Friendship for life and the Citroën 2CV6

In May of this year, the idea arose to surprise our friend Tineke with my friends Theo and Tino. Because of her special birthday, we proposed several options. A simple, nice dinner out or a trip on a whisper boat were excellent choices. But Tineke decided to go for the third option: an afternoon trip in Gaasterland, with a Citroën 2CV6. You understand that we all agree with that. The harbinger of a wonderful afternoon is born.

The time has come, it's September 21, 2025. The dawn is obscured by dark clouds, and a few drops are falling. But we're keeping our spirits up. The day is already promising. And sure enough: on the way to the 2CV rental company in Rijs, it's as if silent prayers are being answered. The heavens open, and moments later Theo parks his Opel. We immediately trade it in for the adventure in a 2CV6 Club van CitroënWith or without the roof open, that's still the question. There's also something we already know: nothing can spoil the fun today.

Half an hour later we're on our way, and we've chosen our route. I drive the first few kilometers in the 1987 2CV. It's a 2CV6 with a life of its own, and one of the last 2CVs built in the 'Çlub' version. Citroën shows above all how wonderful it is to be on the road in an ultimately basic car. Especially when it's in the right environment. From the local roads and dikes, we see how the rolling hills of Gaasterland and the IJsselmeer panorama alternate beautifully. The sun and the clouds fight for dominance, and together they cast a beautiful glow on the former Zuiderzee. This creates an extra pleasant mood, and in that capacity, we park the striking 2CV in Laaksum.

Tineke has cycled parts of the Eleven Cities Tour in these parts. But now, after a stopover in Europe's smallest fishing port, she's taking the wheel from me. Citroën The 2CV6 holds no secrets for me; I regularly drove a 2CV. But this one, too, charms me as if I'm driving it for the first time. The 2CV is so surprising in all its simplicity, a paragon of simplicity. And yet, it's different in every way. When you drive one for the first time, you really have to get the hang of it to truly appreciate its charms.

While Tino and Theo are in the back, I am in the front passenger seat. Tineke is behind the wheel and is making her first meters in the CitroënShe's getting to know the 2CV6 and getting used to the French car's idiosyncratic handling. Tineke succeeds with flying colors, and the smile on her face grows ever wider. We pull up in Hindeloopen—after a stop at the historic Reaklif. We let the air-cooled boxer engine sounds of the 2CV6 sink in. And that typical 2CV smell gives way to the aroma of fried cod and fries, which had already so emphatically tickled our nostrils in Laaksum. We chat away. Helped, and we prepare for a trip to the next stop. Tino takes the wheel from Tineke and sets course for Workum, where we stop at the next terrace in the beautiful old town center. This happens on the square by the town hall, a real crowd-puller in Friesland.

We stay there for a while, and it's a great fit. Afterward, Tino drives us to the next stop, via a stretch of highway. Time flies, and we all feel like the 2CV is flying too. The S6 engine roars with joy, the two-cylinder boxer engine shows great enthusiasm and fights the wind to propel the 2CV6. We don't exceed 95 kilometers per hour. That, too, is fuel for a lot of fun on board. And it happens while we have a nice spot. in The wonderfully springy furniture. It's been cozy all day. The stories, experiences, and laughter alternate pleasantly. And so do the antics on board.

Tino parks the 2CV6 on the banks of the Slotermeer, the Citroën is neatly in its place and resting for a while after the work is done. There, on the terrace of the Paviljoen Badmeester Keimpe, new conversations arise. And we are already cautiously enjoying the day. The impressions, the CitroënThe Duck, once again showing its unexpected qualities, combining its unique suspension comfort with its primal qualities. A deep pothole, swerving over a deeper and bumpy shoulder, cornering on one ear: a Duck handles it all effortlessly. It surprises you if you don't know, and even if you do. No matter how often you've driven a 2CV.

It was conceived and built to be able to drive over plowed fields without breaking a single egg in the famous "basket full." It was designed to transport long distances. That's another reason why the Duck had a convertible top. And when our 2CV6 Club rolled off the production line in 1987, those fundamental principles hadn't changed much. It doesn't get any more basic than that. Or so you think. Until you really get to know the car.

And therein lies not only the surprise; it also encapsulates a beautiful part of the essence of this lovely afternoon. For thirty years, we've enjoyed a friendship that, like a faithful traveling companion, remains unaffected by time. It feels light, free, and indestructible. Just like the battered 2CV6, which, effortlessly, simply, and unfazed by trends, moves people. It still offers space for pure pleasure. It's almost impossible to explain until you drive one. Then you feel it. No matter how often or how little you've been on the road in a 2CV: you forgive it everything, even if, for example, the sunroof won't close because the wind is blocking it. The solution? Just find a parking spot, and everything is solved. Life can be so straightforward.

A 2CV is the automotive equivalent of spiritual independence, and therein lies the core of our friendship, driven by authenticity, honesty, and resilience. On the first autumn Sunday of the year, we take those beautiful values ​​with us into the Citroën, and we embrace the joy of being on the road together, the old-fashioned way. It's no wonder our friendship has lasted so long. And that Citroën The 2CV was in production for 42 years. On a beautiful day in southwest Friesland, these two elements came together beautifully. The smiles never left our faces. Because we understood why an old 2CV is capable of keeping friendships eternally young.

Written for Tineke, Theo and Tino