City Tour in Citroen 2CV Gives Longtime Fan a Taste of Basic French Motoring

Auto enthusiasts usually have a list of favorite vehicles they’d like to slip into one day. Some would be overjoyed to pilot a Ferrari F40, or an original Mercedes-Benz 300SL “gullwing” coupe. Others might prefer a 1966 Hemi Dodge Charger, a Duesenberg SJ, or an authentic Shelby Cobra.

My own list focuses on milder-mannered models, with the decidedly non-dashing Citroen 2CV at the top. Sold in the U.S. during the Sixties, the down-to-basics 2CV served as France’s latter-day equivalent to the Model T Ford. Countless Europeans learned to drive in a Deux Cheveau, which enjoyed such nicknames as the “tin snail.”

While residing temporarily in Paris early in 2012, I discovered a company that offers city tours in Citroen 2CVs. Having never even sat in one before, I eagerly signed up for a late-morning session.

Christopher, my driver, pulled up at Place de la Concorde in a 1988 Deux Chevaux: a special Charleston edition, stylishly two-toned in maroon and black. Like all 2CVs, our car featured a slatted hood, double-chevron grille, separately-mounted headlights, and covered rear wheels. Beneath the bonnet sits a tiny two-cylinder air-cooled engine, making a whopping 29 horsepower and driving a four-speed manual gearbox. (Early 2CV engines developed only 9 or 12 hp.) All 2CVs had a fabric sunroof, which slides all the way to the rear to give a magnificent view–especially from the back seat. More...