Event
The Tour Auto begins each year at the Grand Palais in Paris, where the entered cars go on public display before the rally starts. Around 10,000 people pass through that exhibition in a single day – which gives a sense of how the event sits in France's automotive calendar. From there, the route heads south over five days, finishing in Biarritz after roughly 2,000 kilometres that combine road sections with timed stages on closed circuits and mountain passes.
Eligibility is specific: cars must be models that competed in the original Tour de France Automobile between 1951 and 1973. That restriction produces a grid of Ferraris, Porsches, Jaguars, Alfa Romeos and similar machinery from the period when the Tour de France was one of the most demanding events in European motorsport. The 2026 edition is Peter Auto's 35th running since they revived the format, and the entry list typically fills with around 230 crews from over 30 countries.
Two competition formats run in parallel. The Regularity class targets precision driving against a set average speed. The Competition class is closer to the original spirit of the event – timed stages, circuit laps, and results that reflect actual performance. The mix means the paddock contains both serious competitors and crews who are primarily there for the roads and the company.
The start in Paris and finish in Biarritz define a route that cuts diagonally across France from north to south-west. The circuit stages vary by edition but have included Pau, Bordeaux and Albi in recent years. Spectating is possible at the Paris exhibition and at the circuit stages; following the road sections requires some planning but the route is public.
