Livestock Truck Show: in Salon-de-Provence, the heart of transport beats to the rhythm of livestock trucks

In France, gatherings of decorated trucks number in the dozens. Some attract thousands of visitors, while others deliberately remain human-sized. It is precisely this second category that deserves to be highlighted.

In Salon-de-Provence, the Livestock Truck Show does not seek to compete with the major national events. Its ambition lies elsewhere: to honour a profession that is often little known, that of transporting live animals, while bringing together the agricultural world, heavy truck enthusiasts and families around the same passion.

Behind this initiative are two well-known figures in the profession: Émilie and Christophe, surrounded by a team of volunteers who, for three editions now, have been building an event where people come before spectacle. Of course, as at any gathering, you will find superb trucks capable of competing for the podiums at the largest events, but believe me, the main reason for this gathering is quite different. In the middle of this field near Salon, the real subject is not chrome but indeed the profession.

Livestock trucks in the spotlight

In the aisles of the gathering, it is impossible to miss the main theme because livestock trucks are everywhere. The name of the gathering speaks for itself and whether modern or old, they are all perfectly maintained and each tells a different story. That is precisely what makes the event so rich.

Unlike major customisation competitions, the aim is not only to display exceptional vehicles. The trucks mainly come to represent a profession with all its specific characteristics. Some combinations are intended for transporting cattle, others sheep or pigs. The configurations vary according to the missions: moving floors, levels, lifting roofs, specific ventilation systems… Every detail meets a very precise technical requirement. The general public often ignores the complexity of this profession. Yet behind every combination lies a specialisation in which animal welfare, health constraints and regulations impose a particularly high level of professionalism.

A family before being a profession

When talking to participants, one word comes up again and again: Family. Not only in the sense of blood ties. A true professional family. Take Charles, a haulier from Aubrac, who perfectly sums up this state of mind. He hardly ever attends truck gatherings. He came solely because this one is dedicated to livestock trucks. “This is our world,” he explains simply. In his family, transport is a story that spans generations. Grandfather, father and now him. Who knows, perhaps tomorrow the next ones, but one thing is clear: we are proud of our profession and, above all, of the heritage that the older generations have given us. A pride that is openly embraced, without ostentation, but deeply rooted in rural values where work is passed on as much as it is learned.

For Charles, these events above all make it possible to give visibility back to a profession that often works in the shadows. “We don’t need big shows. A field, friends, colleagues, and representing our profession. That’s what matters.” A sentence that probably sums up the entire philosophy of the Livestock Truck Show.

Hundreds of kilometres to share the same passion

Perhaps the most surprising thing is the origin of the exhibitors. Brittany, Normandy, Mayenne, Aveyron, Tarn and, of course, the Rhône Valley. Participants sometimes travel several hundred kilometres simply to share a weekend with fellow enthusiasts. Émilie does not hide her emotion at this loyalty. “Seeing people travel across France to come here really warms the heart.” This sense of community goes far beyond the world of animal transport alone.

Forage trailers stand alongside timber trucks, wood hauliers, enthusiasts of classic vehicles and fans of heavy-truck decoration. Everyone naturally finds their place.

Older trucks telling the story

As is often the case at regional exhibitions, classic trucks attract attention. It is impossible to remain indifferent when faced with an Iveco TurboStar 480, a Volvo F12 or F16, a perfectly restored Volvo NH12 or even a Berliet GLR that brings an entire era back to life. These vehicles tell the story of the evolution of French road transport, but above all they also bring back memories for an entire generation of drivers.

Among them, some even carry a particular story. A magnificent Volvo F16 still displays a France Routiers banner, a nod to the magazine that accompanied several generations of truck drivers and whose co-owner of TruckStop, Gilles Barissat, was the founder. A way of reminding us that the memory of transport continues to live on through those who restore and maintain these rolling monuments.

When artists keep the memory alive

Here, the truck also had a canvas. In Salon-de-Provence, several vehicles pay tribute to the late Lorent, a key figure in French airbrushing, but Michel Gastaldi’s truck has a very special appeal because, with portraits of the artist painted on the back of the cab, this Scania becomes a rolling tribute in its own right to our friend who left us too soon. There is no doubt that the owners of the trucks created by the artist are keeping his memory alive with great emotion.

The baton is now being taken up by other artists, such as Frédéric “Dickie”, who was here as a neighbour at the exhibition. Having been part of the airbrush world for nearly thirty years, he accepted the organisers’ invitation. He too is an accomplished painter, and some works can take him more than a month of work, as with Émilie’s truck, which fits perfectly with the theme of the weekend. This Volvo livestock truck is the perfect example of the balance between a work of art and a genuine working tool.

An event where children naturally find their place

The Livestock Truck Show never forgets families and I have to say that this is even one of its greatest strengths. While enthusiasts discuss technical details or restoration, children enjoy the many activities. The atmosphere deliberately remains simple. There is no need for gigantic attractions because here, the stars remain the trucks. And the children seem perfectly happy with that, and this transmission is everywhere. Several generations can be found gathered around the same vehicle. The youngest discover the older models while the older generations share their memories from the road. The passion is naturally passed on.

Increasingly specialised equipment

One of the great strengths of the gathering also lies in the diversity of the equipment on display. A young female driver from Mayenne, for example, presents a brand-new semi-trailer made entirely to measure for pig collection. Spanish bodywork, adapted floors, lifting roof, specific dimensions… Every piece of equipment meets a very precise set of specifications.

Another example is the famous Pezzaioli semi-trailers, genuine references in live animal transport, whose ventilation and layout systems perfectly illustrate the technical developments designed to improve comfort and animal welfare. Details that the general public does not always perceive but which demonstrate the level of expertise of this profession.

TruckStop, also present at local initiatives

While TruckStop is today the organiser of major French gatherings such as those at Le Castellet or Le Mans, the media organisation also claims a constant presence in the field. Because the life of transport is not limited to major events, it is also built at these regional gatherings where ideas are exchanged, experiences are shared and a profession is defended.

These events are often the most authentic. They make it possible to discover sometimes little-known specialities and to give a voice to those who are rarely heard. A mission that is fully part of TruckStop’s DNA and, believe me, I am keen to highlight this point.

The truck as a common thread

As we leave Salon-de-Provence, one image remains. That of passionate men and women who live their profession with disarming sincerity. The Livestock Truck Show is not just a truck exhibition; I can assure you that it is a gathering between farmers, hauliers, families, craftsmen, collectors and, above all, lovers of the road.

Émilie, Christophe and the whole group of friends who accompany you, congratulations to you because every year you succeed in creating a place where generations meet, where the older generations pass things on and, above all, where young people discover. In the end, perhaps this is what we will remember from this third edition: much more than the vehicles on display, it is the authenticity of those who drive them that makes this Provençal event so rich. A simple, sincere spirit deeply rooted in the field… exactly what TruckStop likes to tell.

Text: Fabien Calvet Photos: Fabien Calvet and Nadege Cesse