Free Wheels

Hells Angels World meeting in Auvergne

The story of this legendary French event in red and white

I dare to believe that I could have made a good Hells Angel. I know how much I have within me the qualities required for this; with the major exception of a serious handicap: the physical build to possibly get the role.

My fascination with this movement goes back a long way, in fact to my youngest years.

I am talking here exclusively about the Hells Angels of the 60s; those who were then among the actors of the Californian counter-culture movement, associating themselves with many of its leaders, including the most influential Allen Ginsberg, Ken Kesey, Jerry Garcia and Timothy Leary — all the easier, since the headquarters of the Hells Angels, in San Francisco was then located at 715 Ashbury, just across from the house of the Grateful Dead, the well-known Californian rock group formed in Palo Alto, in 1965.

1966 - Hells Angels Frisco Chapter at the funeral of deceased member Larry Lucas

In my youth, I devoured with endless appetite all the literature relating to the Beat Generation that I could find.

While William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac remain my two favorite authors of this period, Emmett Grogan's 1972 autobiography 'Ringolevio', considered by some to be the best and only authentic book written about the underground culture of the 1960s, had a profound influence on the course of my life; as did another book, also of capital importance, which also had a huge influence on me: 'Really the Blues', the life story of the jazz clarinetist Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow, written by Mezzrow himself with the help of Bernard Wolfe.Two books that I absolutely recommend to you, if by chance, like me you appreciate readings that leave a lasting impression.

Of all the Hells Angels figures of the 1960s, I have always had the greatest admiration for 'Freewheelin’ Frank Reynolds; secretary of the Frisco Hells Angels, this musician, poet, and concert enthusiast was close to Janis Joplin, and collaborated with Beat poet Michael McClure Reynolds on poetry readings. Frank left this earth for a final run, this time to the afterlife, on 30 January 2003, at the age of sixty, from liver cancer.

Over time, I must admit that this fascination with the Hells Angels has faded. I know the reasons. They would take far too long to discuss here. So let's cut it short so as not to digress from today's topic, by saying that this seems quite normal to me since we all have to evolve over the years and through our personal life experiences.

1960s - A young Sonny Barger surrounded by several members of the Oakland chapter including Charlie 'Magoo' Tinsley' (on his left); 'Magoo' died on 6 January 1971 of a heart attack. He was in his early thirties. According to Sonny Barger: "He laid down in his pickup truck and never woke up. The medical examiners said he had a seventy-year-old heart, worn out from taking too much speed."

10,000km round trip to party with the Hells Angels

However, when the opportunity arose for me in 1995 to finally take part in a Hells Angels event, I didn’t have to think long before deciding to go. You only live once. My decision was made instantly.

A decision that I did not regret... the atmosphere on site being what I expected it to be

The distance as the crow flies of almost 10,000kms between my home in Bangkok and their meeting in Auvergne was in no way an obstacle. All I had to do was free myself from my professional obligations, buy the plane tickets, and take from the little savings I had at the time the necessary budget to be able to pay all the travel expenses related to this new adventure.

This registration ticket for the 1995 Free Wheels reminds us of the entrance fee of 200 Francs for the 5 days. Not a small sum for the less fortunate, but entirely justified and reasonable for the quality of the shows

This is how I found myself in Cunlhat, this hospitable little town in Auvergne, to experience for 4 days – 17, 18, 19 and 20 August 1995 – the largest gathering of bikers in Europe, better known as Free Wheels.

Free Wheels 1995 - Yours truly, beer for breakfast, we are setting the tone for the 4 days of the meeting to be experienced...

Back in 2011 for an encore

This extraordinary experience did not leave me indifferent since, 16 years later, I could not resist once again the temptation to participate in a second Free Wheels, in this case that of 2011, still in Auvergne, but this time in the commune of Courpiere.

Free Wheels 2011 - The giant stage on which various shows took place for 3 days, the highlight of which was the Joe Cocker concert

But before taking you with me in this flashback, to the heart of these two events in which I had the chance to take part, allow me as an introduction to tell you as briefly as possible the interesting and eventful history of what Free Wheels was; its journey beginning with a first meeting in 1988, ceasing to exist after 2001, rising from its ashes in 2010, before disappearing again and this time definitively after 2011.

Free Wheels 2011 - The colours don't lie, the English angels were there too

Its journey through the years

It was in the south of France, in the Nice region, on the picturesque French Riviera aka Côte d’Azur so dear to the aristocrats of yesteryear, artists, and the jet set of the 1960s, that the very first Free Wheels was born, in 1988.

The first Free Wheels meeting organized by the HAMC took place in 1988 in the territory of the Cote d'Azur chapter

A kind of sketch before the masterpiece since only 800 entries were counted.

The site of the gathering, too remote and not very friendly, was abandoned the following year in favor of a more central place, that of the small town of Cunlhat, in Auvergne.

Apart from having been for about ten years the most famous French commune in the international biker world, Cunlhat can boast of being the birthplace of the film director and actor Maurice Pialat (1925–2003)

This second meeting, this time in Auvergne, immediately gathered almost four times more people with the participation of 3,300 bikers.

The event grew so much over the years that in 1993, the French Post even issued a stamp with the image of the Free Wheels.

There were 15,000 visitors that year; so much so that the popular newspaper of the Center of France, La Montagne, headlined on 23 August 1993: "Cunlhat enters the legend!"

Free Wheels 1993 - This superb Triumph received the 2nd prize in the 'non harley' category of the reunion Bike Show. Its owner (on the left with sunglasses) is none other than my homie, Philippe 'Mimiche' Michaud. Passionate about classic British motorcycles and native of the same city as me, he was collaborator of LPMCC until his sudden death

In 1995, over four days, there were 20,000 bikers and more than 55,000 visitors.

This record figure of the time was largely shattered at the 1997 Free Wheels meeting; according to the organizers, the festival welcomed almost a (unverifiable) figure of 100,000 people.

Whether in Cunlhat or Courpiere, every year the atmosphere was ‘hot’ and festive in the streets. The crowd made up of bikers, visitors, onlookers and inhabitants of the town was always massively present and faithful to the meeting

How to explain such a constant and growing success over the years? No secret, no magic. The recipe of the HAMC organizers was simple and effective: include quality ingredients such as rock concerts, striptease, stunts, drag racing, pyrotechnic displays, and so many other activities; all under the sun of beautiful summer days, outdoors, in an enclosed space, all in complete tranquility, without fights or violence of any kind.

For the pleasure of the eye, one of the shows most appreciated by the male gender during the festival

It is therefore logical that the Free Wheels could motivate thousands of visitors to flock from all over France, as well as from all over the world, in order to have a good time and be able to say that they had been there.

Thanks to their efforts and a lot of work, in just a few years, the Hells Angels proved to the international motorcycle scene their ability to organize a festival that became one of the largest European custom gatherings.

'The longer, the better' says the adage…

2001 - a grain of sand blocks the cogs

The Free Wheels of the year 2000 saw a drop in visitors with an estimated participation of 70,000 people.

The following year, in 2001, there were only 23,000 people treading the Livradois soil of the festival. This figure, showing an obvious regression in the expectations of visitors, was obviously not good news.

An even worse one will complicate things for the HMCA organizing machine…

The then president of the General Council, a man named Pierre Joël Bonté, took the decision to stop the departmental subsidy of 200,000 francs (about 30,500 euros today).

This withdrawal of the subsidy paid to the commune of Cunlhat was fatal for the upcoming Free Wheels of 2002.

What did the boob tell the other boob? You’re my breast friend!

It was reported that the organizers were looking for a new site. The attempt failed. The 2002 festival never took place. Sadly, a page turned. The word ‘end’ appeared.

The authorities justified their decision by claiming that a fraction of the Hells Angels, already with a sulphurous reputation, was in the sights of Interpol. A general councilor of the canton at the time and future deputy, André Chassaigne, described the Free Wheels as a 'lawless zone controlled by a controversial organization'.

I dare say that this open-air motorcycle show, with its exhibition stands and sales of various equipment, had in fact nothing comparable with the current lawless zones, present in all the suburbs of France, where dealers sell all sorts of drugs with impunity

For their part, the Hells Angels deplored that 'the various participants were victims of prefectural intoxication based on gossip and old stories'.

2010 – Free Wheels rises from the ashes

Nine years later, the festival resurfaced from the void where it had only been dormant; this time just a few kilometers northeast of Cunlhat, in Courpière.

Posters of the 2010 and 2011 Free Wheels held in Courpiere

A successful return proved by the presence in 2010 of an estimated 30,000 visitors. But this comeback was unfortunately only very short-lived.

The following year, for the 2011 meeting, the local ticket office only achieved 50% to 60% of the figure reached by that of Cunlhat, with only 13,000 paying entries; very poor financial returns to balance the accounts.

Trophy presentation at Free Wheels 2011, the last and final of the series

The company organizing the Free Wheels implicitly indicated that it was in cessation of payment. It had to file for bankruptcy at the commercial court of Clermont-Ferrand, and as a result, was put into liquidation.

The bell had just tolled.

The Free Wheels, this unrivaled French motorcycle festival, created from scratch by the Hells Angels, and which has become one of the largest European custom gatherings, will never be again.

Peace to its soul... in the hell of angels...

Text: Jean-Francois Helias
Images: P Micheau, JF Helias, Roger Jourdain