A Lifelong Passion for Citroën

While the official Citroën Conservatoire in Paris is world-renowned, it faces stiff competition from a private facility in southern France. Over the past 40 years, Henri Fradet has meticulously assembled an extraordinary collection of more than 120 post-war Citroën models. Located in the picturesque town of Castellane, his museum, aptly named CitroMuseum, serves as a time capsule for French automotive history.


Fradet specializes in seeking out pristine, low-mileage vehicles that have remained largely untouched by restoration. His search has taken him across the entire country, resulting in a display that is not just about the cars, but also the history surrounding them. The museum is packed with vintage memorabilia, including original R&D documents, dealer signs, and scale models.


The Museum Layout

The collection is housed in three distinct wings, each covering a different era:

  • The First Section: Dedicated to the legendary Traction Avant and various iterations of the iconic DS/ID models.
  • The Second Section: Focused on the utilitarian 2CV and its many derivatives.
  • The Third Section: Covering the later models produced between the 1970s and the 1990s.

Historic Highlights

Among the vast array of vehicles, several stand out for their historical significance:

«The 1955 black DS, bearing chassis number 32, is widely considered the oldest surviving series-produced example of the model, as the initial 13 units were lost to history.»

Another crown jewel is the 1954 2CV A, a true time-warp vehicle. It has traveled just 7,300 km over 65 years, with its original door panels still protected by the factory-applied brown paper. From prototypes like the REGAMO to specialized versions like the GSA Cottage, every car in the museum tells a unique story of French engineering and ownership.


Rare Engineering Milestones

Fradet’s collection also documents Citroën's bolder experiments. The M35, a Wankel-powered prototype, and the GS Birotor showcase the brand's willingness to innovate despite the challenges of the time, such as the 1973 oil crisis. The inclusion of these rare models illustrates the brand's complex evolution from mechanical simplicity to complex hydropneumatic luxury.


A Living Legacy

The CitroMuseum represents more than just a list of specs; it is a testament to the persistence of a single collector who preserved pieces of history that might otherwise have been scrapped. By focusing on survivors—cars that were often overlooked or dismissed during their peak production years—Fradet has created an invaluable archive of the Citroën brand.


For enthusiasts wishing to see these machines in person, the museum is located on the Route Napoléon in Castellane and remains open to the public from April through October.