Location Voiture Ancienne

Location Voiture Ancienne is a one-man classic car rental for weddings in French-speaking Switzerland. The owner signs as Vince, writes in the first person, and rents four cars "sans (ou avec) chauffeur," without or with a driver. You collect the car between Lausanne and Yverdon, or he can deliver it anywhere in the Suisse Romande. The site publishes a full rate table, which is rare in this category.

The whole business sits on a single page, headed "Location de Voitures pour mariage" (car rental for weddings). It carries the four cars, a five-step guide to renting, two short testimonials, the rates and a contact form, and nothing else, so everything below comes from that one page.

The four cars

The site lists the cars with their years, and the booking form adds their colors:

• Citroën Traction 12b, 1954, white, with a manual gearbox ("boite manuelle")
• Ford Mustang 1965, a convertible ("Décapotable Cabriolet"), red on the booking form
• Mercedes Benz SE 80 coupé, 1971, listed on the form as an automatic, in blue
• Ford Mustang 1968, black, rented "uniquement avec chauffeur," only with a driver

That gives a couple four quite different looks: a white French classic from 1954, a red open Mustang, a blue Mercedes coupé and a black Mustang with Vince at the wheel. For a couple who plans to drive, the gearbox matters. The Citroën is manual; the Mercedes is marked automatic on the form. The site does not state the gearbox for the Mustangs.

The site gives no seat count for any car, and it does not say whether the Mustang convertible has a roof for rain. Ask both if you have a large dress or an uncertain forecast.

Prices

The rate section shows two sets of three prices. The site does not label which set applies to which kind of rental, and it ends with the note "Option possible « avec chauffeur »" (a chauffeur option is possible). The figures are:

First table:

• half day, CHF 120 per hour, CHF 480 minimum, 100 km included
• one day, CHF 60 per hour, CHF 720 minimum, 200 km included
• weekend, CHF 40 per hour, CHF 1200 minimum, 300 km included

Second table:

• half day, CHF 120 per hour, CHF 360 minimum, 100 km included
• one day, CHF 60 per hour, CHF 600 minimum, 200 km included
• weekend, CHF 40 per hour, CHF 1000 minimum, 400 km included

In every case, extra kilometers cost CHF 1 each. Because the two tables share the same hourly rates but differ in minimums and in the weekend kilometer allowance, ask Vince which applies to the car and the kind of rental you want, and what the chauffeur option adds. The page also does not say how many hours a half day or a full day covers.

A second note says delivery anywhere in the Suisse Romande is possible "sous conditions" (on conditions). The cost of delivery is not given.

How renting works

The site sets out the process in five steps, in Vince's own voice:

1. Get in touch by phone or through the form at the bottom of the page. He says he will answer all your questions.
2. If the car is free, he blocks the time slot for you. You can cancel the reservation up to 2 days before ("jusqu'à 2 jour avant").
3. The car is collected between Lausanne and Yverdon, or he can deliver it anywhere in the Suisse Romande if needed.
4. Come with a photocopy of your driving license and sign the rental contract. The driver must be at least 25, have held a license for at least 4 years, and have liability insurance ("assurance RC").
5. Enjoy a beautiful classic collector's car for your wedding or other events. He adds: "PS: il faut me la ramener ensuite ;-)" (PS, you have to bring it back to me afterwards).

The contact form asks for the date, which car or cars interest you, first name, email, phone and comments, and the button requests a free quote. Vince says he will get back to you quickly, and the site lists his mobile number, 078 / 801 64 73.

The whole site is in French. It does not mention English. A couple writing from abroad can try the form in English, but should expect a French reply, and the contract is signed in person.

What renters say

The site shows the last two renters' emails, copied in, as it says. Luc P. wrote: "Merci Vince pour ta voiture. Ma femme et moi avons passé une journée formidable dans ta superbe voiture. Une journée de mariage unique et réussie..." (thank you Vince for your car; my wife and I had a wonderful day in your superb car, a unique and successful wedding day). Jean-Marc B. wrote: "Voiture magnifique et experience extraordinaire. Cath et moi avons vraiment profité de ce weekend américain dans le jura..." (a magnificent car and an extraordinary experience; Cath and I really enjoyed this American weekend in the Jura).

What the site leaves open

The site does not give an address, only the Lausanne to Yverdon area for collection. It does not state a deposit. It does not say what the liability insurance requirement means for a driver insured outside Switzerland, which is the first thing a couple from abroad should ask, together with whether a foreign license is accepted. It does not say whether the cars can be decorated, and it does not explain the difference between the two price tables.

Who it suits

This suits a couple marrying around Lausanne and Yverdon or elsewhere in the Suisse Romande who wants to drive a classic car themselves, or have Vince drive the black Mustang, and who likes seeing prices before asking. The weekend rate makes it possible to keep the car for a whole wedding weekend; one of the testimonials describes a weekend with a car in the Jura.

The conditions rule some people out. The driver must be 25 or older with 4 years of license and liability insurance, the Citroën needs someone comfortable with a manual gearbox, and everything happens in French with one person. For a French-speaking couple or one with a confident driver in the family, those are small hurdles.