Cards                     The writer lives on

It's hard to imagine such a serene traffic scene by the fountain in  Nice these days. The photo takes us back to the late 1950s, a  black-and-white image that has been brought to life with the artists color  interpretation. The true bright green hue of the Frégate wasn't available in the  brochure. Additionally, the 'artist' overlooked  coloring the roof edge around the sunroof green. The gray 4CV on the  same traffic circle appears more true to life in its color.

Fast forward a few years to the 1960s, and we find a photographer capturing a sunny day in Montelimar at a bustling intersection. One cannot miss the light beige R4, the basic model without a third side window, standing out. Just in front of it, there's a similar car with its lid open. Further ahead, a Dauphine catches the eye, and to the left, the front of an R8 follows closely behind a black Peugeot 403.

In every respectable village, there's a Salle des Fêtes where a variety of activities take place. In the Algerian town of Boughari, you can see the evident French influence not only in the architecture but also in the parked cars. In the center, a hard-working Renault Galion, though missing its grille, stands proudly. Interestingly, the building still stands today.

On the back of this charming congratulatory card written in calligraphy, you'll find 'To the young lady Griet Rosie.' The young lady in question lived in 's-Heerenberg and received congratulations from Hetty ter Horst in 1932. Despite the Dutch inscription, this card was printed in France. The greeting was later added in a profile print. Of course, our attention is drawn to the beautiful miniature Renault, especially due to its round logo. It's likely based on a 1923/1924 model. (Collection: Joop Snijders)

Parked beside the church in Meschers, nestled in Charente-Maritime along the Gironde River, is a silver-grey Renault 8. While it may have lost its hubcaps, the paint color and the presence of the trim strip on the flanks hint at its identity as a luxury Major version with an 1100 engine.

In the past, everything seemed more vibrant, but you wouldn't have found an orange Frégate or a bright red 4CV straight from the factory. Here, they are flanked by a similarly colored green Frégate on the daily submerged road leading to the famous Mont Saint-Michel."