Car Collection of HSH Prince of Monaco

The Principality of Monaco occupies a small rocky cove on the southern coast of France, very close to the border with Italy. It's ruled by the Grimaldi family and is basically a tax haven. Synonymous with luxury, it's a playground for the rich and famous and, despite its small size, it a popular tourist destination.

Prince Rannier III was a keen motoring enthusiast and maintained a collection of the family's personal vehicles and vehicles he had collected. This collection is on public display at Les Terrasses de Fontvieille MC 98000 MONACO and is open seven days a week, except over Christmas. For more information about the museum, check their website here: http://www.mtcc.mc

Monaco is, of course, the home of the Monaco Grand Prix, a race that has been running through Monte Carlo's steep and tightly winding streets since 1929.

1959 Renault Floride that was owned by Princess Grace of Monaco

Family car - Singer

Family car - 1958 Peugeot 203

Family car - Citroen DS

Family cars - Citroen Traction Avant and General Motors Jeep

Citroen Traction Avant

1943 Weasel that was used in the French Polar Expedition

Citroen



Family car - Renault 750 4CV

Family car - Citroen 2CV

1927 Rolls-Royce Type 20

Bedellia cycle car

The tandem seating Bedellia's were popular in racing.

The Rolls Royce collection.

Pioneering vehicles - 1905 De Dion Bouton

Rumper motorcycle. Rumpler were a German company that built a small number of cars and motorcycles as well as aircraft. Their most famous vehicle was the 1928 streamlined Tropfenwagen.

1901 Panhard and Levassor. P and L pioneered front engine placement and rear wheel drive.

Rochet Schneider

1911 Renault AX

1912 Napier

Bellanger Tevres

Citroen Type C

Renault Torpedo

French vintage car collection

1948 Delahaye 135 MS



1948 Delahaye



1927 Rosengart



1938 Simca, which was a French built version of a Fiat. In Germany, they were sold as NSU-Fiat.

NSU Sports Prinz

1960 BMW Isetta

Mercedes-Benz saloons

Austin taxi. The open passenger compartment was used for luggage.

Family car - Nash



Overview of the collection.

Monaco's Grand Casino.

The Prince's Car Museum is well worth a visit. There is an interesting mix of vehicles, pleasantly arranged. It's an easy half hour to appreciate the collection.

Iceland Car Collection

Iceland is not a place one goes for classic motoring, but there is a scene. In the north of Iceland, in the village of Ystafelli there is an impressive transport museum. It is about an hours drive east from Myvatin and although we stayed in Myvatin when we visited Iceland in 2018, we never saw the museum as we'd missed the turn off and driven right past. https://www.facebook.com/ystafellautomuseum/

I must admit, we didn't miss the classic car scene while driving around. Iceland's vistas and landscapes are simply stunning. Traffic and tourists were sparse, allowing you to stop wherever you liked to appreciate the view. 

Along the drive we came across many unusual vehicles. I was surprised at the number of these former military amphibious trucks. I saw at least half a dozen of these.

Iceland is a rugged land and needs rugged trucks. This collection of heavy trucks was parked in the village of Vik. It was a random mix of American GMCs, Russian GAZ and German Mercedes-Benz. 

In a seaside village of Borganes (I think) we came across a sign for a car museum and, as we were stopping for supplies, we took a look. It was difficult to find as there were no signs. We knocked on the door of a warehouse and peeked inside. It was in fact a car club 'museum' housing a small number of cars. The local car club rented space in a disused warehouse to store club members cars and provided a workshop for them. As you'd expect, the vehicles on display were an eclectic mix.

German Opel

German 1956 DKW 3=6

Volkswagen Beetle and

Volvo Amazon

East German Trabant!

Citroen Traction Avant

These toys were from an Icelandic children's TV show

Ford Model T

Vespa

That's more what I expected from Iceland - snowmobile

Chevrolet truck

In a second unheated warehouse members cars were crammed together. There was some unusual stuff here. Ford Model T

International truck

Russian GAZ 4x4

America LaFrance firetruck

GMC

A snow tractor

Another snow tractor, missing its tracks

A Russian GAZ

I was surprised how many of these were around.

Russian and British four wheel drives

GAZ

I think this was a Wanderer?

Then it was back on the road....