , the first duo will set off from Peyre-en-Aubrac to join Nasbinals around 12 p.m. It will leave at 1:30 p.m. to stop at La Canourgue around 3:30 p.m. Another stop is planned at 4:45 p.m., in Montrodat. He will finally reach Peyre-en-Aubrac, at 7 p.m. , explains Michel Caminada.

The vehicles will set off every minute and cover nearly 230 kilometers, compared to around a hundred on Sunday, linking Peyre-en-Aubrac to Saint-Chély-d’Apcher. That day, the 180 competitors will hit the road at 9:45 a.m. and will meet at the central point at noon. The afternoon will be devoted to a meal and the prize giving ceremony. All participants will be rewarded because "this is not a race, recalls Michel Caminada. They will all come together for the pleasure of driving these legendary cars and meeting around this common passion."