Solved: PN #461 -- Meeting of "old crocks", old cars in Paris, 1906

[pnegyesi]

I am now preparing my application for a PhD university course. In the process I found a nice article, so I am submitting three puzzles, based on that article.

What is this event? Year and place are also required for a point

[RayTheRat]

   Best wishes on your doctorate studies!

[pnegyesi]

Experts?

[pnegyesi]

Professionals?

[nicanary]

There appear to be Gendarmes centre right.

[pnegyesi]

go on

[nicanary]

Some of the cars are very early, and there are still several horse-drawn carriages, but there are also cars with a more modern look - I'd say around 1908. Paris? Anything to do with the Olympic Games ?

[pnegyesi]

now, let's see. Paris is right. 1908 is not. Nothing to do with Olympic Games

[nicanary]

Anything to do with Bleriot arriving home from Dover? That would make it 1909.

[pnegyesi]

nothing to do with it

[nicanary]

The arrival of a finisher in the Peking-Paris race ?

[pnegyesi]

no

[D-type]

Arrival of a finisher in the New York to Paris race?

[pnegyesi]

Not a race

[woodinsight]

Some sort of protest gathering?

[pnegyesi]

no

[ropat53]

Is it related to the Paris Salon D'Automobile.

[pnegyesi]

No

[D-type]

French suffragettes?

[pnegyesi]

No

[faksta]

The two 'more modern' cars seem to be making their way to the center of the crowd, where there is some space for them (for them?) seemingly. The presence of gendarmes makes me curious, though.

Some kind of car requisition maybe?

[pnegyesi]

you spotted one important element on the picture. And it is not the gendarmerie. It is not a car requisition

[Paul Jaray]

Is it a set for an early movie?

[nicanary]

Is it a political meeting with the cars being used as platforms for a speech ?

I've just realised the date could be 1906. Anything to do with the "Dreyfus Affair" ?

[pnegyesi]

not early movie, not a political meeting, nothing to do with the Dreyfus affair