Monday 21st January 1901

The first Paris Motor Show was held at Grand Palais. It marked the start of a long tradition and the public’s unfailing attachment to an event that soon became emblematic of the Grand Palais. At the end of 1900, the automotive industry was flourishing: in France 2,884 four-seater cars, 5,286 2-seaters and 11,252 motor bikes were on the road, i.e. almost half of all the world’s motor vehicles at the time.