The fact that "Spa" is not only associated with the nearby Francorchamps racetrack, but also has a lot to offer classic car and automobile enthusiasts, was proven on November 13 by the classic car fair in the time-honored casino of the small town in the Belgian Ardennes.
Water, water
A sculpture has been erected at the traffic circle at the entrance to Spa, paying tribute to the mineral water that is produced there. Spa red (carbonated), Spa blue (still water) and Spa green (lemonade) are well-known in the Benelux countries. If you want a mineral water in a restaurant, you order 'a spa', regardless of which brand is served. But the other water that falls from the sky is also plentiful in Spa, as regular visitors to the nearby race track know all too well from experience.
It was also rainy in Spa on this November Sunday. Nevertheless, we saw numerous classic and vintage cars on the way there, whose owners had made their way to the annual classic car fair in Spa. It is an insider tip, especially among paper collectors.
Cozy
The bourse is organized by the 'Retromobile Club de Spa', a local association that meets once a month and organizes several trips throughout the year. "The bourse is our biggest event," said an elderly gentleman standing at the entrance to the casino. The entrance fee is six euros. None of the club members present knows exactly when the first bourse took place. "But it's probably been around for 30 or 35 years".
The fair opens at ten, so those who arrive early can enjoy a cup of coffee and a fresh croissant in one of the many cafés in the area. And those who want to get in earlier are usually granted entry.
The few parking spaces in front of the casino are sometimes full of interesting cars, as are the surrounding streets in the center of Spa, where the bakeries and stores selling Belgian chocolate are also open on Sundays.
Cars too
Although officially labeled as 'Bourse de Véhicules Anciens' or 'Oldtimer Exchange', the number of cars was relatively small. In the traffic circle, under chandeliers, a number of cars and motorcycles were lined up for sale. A small exhibition was set up in the gallery, which this year included some Peugeot rally cars.
The main part of the fair, which extends over various rooms in the casino building, is parts and, above all, automobilia. Books, brochures, model cars, posters and photos could be found in large numbers and in enormous variety.
Racing automobilia
Of course, there were many vendors on site offering items related to the nearby Spa-Francorchamps racetrack. Racing posters and programs, but also countless photos of events were on offer. There was also plenty of material on the local "Boucles de Spa" rally and the earlier "Liège-Sofia-Liège" and "Liège-Rome-Liège" marathons.
Belgian racing driver Yvette Fontaine, who often competed in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and in numerous rallies in an Alfa Romeo and then a Ford, had her own stand where she sold her autobiography (in Dutch and French), which was published this year.
More familiar
The bourse in Spa is certainly not the only one in Belgium: In March there is the Antwerp Classic Salon (from the same organizer as Techno Classica), on the Whitsun weekend there is the big bourse on the Ciney cattle market grounds and since last year the popular Dutch Interclassics has had a Belgian offshoot, which will also see its second edition in November at the Heizel-Expo in Brussels.
However, the event in Spa is probably the fair with the most informal character and the prices are very moderate. This also applies to the exhibitors, so that you can find suppliers here who are not active anywhere else.
The author of these lines was also able to expand his collection of Citroën documentation with some interesting objects. Due to its location in the Ardennes, many visitors from Germany and the Netherlands also find their way to the casino. So Spa was once again worth a visit in November.
The date for next year could finally be found: The next fair will take place on November 12, 2017. Further information can be found on the organizer's website.
