Most pictures shown on photos and in advertisements were taken in studios or out in the country where it is impossible to tell where one is. Luckily, some photos were shot on locations that are still well known, for instance those taken during the introduction in the Camargue. Some could be traced from the past into the present. I am greatly indebted to Antoine, Robert, Boerammetje, Niek and Google Streetview!
The locations of some of the photos shown below are only more or less known. On the left, the originals are shown. On the right, mostly the Google Streetview version (copyright Google) but also some photos taken by individuals or from archives.
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France, Sonchamp, 1961. The ferme Louareux as shown on the prospectus. Sonchamp is very near the château Porgès de Rochefort en Yvelines, known from Operation Soraya, and less than 40 kms from the Renault test center at Lardy. Read more about it in 4L Magazine 66!
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France, Sonchamp, 1961. Again the Ferme Louareux with the 6525 LG 75 and two old geezers.
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France, 1961. This nice picture is the back side of Renault Magazine 44. My friend Antoine fulfilled the incredible task of finding out that these are 'Les épicures' of the Château de Pinceloup (stables of the castle) near Sonchamp, now hosting the 'Égcole le Notre Poids Lourds'. Below, an image from 'la Gaceta Ilustrada' showing the actress Elga Andersen in the same location, and likely with the same car (6524 LG 75 and/or 6527 LG 25), too.
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France, 1961. The château Porgès de Rochefort en Yvelines was used for Operation Soraya, only about 10 kilometers away from Sonchamp. Currently it is a golf resort... sigh.. Thanks again Antoine!
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France, Camargue, 1961. The castle of Aigues Mortes as shown in Renault Magazine 44
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France, Camargue, 1961. The Quai Colbert in le Grau de Roi seen from the Quai Général de Gaulle, as shown in Renault Magazine 44
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France, Camargue, 1961. The Place des Gitans in Saintes Maries de la Mer, as shown in Renault Magazine 44
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France, Camargue, 1961. The Mas de Boumian from Renault Magazine 44. If someone could go there and take a picture from the right angle, please send me a copy.
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France, Camargue, 1961. The Rue Victor Hugo in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, looking towards Rue des Pénitents Blancs, from the Égdition Spéciale.
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France, Camargue, 1961. The Salon d'Hélène on the corner of Place Lamartine and Victor Hugo in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, from the Égdition Spéciale.
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France, Camargue, 1961. The southern wall of the Notre Dame de la Mer on the Place de l'Église in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, from the Égdition Spéciale.
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France, Camargue, 1961. The Mas de Cacharel from the Italian Quattroruote Magazine.
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France, Paris, corner Rue Sarrette / Rue Alésia, 1961. A car belonging to the Prenez le Volant series, conveniently parked at the Bar du Terminus.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam, Dam Square 1961. Another spotting of the Prenez le Volant cars ('Stuur zelf'), at Amsterdams main square, now a pedestrian area.
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Paris, France, 1961. A Prenez le Volant car at the Avenue de l'Opéra looking south-east towards the Hotel du Louvre, published in Renault Magazine 45 of December 1961.
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Bénodet, Bretagne, France, 1962. A fishermam using his R4 to get to his boat located in the estuary of the Odet river near the Pointe du Coq, published in Renault Magazine 46 of April 1962.
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Les Houches, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, 1962. 5 specimens of a lot of 50 R4 used as official transport during the World Alpine Ski Championship in Chamonix of February 1962, in front of the Téléphérique Les Houches, published in Renault Magazine 46 of April 1962.
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Dalat, Vietnam, the wife of the Renault concessionaire in front of the Linh Son or Grand Pagoda, published in Renault Magazine 46 of April 1962.
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Italy, Naples, the bay, 1962. The front page of an Italian introduction brochure, viewed from (about) the Via Francesco Petrarca / Via Parco Carelli and overlooking the Villa Doria d'Angri in the foreground, and the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius in the background.
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Italy, Naples 1962. The back page of the same Italian introduction brochure, showing the harbour around Via Francesco Caracciolo and Via Sannazaro, again overlooking the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius in the background.
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Italy, Santa Margherita Ligure, Lungomare Raffaele Rossetti, 1963. A nice leaflet for the standard 4 along the Ligurian coast.
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France, the banks of the Loire near Blois near the Promenade Bernard Valette, 1963. A picture taken from Renault Magazine 51, devoted to the Madame Prend le Volant.
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France, the Château de Blois, 1963. Another picture taken from Renault Magazine 51, devoted to the Madame Prend le Volant.
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Italy, Santa Margherita Ligure, 1963. Another fine leaflet of the same series as above, now for a 4L overlooking the bay of Santa Margherita.
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The 1964 brochure 'Aux 4 coins du monde' has many nice (and traceable) photos from France ('La vie de châteaux'), Italy ('Romance Romaine') and Ecuador ('R4 Actualités'):
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France, Chinon. The picturesque town of Chinon ( along the Vienne river, Indre-et-Loire department) in the 1964 brochure.
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France, Chinon. The Hostellerie Gargantua in the 1964 brochure.
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France, Chambord. The Chäteau de Chambord (Loir-et-Cher department) in the 1964 brochure.
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France, Paris, 1964. The Rue du Chevalier-de-La-Barre near Montmartre as pictured in the 1964 brochure.
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Italy, Rome. St. Peters Basilica in the 1965 brochure.
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Italy, Rome. The Hotel Forum located at the Via Tor de'Conti in the 1964 brochure.
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Italy, Rome. The Spanish Steps in the 1964 brochure.
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Ecuador, Rumichaca. The customs at the Puente natural de Rumichaca on the Ecuador-Colombian border in the 1964 brochure.
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Spain, Madrid, 1964. From the Spanish introduction brochure the Plaza Cibeles looking towards Calle de Alcalá.
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Spain, Madrid, 1964. From the same Spanish introduction brochure the Calle de Alcalá.
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Spain, Madrid, 1964. Again from the same Spanish introduction brochure the Calle del Lérez 4.
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France, Honfleur, 1964. Press photo taken in the port of Honfleur - and also have a look at the Hotel de Ville, seen here in the background, in the 1974 brochure.
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France, St. Tropez, 1964. The Quai Gabriel Péri in the harbour as shown on one of the Keller series of advertisements. Nowadays unfortunately always obscured by the most ugly yachts, most houses, as well as the 15th century Tour Portalet in the background, can be seen on the postcard on the right.
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France, Paris, 1964. The Rue Bonaparte / Rue Jacob as seen on the Keller series of advertisements. On the right, the same location featuring a remarkable Parisienne.
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France, Paris, 1964. An R4L Super Parisienne press photo shot at the Place de la Concorde. In the background the Église de la Madeleine is visible (see below).
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France, Paris, 1965. A decouvrable in front of the Église de la Madeleine as seen in one of the 1965 brochures.
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Peru, El Ticlio, 1965. One of Michelle Ray's '4 Elles' 4L halting at the location where - in that time - the highest railway in the world was located (4818m!). Read more about it in Le Figaro of January 19th 1966, or l'Auto Journal 395, February 3rd 1966.
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Amsterdam, end of the Gooischeweg, 1965. A Dutch press photo showing the Export in front of the Europahuis, now Casa 400. Renault Netherlands, now Restaurant Dauphine, was located just left of the photo.
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Amsterdam, Deltastraat, 1965. A Dutch press photo showing the Vitrée.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam 1965, Buitenveldert, Betondorp or Watergraafsmeer around Galileïplantsoen?
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France, Paris, 1966. Again a Parisienne press photo shot at the Place de la Concorde overlooking the Pont de la Concorde and the Assemblée Nationale, situated in the Bourbon Palace at the other side of the Seine.
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France, Paris, 1966. A Parisienne press photo shot at the metro entrance of the Place du Palais Royal / Rue de Rivoli.
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France, Paris, 1969. A photo from the 1969 fourgonnette brochure showing a piano being unloaded on the corner of Rue des Écoles and Rue Monge, in front of a music store - there still is one selling pianos on the same location. In the background, a building of the École Polytechnique de Paris.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam. 1968. Kalverstraat 35-37, now a Mango shop. The 'Miele & Co' store has left long ago but nice photos can be found on the Amsterdam Beeldbank.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam, 1968. Corner Keizersgracht - Leliegracht, now Kirchner bookstore.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam, 1968. SW Corner Beethovenstraat - Stadionweg looking eastward down Stadionweg.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam, 1968. A view on the Riekermolen (note that the position of the blades is different though - they can be rotated).
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Netherlands, Amsterdam, 1969. A view on the van Nijenrodeweg from the corner Soetendaal-Vijverhoef showing a contract killer on a job. Unrecognizable due to the abundant vegetation but the flats are still there hidden behind the bushes.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam 1970, Albert Hahnplantsoen, on the right a double villa built in 1930 in the style of the 'Amsterdamse School', now a monument. The building on the left was already a school in 1970, now the Montessorischool, located in a hideous concrete building.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam, the Spiegelgracht seen from the Lijnbaansgracht on a nice advert from 1970.
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France, Paris Montmartre, Dutch Renault Revue magazine 1970-8 showing an R4 in the Rue Norvins in Montmartre, with the Sacre Coeur in the background.
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France, the Quai François 1er in the harbour of Le Tréport, a nice press photo from 1972, and below it the same photo from a 1973 German brochure, with added 'butoirs de parechoque'.
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Netherlands, Amsterdam, Dutch Renault Revue magazine 1973-4 showing an R5 crossing the Keizersgracht along the Amstel river just opposite the Hermitage museum.
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France, Honfleur, Hotel de Ville in the 1974 Fourgonnette brochure.
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