Topolina

Topolina rents out two vintage Fiat 500s for weddings and other occasions in French-speaking Switzerland, always with a chauffeur. The business is based in Prilly (the home page also says Lausanne) and says it serves the whole of Suisse romande, naming Lausanne, Morges, Vevey and Montreux in particular. Its prices are published, its tone is warm and funny, and its two small Italian classics are the point: this is a wedding car for a couple who want charm and photographs rather than space.

The two cars

The site presents a white Fiat 500 D called Bianca and a Fiat 500 L called Blu, in what it calls "bleu azur" (azure blue). It describes the white one as ideal for the couple, "idéale pour les mariés". Both have an opening roof, and the home page stresses that they are rented "uniquement avec chauffeur" (only with a chauffeur). The cars, it says, are "minutieusement restaurées et entretenues" (carefully restored and maintained).

The pricing section opens with a joke that gives the flavor of the site: "Elles ont déjà fêté leurs 50 ans mais elles ont encore toutes leurs dents" (they have already turned 50 but still have all their teeth), kept in shape with love and a few hundred thousand Italian lire. It adds that the two Fiat 500s show a robustness and longevity that modern electronics-laden cars still envy. The proposal page places the car in the Dolce Vita tradition and says the Fiat 500 Bianca offers "un contraste magnifique avec les paysages suisses" (a magnificent contrast with Swiss landscapes) for photos.

Prices and what they include

Both cars have a published starting price:

• Fiat 500 D, Bianca: from CHF 850
• Fiat 500 L, Blu: from CHF 800

Each price includes a chauffeur "en costume" (in a suit), fuel, cleaning of the car, and 5 hours starting from Prilly ("Inclus : 5h au départ de Prilly"). The quote form asks for the wedding date, preferred car (either, one of them, or both), start time, end time of the service and a description of the route, so a couple can ask for both cars at once, one for each partner or one for the witnesses.

What the advice page tells you

The "Conseils della Mamma" page (Mamma's advice) is written with humor but carries practical points. It tells couples to plan the day with generous margins, because everything takes longer with many guests and when you travel by Fiat 500. It advises delegating tasks and making pragmatic choices, and it recommends investing in a professional photographer; on request, Topolina will give "2-3 adresses de professionnels qui savent photographier les Fiat 500 comme personne" (two or three professionals who know how to photograph Fiat 500s like nobody else).

On rain, the page says every car has a waterproof canvas roof and electric wipers, so there is nothing to fear, although it also recommends a plan B for the aperitif and the meal. On space, it answers the obvious question directly: "Absolument TOUT rentre dans une Fiat 500, la question est juste de savoir comment" (absolutely EVERYTHING fits into a Fiat 500, the question is just how). It says the fullest meringue wedding dresses have always found room inside, and jokes that a very tall bun may not cope well with the draft. The site does not state the number of seats; the specifications block on the home page shows placeholder zeros, so ask how many passengers can ride along.

The last section of the page is a list of small details, in the same voice. Eat a proper plate of pasta at lunchtime, because the couple will be busy with photos while the aperitif buffet disappears. Go to the toilet before leaving home, since a church restroom in a wedding dress is no fun. Name a "look" person for each partner to check bow ties, buttonholes and makeup through the day. And rather than spending on a luxury hotel room for a wedding night that will start very late, the page suggests investing in a beautiful classic car that smells of Italy. It is a sales pitch, but a disarming one, and the tips are sound.

Other occasions

Besides weddings, the site offers the cars for marriage proposals, birthdays, romantic drives in the Lavaux vineyards, photo shoots and company events, filming or promotions. The proposal page mentions collecting the car at Prilly or getting advice on the route between Lausanne and Montreux, and says many couples who used a Fiat for their proposal come back for their wedding. It also has a blog on the history and maintenance of the Fiat 500, and a partners page listing its preferred wedding suppliers.

Contact and language

Contact details are the email address ciao@topolina.ch, the phone number 076 419 11 69 and a quote form. The whole site is in French, and it says nothing about English. For a couple from abroad, a short email in English or French with the date, times and route is the practical start, and it is worth asking whether the chauffeur speaks English.

What the site does not settle

The site gives no price for time beyond the 5 hours, no rule on how far from Prilly the cars travel within the package, and no cancellation or deposit terms on these pages. It does not say what happens if one of the two cars breaks down on the day, which is a fair question with a car of this age. Decoration (ribbons or flowers) is not mentioned on these pages either. And while the site says it serves all of French-speaking Switzerland, travel time from Prilly to a venue far away counts against the 5 hours.

Who it suits

Topolina suits a couple marrying around Lausanne, the Lavaux or the Lake Geneva shore who want a cheerful, photogenic vintage car with a driver and a clear starting price, and who are happy with a small car for the two of them. Booking both cars makes a lovely pair in photographs.

It suits less well a couple who need to carry several people, want a formal limousine look, or are marrying far from Vaud, where the included hours are quickly used up on the road.