DS 21: The Goddess I enjoyed with Volker
A Journey Through France in a Friend’s Legend
I’ve never owned a Citroën DS 21. She was never mine to polish or fuss over, never mine to coax awake on a misty morning.
But for three glorious weeks, she was mine to sit in, marvel at, and fall hopelessly in love with. Thanks to my dear friend Volker, her proud and slightly obsessive owner I got to experience the magic of this French goddess on a wine soaked journey through the heart of France.
Hey Hive Family
I met this lady!
enjoy my memories from early 90ties
and let us travel the world again
Look at this beauty
The good looking old Citroën DS 21 isn’t just a car;
She’s a lady.
And not just any lady. She’s the kind of woman who turns heads when she enters a room, the one you can’t take your eyes off. To call her a machine feels almost impolite, as if you’ve failed to grasp her charm, her presence, her soul.
The DS 21 isn’t a car you simply drive; she’s a companion, a muse, a legend.
She earns the title of lady not through any mechanical feature, but through the emotions she stirs and the unforgettable experiences she creates. She is, quite simply, impossible to forget.
And yes, try to convince her to drive if she „thinks“ it‘s not the time for a trip. Means repairing this beauty is as complex as a Lady can be. ;-)
A Ride Like No Other
Volker adored his DS 21. “She’s not a car; she’s a work of art,” he’d say, brushing invisible dust from her glistening hood. I teased him, of course, but the moment I laid eyes on her, I understood. She stood in Volker’s driveway like a sculpture brought to life: sweeping lines, headlights that gazed at you like eyes, and a presence that seemed to whisper, “I’m not from here. I’m from the future.”
“Hop in,” Volker said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Thus began the most unforgettable three weeks of my life.
Through Villages and Vintages
Volker was the only one who ever drove her. “The DS is temperamental,” he explained. “She needs someone who knows her moods.” I didn’t mind. The back seat of the DS was its own kind of paradise. As we cruised through winding French roads, I lounged in her plush leather embrace, watching vineyards roll past and village steeples rise on the horizon.
The DS was unlike any other car I’d ever experienced. She didn’t drive, she floated. Her hydropneumatic suspension turned potholes into whispers and gravel into silk. Even cobbled streets couldn’t rattle her. She moved with a grace that seemed almost alive, as if the roads bent to her will rather than the other way around.
Every village welcomed us warmly, not least because of the DS. She drew admirers wherever we stopped, from café owners to mechanics who grinned nostalgically, recalling when their families owned one. At every turn, Volker would proudly explain her history, her quirks, and the brilliance of her design. My friend was driving and I sat back, with nice a cold drink in my hand, marveling at the life we were living.
A Nutgraf for the Road
Yes, this DS 21 is no ordinary car; she is a rolling legend. Debuting in 1955, she shocked the world with her futuristic design and groundbreaking technology. Her hydropneumatic suspension made roads irrelevant, while her innovative spirit made her a symbol of progress. Even now, so many decades later, she continues to inspire awe and affection wherever she goes.
If you look for one or for parts, you should have a trip like we to the shop "atelier524" in 26730 La Baume d'Hostun in France. I added a Pin to this place as we have been there so many years ago.
Forever Grateful
When the trip ended, and Volker dropped me off at the train station, I found myself reluctant to say goodbye. She wasn’t mine, yet I felt as though I was leaving behind an old friend.
Even now, I can hear the hum of her engine, the soft hiss of her suspension, and Volker’s laughter as he explained her intricacies for the hundredth time. The DS didn’t just transport us through France; she carried us through time, through stories, and through moments that will never fade.
I never owned her. But for three magical weeks, thanks to Volker, I lived her dream. And isn’t that what life and love ❤️ is all about?
I met her last week
This great looking young lady was parking in front of an event location and I had to spend some minutes to take this pictures.
On my way home, I found the time to go back in my memories to that trip early 90ties to remember this lovely travel.
Have a great day everybody
and let us travel the world again
pic by @detlev
have 3 pics and a story
around beer - and go!
Enjoy the #BeerSaturday
@Detlev loves HIVE
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Absolutely beautiful automobile. As I kid, I adored the DS21 and the later DS23 but it was the DS21 that had the looks and the curves. To me, it was more like a saloon version of an E-Type jaguar. The hydro-pneumatic suspension was so far in advance of anything on the road at the time.
A beautiful example of a time long gone when cars had soul and character.
A quick look on the UK second-hand classic car markets says 30-40000 Euros. If only we'd known back in the day!
Have a great week, and a huge thank you for a great post, and for keep @worldmappin alive :-)
Yeah, thanks for the car love. I will never forget that trip on that „huge driving sofa“
Tolles Auto und ein sehr schön geschriebener Bericht der diesem Auto angemessen ist. War bestimmt ein Erlebnis, mit diesem Auto durch die Dörfer und Landschaften im Süden Frankreichs zu fahren, bzw. zu gleiten.
Classic cars, none of this clockwork nonsense. ICE rules.
No over the top safety features, the more the cars do the less competent the driver, double de clutch and giving it plenty of welly whilst understeering just for the fun of it.
AWESOME
So beautiful car with this design... She lives up to her name DS.
It's pronounced like Déesse in French aka goddess.
Have a great day
She's gorgeous! Must feel great gliding down the street with that beauty on your arm (so to speak!) :)
This ride was so relaxing and damn cool
Sitting in the back part of the car - aka sofa - watching the scenery of the countryside of france ...
I'm not sure I ever rode in one of those French classics. They did have style and some weird suspension. Cars all look much alike these days.
She is beautiful, that lady, I mean... that work of art. What strikes me most is that I see that you are one of the people in the room who turned to look, but you had a long conversation with her as well.
Cool... you brought a smile to my face. Just don't drink too much beer in her company. Lol.
No beer 🍺 was drunken there - only outside of her
Oh my I wish can just get in and enjoy the ride not to drive it just to get in, this car is a real legend