C’est magnifique: seven reasons why you need to visit Peugeot’s historic archives

If you enjoy a car with a lion in its grille, then it’s fair to say the Peugeot Museum should be on your radar. It may currently be known for producing stylish, quirky, efficient cars with great interiors, but Peugeot has a well-regarded past in a multitude of industries.

I’ve always got a tab open with a classic GTI or Rallye model for sale, so when I was given the chance to visit not only the Peugeot museum but it’s closed-door warehouse – where over 100 years of French history is stored – I jumped at the opportunity.

Here are some of my favourite things which I saw while being shown around:

A century of artwork and engineering on paper

Nowadays, engineers have access to incredibly powerful computer software to design, refine and perfect new cars. It’s staggering how far the industry has come in such a short space of time, and it wasn’t all that long ago that cars were being designed entirely on paper. Seeing breathtaking concept drawings and engineering blueprints from as far back as the 19th century is surreal.

Peugeot‘s motorsport prowess

Although it keeps a relatively low profile these days, Peugeot is still one of the most successful manufacturers to ever take part in motorsport. From small but mighty pre-war racers to dominant world rally championship cars, the Peugeot museum serves as a reminder of Peugeot‘s sporty history.

Everything that isn’t a car

From pepper grinders to hammers, washing machines to crock pots. There appears to be no industry left untouched by the industrial might that is Peugeot. It’s not until you see its products in person that you realise how far and wide Peugeot‘s reach is in markets across the world.

Some of the most beautiful cars ever designed

As with any manufacturer, Peugeot has had some lows in its time when it comes to car design. But when Peugeots look good, they look great. The pre-war era is arguably the most impressive, with Peugeots of old looking like they belong in Al Capone’s fleet.

The Terre Blanche archive centre itself

Housed in an old factory, the (not-so) secret Peugeot archive is a simply beautiful building. When it was opened, the decision was made to sympathetically restore the old factory, and there’s a poetic justice to the building preserving Peugeot’s history being preserved as it was in its heyday. Just look at those blue beams.

All of the non-Peugeot stuff

While it may be a predominantly-Peugeot archive, the Terre Blanche is dedicated to preserving the history of a wider range of French manufacturers. Panhard, Talbot, Citroen and more have their posters, documents and photographs hidden away to be digitised.

The digitising process

As a self-titled photographer and a bit of a film nerd, it was amazing to see not only the archive of 35mm film negatives and VHS footage, but the comprehensive setup dedicated to digitising it all – and preserving it for future generations to come.

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