A friendship forged by Bugatti: François Melcion on the birth of Retromobile

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François Melcion’s love for classic cars began at a very young age. At just fifteen, he bought his first car: a Citroën C4. It was missing a rear seat. Searching for a solution, he ended up at the garage of Marc Nicolosi. Marc simply said, “Go and have a look behind the workshop.” François found exactly the right seat there and was allowed to take it for free. What began as a small gesture became the start of a close friendship that would last a lifetime.

From that very first visit, it was clear where Marc’s heart lay: Bugatti. In the workshop stood a Type 35, the very car his son still owns today. Bugatti was the only subject he ever talked about. From that moment on, François and Marc did everything together.

Their “marketing” was as simple as it was brilliant: they drove their Bugattis everywhere. People saw them on the streets, in villages, and at gatherings. Everyone immediately understood that they were deeply involved with historic cars. It was the best possible way to meet people and build connections.

In 1981, François bought his first Bugatti, a Type 40, in the very first year that Retromobile was held at Porte de Versailles. A year later, a Type 37 followed. His friend Marc already owned a Type 35, and François wanted something comparable. With that Type 37, he drove more than 100,000 kilometres—not to preserve it in a corner, but to truly use it.

The seed for Retromobile had been planted earlier. In 1974, Marc Nicolosi was asked to organise a temporary exhibition to promote a major automotive encyclopedia, called Alpha Auto, which took place in the former Gare de la Bastille railway station. Thanks to Marc’s reputation, he managed to assemble around sixty remarkable cars, mostly from friends. The organiser paid for transport, the exhibition lasted ten days, and it was a great success.

Marc and François immediately saw the potential: why not turn this into something permanent? A meeting place for enthusiasts, with cars, parts, clubs, and magazines. In 1976, Retromobile was born, once again at the Gare de la Bastille. The first editions, organised by Marc with the help of François, focused strongly on pre-war cars: around 80 percent of the vehicles on display dated from before 1940. Friends brought boxes full of spare parts from their garages and sold them on the spot. There were wonderful items to be found. French and German magazines also became involved. Nowhere else in the world did a comparable indoor show exist.

For five years, Retromobile remained at the Bastille. When the station was demolished, the show moved to Porte de Versailles, where it began with an area of approximately 3,500 to 4,000 square metres.

For the historic motoring world, Retromobile has always been of fundamental importance. It is the one place where everyone comes together. The show has made an enormous contribution to the spirit of the classic car community—in France, across Europe, and worldwide. Asked about the difference between Retromobile and the Essen show, François replies with a smile: “They are not competitors, but complementary. I like Essen, but Essen smells of sausage; Retromobile smells of foie gras.”

When you start something, you never know whether it will succeed. That Retromobile is still thriving fifty years later, François calls “wonderful.”

Behind the scenes, several key figures played crucial roles. Brigitte Benoit-Latour was officially the secretary, but in reality much more than that. From the very beginning, she was indispensable and lived among old cars. Shortly afterwards, Thierry Farges joined, focusing mainly on exceptional and rare vehicles.

The original idea came from Marc Nicolosi. During the first two years, François helped both with organisation and as an exhibitor, but that proved too demanding. He decided to focus entirely on organisation. In the early 2000s, the concept was sold, although François and Marc remained involved in management. François became director under Comexposium and held that position until six years ago, when he retired. Afterwards, he continued as a consultant.

According to François, it is essential that Retromobile offers something for everyone. That is the challenge each year. He considers the introduction of the SuperCar Garage a very good idea: people who know only modern supercars may come and discover that there is much more. At the same time, Retromobile remains true to its roots—there are still more pre-war cars on display than at any other show in the world.

What began with a missing rear seat in a Citroën grew into one of the most important classic car events in the world. And at its heart has always been the same passion: a love for exceptional automobiles—and above all, for Bugatti.

At the next edition, the Bugatti Type 35 of Marc Nicolosi (now owned by his son Baptiste), François’s former Type 37, Brigitte Benoit-Latour’s Amilcar CGSS, and a 1:20 scale model of Jean Bertin’s 1964 Aerotrain, presented by Thierry Farges, will be exhibited together.

Details:

• Event: Salon Rétromobile
• Date: 28 January – 1 February 2026
• Location: Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles, Paris, France
• Tickets: Click here

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