Piste Municipale de Vincennes — Un Départ – J. Hauser Postcard #11

Piste Municipale de Vincennes — Un Départ,” No. 11

This wonderfully atmospheric postcard captures the tense moments before the start of a race at the Piste Municipale de Vincennes in Paris, later known as La Cipale and today the Vélodrome Jacques-Anquetil. Several riders are balanced on their machines by attendants while officials and spectators crowd the trackside, the packed grandstand stretching across the background. The scene captures the excitement and feel of a genuine race day, preserving the ritual, equipment and excitement of early twentieth-century velodrome racing.

Published by J. Hauser, phot.-édit., Paris, the card comes from a large numbered series of photographic views and sporting subjects produced during the great postcard boom of the period. This example was mailed in 1911 and retains its original French 10-centime stamp, postal cancellations and handwritten message, adding another layer of period character to an already excellent image of cycling at Vincennes.

No. 11 – J Hauser, 1911

Size 9 x 14 cm (3.5 x 5.5 inches)

All of the postcards on our site are original, with no reproductions.

This card is quite old and one-of-a-kind, so please look carefully at the photos to determine its condition.