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Cimetière des Légendes / Lost Panhard, France
Behind hedges and overgrowth, lies the Cimetière des Légendes. This car graveyard sits on a quiet road, passersby
This large collection of French cars rust and fall apart as the decades pass. A lot of these are Panhard PL 17, from the latest 1950s to early 1960s. Ivy clings to bonnets, and trees twist around the chassis.
Panhard PL17 (1959-1965) at Cimetière des Légendes
Panhard was a French automobile manufacturer which commenced trading in 1887. There are several of these models at Cimetière des Légendes, which produced between 1959 and 1965. This car represents a more streamlined revision of the older Panhard Dyna Z. The PL 17, driven by Maurice Martin and Roger Bateau, won the 30th Monte Carlo Rally in 1961. In addition, these cars also placed second and third in the rally that year.
The model name prefix, PL, is derived from “Panhard et Levassor”(PL). The appended number 17 is a summation of 5+6+6. This represents; the 5CV power engine, 6 car seats, and the 6 l/100km fuel economy (47 mpg). The top speed was 130km/h.
Post-1964 PL 17s lack the prominent chrome unibrow and have other facelift modifications, in contrast to the later models. Consequently, these cars are mostly likely 1959-1964 models.
Panhard was absorbed by Citroen in 1965, and production of the PL 17 was ceased. As a result, these cars represent relics of a bygone time.
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Excellent photos- Panhard were the prettiest of cars with almost noddy style face. I only saw one at a motor rally in Gourdon SW France. I took a photo if you would like to see it ? Nature is a state of mind because we delineate it and compartmentalise it. The world isnt like that. It encroaches, adapts and overtakes with soft gentle kisses and then it grabs you just as you thought mechanical and architectural beasts were at rest. I adore all realms of possibilty and ive now found a world i love just as much as flora and fauna. Your world is being used by me now to fund my enjoyment of life.
You have photos above with bumpers fallen from rotted brackets and i say – a bit like the black box of airplanes – make the whole car from refined aluminium and chrome………VOILA they now create cars that do not rust. What a sorry place our world will be when our lives no longer biodegrade……….Amanda x
This was a happy bonus location, and a pleasant surprise! We cut back through France on our way back to England after a couple of weeks driving around Italy. They certainly have some unique faces on these cars, and some wonderful natural decay. These poor cars will almost certainly rot and decay in place, as the plants overpower the rusting metal 🙂
A happy bonus is shared – Ax