On the 7th and 8th of August 2026, Parthenay is getting ready to become the worldwide capital of the Citroën C15. Behind this challenge, four 20-year-old friends are aiming for an unprecedented gathering.
Once deemed fit for scrapping and relegated to the depths of barns, the Citroën C15, described as a “rural and iconic car,” is making a comeback stronger than ever. At 42 years old, this small utility vehicle launched in 1984 is gearing up to celebrate an XXL anniversary: in the summer of 2026, the medieval city of Parthenay in Deux-Sèvres will transform into the world capital of the C15 for a one-of-a-kind event, as reported by Ouest-France.
On Friday, August 7, and Saturday, August 8, 2026, the C15 Tour 2026 Festival promises nothing less than the largest gathering of C15 in the world. Behind this somewhat crazy idea are four 20-year-old friends, all from the bocage bressuirais and Gâtine regions: Pierre Verger, Killiane Letellier, Armand Goudeau, and Jason Lorioux. They met in the courtyard of Saint-Joseph High School in Bressuire, sharing a common desire to undertake projects. With their association C15 Tour, they are aiming for much more than just a meeting of enthusiasts.
On the event’s official website, the ambition is clear: “organize the world’s largest C15 festival in Deux-Sèvres,” as stated on the C15 Tour website. The stage is set: two days of celebration, in the heart of the ramparts and alleys of Parthenay, with dozens, if not more, of C15 vehicles lined up. HASA Automobiles, a project partner, envisions an event with displays of the most beautiful models from all over France, parades of customized C15s, and customization workshops for participants— a formula designed to appeal to both veteran craftsmen and young drivers.
This is not the first time these four friends have put the C15 in the spotlight. PEPITE Pays de la Loire, the program following their journey as student entrepreneurs, summarizes their objective: “organize the world’s largest C15-themed event,” explains PEPITE Pays de la Loire. In August 2025, they already gathered a convoy of around 40 C15 vehicles between Deux-Sèvres and Vendée, with 70 participants, hundreds of visitors, and 11 professional partners, according to the project brief. This was shared on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and even national media outlets like RTL, TF1, or M6, solidifying a true community around this small utility vehicle.
To grasp the scale of the challenge, one must look at what has already been accomplished. On October 6, 2024, in Creysse, Dordogne, a gathering organized with France Bleu Périgord and the group Les Chevaliers de l’arbre à cames brought together over 110 C15s. Youngtimers magazine described the event as “probably the largest C15 gathering in the world.” The photos from this meeting circulated on social media, showcasing rare versions of C15 transformed into campers or off-road vehicles, setting a high standard.
This is precisely the milestone that the organizers of the C15 Tour want to reach in Parthenay, leveraging their online community and rural word-of-mouth. They have not yet provided an official figure on the number of C15s expected for August 2026. No details have been disclosed on this matter. However, the goal is clearly to attract more vehicles than Creysse and turn the streets of Parthenay into a huge showcase for this symbol of rural France. It remains to be seen how many C15s will actually line up this summer, but one thing is certain: the idea of a world record has already stirred up many memories among fans of this small utility vehicle.
