At over 300 km/h to Bièvres

There are journeys that start to feel special even before you arrive. At the beginning of June, Stephan Baedeker, Walter Jekat and I set off for Bièvres, the town south of Paris where the world’s largest photography fair takes place once a year. And even the journey there turned out to be an experience in itself.

From Mannheim, the ICE took us to Paris in less than three hours, travelling at over 300 kilometres per hour for long stretches. Anyone watching the landscape pass by whilst the train glides along so smoothly that it seems almost stationary would find it hard to believe the speed at which it is travelling. A minor marvel of engineering that brought a quiet smile to the lips of the three of us, self-confessed enthusiasts of precision engineering.

In Bièvres itself, around 150 stalls from all over Europe awaited us, spread out in the open air in the town park. This special setting is a big part of the magic: you stroll from table to table amongst old trees, your gaze constantly drawn between the cameras and the greenery. Saturday morning was still cool and damp, but as the weekend progressed the weather became noticeably more pleasant, and Sunday afternoon finally treated us to a perfect summer’s day.

The mix of exhibitors could hardly have been more diverse. We saw well-known dealers from all over Europe, some with huge stalls, alongside private individuals who simply laid out their treasures on a blanket on the grass. The range stretched from priceless rarities in the five-figure range to bargain bins where items cost five or ten euros. Anyone who keeps their eyes open here will find something to suit every budget.

Of course, we saw all the classics that a collector’s heart could wish for. But we also discovered a wide selection of fantastic cameras that were new even to us, particularly in the field of wooden cameras and French manufacturers. There was also a good selection of dealers selling photobooks and entire photo collections. We were particularly taken with the modern-day manufacturers who continue to practise the traditional craft of wooden camera-making to this day, and a specialist who has dedicated himself entirely to the restoration of Polaroid SX-70 cameras.

With so much to take in, a break now and then was just what we needed. A cup of coffee at the Stadtcafé, a moment’s respite from the joyful sensory overload, was well deserved. But, as is so often the case, it was the encounters that made the biggest impression. We bumped into quite a few club members and a number of other familiar faces, but we also made many new acquaintances. The hospitality of our French sister club, Niépce-Lumière, was second to none: an aperitif on Sunday lunchtime, an excellent red wine and delicious nibbles, right in the middle of a huge photography fair in glorious sunshine – that’s something you won’t forget in a hurry.

Anyone who’s experienced Bièvres once understands why people keep coming back. We, for one, certainly intend to.