Old advertisement truck
This is a custom-built promotional truck for Laines Pernelle, a famous French wool and yarn company that was very popular in the mid-20th century.
It was a star of the Tour de France "Caravane Publicitaire" (Publicity Caravan) during the 1950s.
This parade of wild vehicles drives the race route a few hours before the cyclists to hand out gifts and entertain the millions of fans lining the roads
The Details
• The Chassis: It was built on a Renault truck chassis (likely a 2.5-ton model).
• The Builder: It was designed and constructed by Le Bastard, a legendary French coachbuilder famous for creating some of the most bizarre and creative "moving sculptures" in history.
• The Design: The faces on the side represent the Pernelle family—a mother, father, and child—which was the brand’s logo at the time. It’s a perfect example of programmatic architecture, where a vehicle or building is shaped like the product or brand it’s selling.
• The "NORD" Label: You can see "NORD" written on the front bumper. This is because the Pernelle company was based in the North of France (specifically in the Roubaix/Tourcoing area), which was the heart of the French textile industry for decades.
Fun Fact
This exact vehicle was so eye-catching that it even made a cameo in the 1953 French movie La Route Napoléon.
Back then, these vehicles were often more popular with the kids in the crowd than the actual bike race!
The Tour de France caravan still exists today, but modern safety rules mean the vehicles aren't quite as "weird" or artistic as these hand-built metal masterpieces from the 1950s.
Being a longtime enthusiast of vintage promotional vehicles, I find the Laines Pernelle truck fascinating not just as a marketing tool but also as a work of art. The fact that it was part of the Tour de France's Caravane Publicitaire adds a rich cultural dimension to its history. In those days, before digital advertising, such creatively designed trucks played a crucial role in engaging crowds along the race route, bringing smiles and memorable experiences to both children and adults. What strikes me most about this truck is its use of programmatic architecture, where the vehicle's very shape and decoration embody the brand's identity—in this case, the Pernelle family faces prominently displayed to connect emotionally with consumers. The integration of art and commerce by the coachbuilder Le Bastard, known for his imaginative moving sculptures, elevated advertising into a storytelling medium. Also intriguing is the regional aspect indicated by the "NORD" label, highlighting the company's ties to France’s textile heartland near Roubaix and Tourcoing. This local pride, combined with the truck's cameo in the 1953 film La Route Napoléon, underscores its iconic status during that era. Comparing then and now, modern Tour de France publicity vehicles must comply with stringent safety regulations, which often limits the creativity and wildness found in these handcrafted 1950s masterpieces. For collectors and history buffs, trucks like the Laines Pernelle model represent a unique blend of industrial design, advertising ingenuity, and cultural celebration—elements rarely seen together in today's marketing vehicles. Overall, this truck is more than a relic; it's a testament to the power of imaginative advertising and its ability to captivate audiences decades ago, showing how brands once created joyous, interactive experiences that resonated deeply with communities.
