The ex-Roger Vadim owned Ferrari 250GT California, in which the French movie director and former husband of Brigitte Bardot used to process amongst the beautiful people on the French Riviera, also starred in the Paris auctions. For the 1959 Long-Wheelbase Spyder with factory hardtop was driven past the Artcurial rostrum to fetch 4.5m euros (over £3.7m including 16% buyers premium and 19.5% TVA).

Several other big number sellers that successfully crossed the block during what was a five hour marathon performance by the Artcurial equipe. Among them, and the highest priced Gallic asset, a 1913 Delaunay Belleville 8-Litre Type 0.6 with huge open coachwork for up to eight members of the Brou de Lauriere family who owned it for almost a century. 99 years later, the very French antique automobile raised 471,760 euros (£391,561) from a new owner among the very large crowd of Retromobilists.

German survivors from pre-WW2 were keenly contested with a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabrio B realising 494,630 euros (£410,543) and a 1938 Horch 853 Cabrio 408,866 euros (£339,359). A 1956 Ferrari 250GT, bodied by Carrozeria Boano and mighty rare, made a top estimate 477,478 euros with the charges (£396,307) and a 1989 Ferrari F40 supplied to Nigel Mansell achieved 374,561 euros gross(£310,886), again close to top estimate.

A 1948 Delahaye 135M Cabrio by Partout raised a within estimate 333,581 (£276,872) and a 1964 Facel Vega Excellence Series 2 190,618 euros (£158,213), better than expected. The 214,445 (£177,989) paid for a 1968 Aston Martin DB6 manual left hooker with original leather was also a way over guide price valuation. And the going rates here for left-hand drive examples of a 1981 Ferrari 512BB and a 1957 Triumph TR3 were 104,840 euros (£87,017) and 38,124 euros (£31,643) respectively.

Perhaps the most extraordinarily generous of all prices paid however were the 178,704 euros (£148,324!) result for a 1972 Citroen DS23IE Pallas, admittedly super-mint following a clearly no expense spared restoration, 59,568 euros (yes, £49,441!!) invested in a 2CV AZAM with only 116m on the clock since supplied new to Beverley Hills in 1965, and the 20,253 euros (£16,810!!!) available for a mass-produced 1970 Fiat 500. Could it be the water?

Anyway, by midnight, 88 or 91% of the 97 cars had found buyers, whilst 5 out of 6 classic bikes also sold, amounting to a total spend including automobilia of 13.9m (£11.54m). These were record breaking stats for a French collector vehicle auction.

DB4GT Aston breaks magic 1m euros barrier (£840K) on Bonhams Paris catwalk where Amphicar causes ripple by raising 46k euros (£38k) and 29k euros (£24k) is invested in Mille Miglia eligible Italian Isetta 3-Wheeler

The previous day, the super model on the Bonhams catwalk in La Halle Freyssinet (a converted station employed by the fashion industry for launching collections) was a 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT, rarer in left-hand drive, which realised just over the magic 1m euros (£839,960). Another ancient Brit did well here, too, with 615,250 euros sur le table (just over half a million Sterling) for a 6½ in 1929, but now 8-Litre Bentley with replacement chassis topped with VDP-type coachwork in Le Mans Speed Six style.

Both modern Bentley 6½-litre Specials by Petersen Engineering found favour with an Art Deco Streamlined Coupe on a 1951 chassis fetching 385,250 euros (£319,758) and a 1953 Type R transformed into a Blown Roadster reminiscent of a Brooklands Racer 310,500 euros (£257,715). Whilst a left-hand drive 1966 AC Shelby Cobra 427 with hardtop from single ownership until 2010 found 471,500 euros (£391,345).

A voluptuous 1935 Delage D8-105 Sport with Coupe body very beautiful by Carrosserie Autobineau that had been singled out for a Mention d’Honneur at last summer’s Villa d’Este Concours was awarded 322,000 euros (£267,260) here by a new owner. Equally glam when new in 1968 and now was the 79,350 euros (£65,861) Maserati Ghibli first supplied to singer and dancer Sammy Davis Junior 44 years ago.

Oddballs that made my notebook included an Amphicar. Is it a car, is it a launch? Although, one of the ingenious Hans Trippel’s amphibians did cross the Channel in 1962, just how far would a wise man venture off-shore aboard a 50 year old novelty item now? Well, a 1964 Amphicar 770  certainly made more than a ripple here when sold for 46,000 euros (£38,180).

Then there was a really early Isetta 3-wheeler of 1953 vintage, therefore one of the 1000 or so manufactured in Italy by creator Iso rather than the 161,728 subsequently built under licence by BMW. As Iso Isettas occupied the first three places in the Economy Classification of the 1954 Mille Miglia, Italian-made egg-mobiles are eligible for the MM Retrospective and BMW versions are not. Which may, in part, explain why this particular egg-mobile, restored more than 10 years ago, was acquired by a major Dutch collector for 28,750 euros (£23,863).

And finally, there was the Garage Franchorchamps Ferrari Service Van (or most of it!), actually a 1978 Fiat 900T with serious rust-ventilated lower panels, which raised 17,825 euros (£14,795) plus much applause.

After four hours, 61 or 61% of the 100 cars driven across the spot-lit stage had been hammered away to new motor houses. Earlier, 16 or 47% of the 34 classic bikes also sold, amounting to a sale total including automobilia of 7.2m euros (£5.97m).

Indeed, within 24 hours at the two auctions, a very grand total of 149 cars and 21 bikes had motored into new ownership, the total spent being more than 21m euros (£17.5m). For in the capital of one of the key economies of a euro-zone in crisis, the average investment per car and bike at these sales worked out at an extremely bullish 136,032 euros (£112,907) and 13,436 euros (£11,152) respectively. Heady figures.

Potentially in stark contrast, the next reality check on the overcrowded UK provincial auction circuit will take place from 1pm this Sunday 12 February when West Country auctioneers Charterhouse wield the gavel during ‘The Footman James Ford Show’ and ‘The Great Western Autojumble’ at the Bath and West just outside Shepton Mallet.

Then next Thursday 16, at their home ground of the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, H&H kick off with what will their first fixture of a bumper 10 date auction calendar in 2012. And Saturday 18 February sees Historics follow closely in their wheel tracks with the first Brooklands sale of the season,, which, this year, takes place in the warmth of Mercedes-World rather than under canvas in the Museum car park.

Take to the road and top up the treasury’s depleted coffers. Brave the elements, hibernation is no longer an option! RH-E