French vintage car convoy retraces Silk Road, arrives at Pingyao Ancient City

A convoy of classic vehicles arrived at Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi province on Friday as part of the "Hello! China" French Vintage Cars Revisiting the Silk Road event, accompanied by approximately 80 drivers from France, Belgium, Switzerland, and other countries.

The convoy set out from France on July 12 and traversed 10 countries across Eurasia to retrace the ancient Silk Road, covering a distance of approximately 15,000 kilometers. After entering China, it traveled eastward, passing through Aksu, Turpan, Hami, Dunhuang, Jiayu Pass, Zhangye, and Xi'an. It is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Monday, with the China leg spanning about 5,700 km.

On Friday, participants spent their time at the UNESCO World Heritage Site climbing the ancient city walls of Pingyao, sampled classic cuisine, watched traditional craftsmanship demonstrations up close, and gained a firsthand appreciation for lacquerware.

Shi Baoying, head of the Chinese travel company that organized of the event, said the event took two years to prepare and involves 35 vintage cars, each more than 45 years old.

"The Silk Road has long symbolized trade and cultural exchange between civilizations," he said. "We chose Pingyao precisely because of the ancient city's pivotal role in the history of finance."

"By bringing the vintage cars to Pingyao, we hope the drivers will share the experience with their families and friends back home, introducing more Europeans and people around the world to this remarkable ancient city," he added.

Jean-Luc Allegre, a French driver said: "We are truly thrilled to visit this ancient city with over 2,000 years of history. Since entering China, we have traveled through many cities, but Pingyao is an experience we will never forget."

Chen Shuo contributed to this story.