Saviem Coaches and Buses

Saviem, acronym for Société anonyme de véhicules industriels et d'équipements mécaniques, is the result of an association of six French manufacturers who took part in the great French automotive adventure, particularly in the field of passenger transport, and in its extraordinary expansion during the 20th century. This volume sets out to introduce you to these vanished marques: Chausson, Floirat, Isobloc, Latil, Somua, and not forgetting the Régie Nationale des Usines Renault.

Saviem spans twenty-five years of existence, from 1956 to 1980, the date on which the company disappeared, absorbed into the Renault Véhicules Industriels brand.

Saviem coaches and buses held a prominent place in France during that quarter century. With the nostalgia of someone who rode them or simply knew them well, this book pays tribute to these tireless unsung workers, these mechanical actors of everyday life, omnipresent in our towns and countryside alike. Through them, it tells the story of all those who designed, built, drove or maintained them, so that they could fulfil their mission without the slightest failure: taking us to school, to the factory, to the office, on holiday or on excursions…

Saviem coaches and buses held a prominent place in France during that quarter century. With the nostalgia of someone who rode them or simply knew them well, this book pays tribute to these tireless unsung workers, these mechanical actors of everyday life, omnipresent in our towns and countryside alike…