The "plaquettes" are the follow-up booklets published after each randonneur Paris Brest Paris. The first dedicated event booklet was in 1971, when Robert Lepertel took over as ride organizer.

The plaquettes are, of course, retrospectives of the events for PBP's many participants. Some participants and participant groups are marked for special treatment: non French riders, women, the first finishers, tandems and other alternative bikes, multiple PBP finishers, first time PBP finishers, very young finishers, very old finishers, etc. However, the booklets also acknowledge the efforts of control volunteers and organizers, and their cities and towns. Not forgotten are the many supportive local people we encounter all along the route, offering encouragement, and sometime sustenance to weary cyclists. The booklets are also used as an opportunity to re-enforce the rules and traditions of PBP and more generally of randonneur cycling. In short the booklets are an expression of PBP's many facets and interests.

Originally this section contained only photos, stats and a few selected articles from the plaquettes. Now most of the plaquettes appear in their entirety. Before 1971 similar information was contained in the ACP bulletins, an every 2 month publication. Alain Collongues has generously provided scans from the PBP issues from the early years, and Ben Van Kasteren has provide 1961. The 1966 bulletin still eludes us.

You will also notice the 1976 booklet from the Audax version of PBP which was ridden by John Hathaway. Hathaway's '76 PBP experience was the spark which inspired the birth of randonneur cycling in British Columbia, and in Canada.

Eric Fergusson

Acknowlegements:

Many thanks to Jean Pierre Gagneur from Paris (who rode PBP in 1971, 1975 and 1991) for the material from the 1971 and 1975 plaquettes.

Many thanks to Ben Van Kasteren from the Netherlands, who was the first non-French finisher in 1961(co-8th finisher) for the 1961 ACP bulletin which covered the 1961 PBP. (Nov 2009)

Many thanks to Alain Collongues from Paris for the 1931, 1948, 1951 and 1956 ACP bulletins. Allan is a great friend of PBP, and this site. He is perhaps best known for revamping the official PBP results data. Oh... and he has completed PBP 10 times.

Thanks to Dan McGuire and Harold Bridge here in Canada for the use of their plaquettes from 1976 (audax PBP- Hathaway's), 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991.