August 22, 1962, Route du Petit-Clamart. A black DS 19 is driving along peacefully when suddenly, 187 bullets fly from all sides. 14 of them hit the car. The front tires explode. And yet, miraculously, the driver maintains control and accelerates to save his passenger: Charles de Gaulle, President of the French Republic.

The DS that had just saved the General's life would forever transform the history of French presidential cars. Because before that day, no one imagined that a car could one day become the living symbol of the French Resistance.

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But let's rewind a bit. It's 1958, and Charles de Gaulle returns to power. For a president of the brand-new Fifth Republic, a car is needed that's up to the task. And de Gaulle makes a choice that will go down in history: the Citroën DS 19.

You might be wondering why this car? Well, because in 1958, the DS was the French automotive revolution . A revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension, a futuristic design by Flaminio Bertoni, and above all, it was 100% French. For de Gaulle, there was no question of driving a foreign car when you wanted to embody the greatness of France.

And then came that infamous August 22, 1962. The OAS, the Secret Army Organization, had decided that de Gaulle must die. Their leader, Lieutenant Colonel Jean Bastien-Thiry, fiercely opposed to Algerian independence, organized an attack of unprecedented violence.

Picture the scene : Francis Marroux, the General's chauffeur, is driving along this suburban road when suddenly, hell breaks loose. Bullets are raining down everywhere. 187 bullets fired in a matter of seconds. I swear, it's action movie-level.

But where it gets crazy is that the DS holds up. 14 impacts, both front tires punctured, and yet Marroux manages to maintain control thanks to that famous hydropneumatic suspension. The car continues to roll , even accelerates, and takes de Gaulle away from danger.

Do you know what the General said when he arrived at the Élysée Palace? "Now I know I can trust this car." And indeed, he will never change it again.

This DS from the attack instantly became legendary. Citroën even created a slogan inspired by this event : "What this brand was able to do for a General, today it does for everyone, in general." Frankly, in terms of marketing, hats off.

The Henri Chapron era: when French craftsmanship enhances the presidential automobile

Now, let's talk about a man who would revolutionize presidential cars: Henri Chapron . This man, born in 1886 in Levallois-Perret, was the Mozart of French coachbuilding. For more than fifty years, he transformed cars into rolling works of art.

In 1968, de Gaulle wanted to make a big splash for official ceremonies. He ordered an exceptional ceremonial DS from Chapron. And there, the master coachbuilder outdid himself: he created a DS 6.53 meters long . Almost 2 meters longer than a normal DS!

This presidential limousine is pure madness. Minibar, air conditioning, intercom, exceptional leather seats... A veritable rolling lounge worthy of a head of state. But you know what? De Gaulle ultimately used it very little. He preferred his usual DS 19, the one that had saved him at Petit-Clamart. Emotional attachment is priceless.

The story could have ended there, but in 1969, de Gaulle left power and Georges Pompidou arrived at the Élysée. And then things went off in all directions .

Georges Pompidou and his passion for automobiles

Pompidou was a true car enthusiast. He knew his cars inside and out. And in 1971, he had a brilliant idea: to properly welcome Queen Elizabeth II during her official visit in May 1972, he wanted something spectacular.

He returned to Henri Chapron and ordered two convertible Citroën SMs . Mind you, not classic SMs, presidential SMs! 5.60 meters long, 1780 kg, and an exclusive "Black Tudor" metallic gray-green livery that really looks the part.

The difference with the DS I just told you about is that this time, Bernard, I really have a collection of miniature SMs that retrace this exceptional era of French automobiles. Moreover, the presidential SM from 1972 is one of my most sought-after models.

On bernardminiatures.fr, I have some rare gems from this era - 1/43 scale SMs that tell the story of this fascinating period when Citroën was at the top of its game. More than 1,500 miniatures in stock, mainly 1/43 scale, with free delivery from €75 in France. And since I'm a reseller and not a supplier, each piece is often unique, so if you see something you like, don't hang around too long!

But let's get back to our presidential SMs. These cars will break an absolutely crazy record : they will serve for 36 years! From Pompidou to Chirac, via Giscard d'Estaing and Mitterrand, these two SMs will span the decades.

The Mystery of the Third SM and State Secrets

So here, I'm going to tell you something that few people know. Officially, there are only two presidential SMs . The ones built by Chapron in 1972. But in reality, there is a third!

In 2005, well after Henri Chapron's death in 1978, a wealthy collector secretly commissioned a third presidential SM. It was built by Vincent Crescia, a Swiss specialist, according to Chapron's original plans. It officially bears the serial number Chapron 7659 .

Imagine this: in 2005, when everyone was driving a Peugeot 607 or a Renault Vel Satis, someone had a presidential SM built! It's on the same level as if today, someone were to order a presidential 2CV convertible.

And then there's this absolutely crazy anecdote about the DS used in the attack. You know, the one you can see at the Colombey-les-Deux-Églises Memorial? Well, it's a fake! The real DS used in the attack was sold in 1964 to General Robert-Pol Dupuy. The poor guy had an accident with it, and it was too damaged to be restored. So it was replaced with an identical model, keeping just the original interior layout.

Honestly, I love this story because it shows that in France, we don't mess around with symbols. Even for an exhibition, it has to look exactly like the original.

The Giscard break: when Peugeot enters the Élysée

In 1974, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing came to power. And there, for the first time under the Fifth Republic, a president broke with the Citroën tradition . Giscard chose a Peugeot 604 in 1975.

Can you imagine the shock? Since de Gaulle, it was Citroën or nothing. And then VGE arrives with his 604. Not that it's a bad car , mind you! The 604 is solid, French too, but it still breaks something.

The funny thing is that despite this change, Pompidou's famous SMs continued to be used for official ceremonies. They would last throughout Giscard's presidency , then Mitterrand's, and even the beginning of Chirac's.

36 years of service, I remind you! An absolute record for presidential cars. And that says a lot about the quality of French manufacturing at the time .

The tradition perpetuated: from Mitterrand to Macron

François Mitterrand, for his part, kept Pompidou's SMs but also innovated with other models. And here, we can clearly see that every president wants to mark his era with his automotive choices.

What's fascinating is this continuity of French excellence. From the revolutionary DS to the futuristic SM, including Giscard's 604, each presidential choice reflects the state of the French automotive industry at a given moment.

And today? Well, Emmanuel Macron is continuing this tradition with the all-new, 100% electric presidential DS No. 8. Seven presidents have driven a DS , in one form or another. This shows how closely linked this brand is to the history of the French Republic.

The legacy of Henri Chapron

When I think about it, Henri Chapron will have marked French presidential history for almost forty years. From his stretched DS of 1968 to the SM of 1972 , this guy will have created the most beautiful presidential limousines in the history of France.

And the best part of all this is that these cars tell our story. The DS that survived the attack is France resisting . The SM that survived the decades is French excellence that endures. Each presidential car is a piece of our heritage that rolls.

Do you know what strikes me most about this story? It's that behind every great presidential car, there are passionate men . Henri Chapron who sublimates metal, Francis Marroux who saves the Republic by keeping control of his bullet-riddled DS, Georges Pompidou who commissions masterpieces to welcome the Queen of England...

These cars are not just means of transportation. They are privileged witnesses of our greatest moments in history . And frankly, when you see the quality of what was being done at the time, you can only be proud of this French automotive heritage.

So the next time you come across a DS or an SM on the road, think about all this . Think about these cars that have carried our presidents, that have resisted attacks, that have welcomed the greatest of this world. These racing cars are a bit like our French history on four wheels.