Magny Cours has been France's Formula 1 venue since 1991, and proves an interesting challenge for drivers and their machinery. It's located near the sleepy town of Nevers, a couple of hours from Paris, and as a location for a classic event, it proves absolutely perfect.

And in 2011, Classic Days thrived. Held to celebrate the 50th birthday oif Magny Cours, a total of 1139 cars made it to the track, representing 107 marques. The crowds were huge, too, with more than 20,000 making it to this special event across the weekend.

The pits and paddock were a real treat, with a real mixture of top flight cars, from the Bugatti Type 35 to the Matra F1 MS11. As well as that, visitors were able to stroll around the trade village, to search out the best automobilia bargains.

On the track, an impressive 544-vehicle parade opened the proceedings, before the race programme kicked off. Adding to the numbers were 144 cars from the Classic Tour BRM Chronographes (a local tourist rally).

Stars included Jacques Laffite, Tico Martini, Henri Pescarolo, Jean Pierre Jaussaud or Alain Serpaggi, and all were happy to sign autographs for their fans. Classic Days returns for 2012, and the organisers promise it will be bigger and better than ever...