Peking to Paris 2007 Introduction

In 2007, a small team of New Zealand classic car enthusiasts plan to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this great event and follow the same route from Beijing to Paris in their classic cars. This adventure will be organised and run as closely aligned as possible to the route, style and regulations of the 1907 “raid”.

As in the original event despite the 1907 media label of “race” there will be no element of competition whatsoever. “There will be no classification and all participants finishing within a reasonable time will be considered to have accomplished a performance of equal merit” p9

“It is proposed that cars will travel together in teams or groups so that they can help each other when in difficulties” p9

“All that is required of candidates is that they shall leave Peking for Paris in a motorcar, and shall arrive at their destination . . . there will be no formalities or regulations.” p10

“After examining and dismissing the route through Manchuria, the 1907 committee suggested that what lay between (Peking and Paris) might be tackled in this order: Peking to Kalgan, across the Gobi desert to Urga; Irkutsk, Kansk, Tomsk, Omsk, Petropaulavsk, Kurgan, Zlatovst, Kazan, Nizhni, Novgorod, Moscow, Warsaw and thence through Germany and France to finish at Le Matins office in Paris.

This list was published on 27/4/1907 with the wry comment that few competitors were likely to have heard of, and none visited, most of these places. The total distance was computed to between 8000 and 9000 miles.” p15

We propose to use this same route and our calculation for the distance is approx. 11,000km.

As in 1907, we anticipate that the 2007 anniversary tour will depart Beijing on June 10th, 2007. Our route plan anticipates that cars will reach Paris 45 days later, averaging approx. 600km per motoring day with 6 “rest” days along the way.

All teams or participants will be required to organise and pay for all aspects of this event including car and personal transport, running costs, accommodation, insurances etc. Where costs are incurred for “the whole” event i.e. compliance of “escort” costs - China, these shall be born equally by all entrants and deducted from your entry fee.

All participants will be expected to drive older classic cars and appropriate modifications for a trip of this nature will be acceptable. Modern vehicles, 4WDs (unless classic) and service or support vehicles are unlikely to be compatible with the style and aim of the original event.

Page references refer to the book “Adventurers Road”, published in 1957 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event. Temperature and mileage information came from Trailblazers “Trans Siberian Handbook” 2001. Various books about recent Beijing to Paris events via Nepal and India are entertaining but largely irrelevant to our 2007 RAID.

[Note from the editor: This (slightly modified) information was first sent out to interested parties in 2003.]