Event
Rétromobile has opened the European classic car calendar each January since 1976, when the first edition drew enough visitors to confirm that Paris had an appetite for a dedicated historic vehicle fair. Fifty years later the show occupies 73,000 square metres at Porte de Versailles, draws over 130,000 visitors across five days, and remains the reference point against which other January shows measure themselves.
The floor divides roughly between display and trade. The exhibition side assembles manufacturer heritage collections, club stands, and thematic presentations that change by edition. The 2026 edition – the show's 50th – included all seven BMW Art Cars that raced at Le Mans between 1975 and 2024, a Citroën DS retrospective marking the model's 70th anniversary, and Ettore Bugatti's Presidential Railcar. The trade side runs in parallel: over 600 exhibitors covering dealers, restorers, parts specialists, and automobilia traders.
Gooding Christie's serves as the official auction house, with sales running during the show week. The lots typically include high-value marques – Ferrari, Bugatti, Talbot-Lago – drawing serious buyers who combine the fair visit with the auction schedule. The Art Gallery section adds around 60 international artists working in automotive subjects, which gives the show a secondary programme beyond the cars themselves.
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles is on the southern edge of the city, directly accessible by metro line 12 or the T2 tram. The 15th arrondissement around the venue is dense with accommodation, and the fair sits within easy reach of central Paris for those combining it with time in the city.
