6 Jours Paris au Vel d’Hiv’

This vibrant, color-block poster was created for the 1957 Paris Six-Day Race at the Velodrome d’Hiver. The dynamic artwork by Y. Charieras centralizes two cyclists racing through a vivid spotlight, their trailing motion depicted in energetic strokes of yellow, pink, and blue against deep black and white contrasts. The event’s dates—“7 au 13 Novembre”—and the sponsor “SUZE À LA GENTIANE” are boldly displayed in orange and black typography, uniting sporty energy with refined graphic design.

The poster embodies both the fast-paced spectacle of six-day racing and mid-century French Art Deco graphic style. As a promotional piece for a major indoor cycling event, it captures the crescendo of speed, endurance, and public excitement that defined track cycling at the Vel’ d’Hiv’.

The 1957 Six Jours de Paris was won by the trio Jacques Anquetil, André Darrigade, and Ferdinando Terruzzi. Their remarkable collaboration secured back-to-back victories in 1957 and 1958 at the Vel’ d’Hiv’. In second place came Louis Bobet, Georges Senfftleben, and Dominique Forlini, followed by the third-place team of Willy Vannitsen, Léon Van Daele, and Alfred De Bruyne.

This poster has been archivally and professionally linen-backed.

Virtually all original vintage posters of this era were viewed as temporary advertising and were printed on fragile, thin paper. While expensive, linen backing is a conservation method used to mount, stabilize, preserve, and protect vintage posters so they can be displayed or framed without compromising value.