Garage automobile, Burie

When Mr Bagonneau thought of advertising his garage, he didn't hesitate to use the whole façade of his house next door. A garage mechanic by profession, he also sold, exchanged, and rented cars. As expected tyres were also avaible. As for petrol and oil, they were of the Energic and Energol brands respectively, the name under which BP products were marketed in France.

Garage automobile

Pneus

Vente

Echange

Location

Energic

Bagonneau Mécanicien

Energol

The name and occupation of the owner are still proudly displayed above the door.


BP's presence in France goes back to 1921, when the Anglo-Persian Oil Co (future BP), together with Paul Paix et Compagnie (the owners of the Courchelettes oil refinery near Douai in northern France, opened in 1863), the Société Navale de l’Ouest and Estrin et Compagnie (both involved in maritime transport) founded the Société Générales des Huiles de Pétrole (SGHP). Originally the SGHP's portfolio included, apart from the Courchelettes refinery, oil depots in Dunkerque, Calais, Le Havre, Marseille and Oran in Algeria, as well as the Lavéra oil refinery near Martigues in southern France. The same year the SGHP took over the oil refining and distribution activities of George Lesieur et Fils (of cooking oil fame). The SGHP continued its expansion over the following decades before becoming in 1954 the Société française des pétroles BP. In 1987 the name was changed to BP France.
The Energic and Energol brands appeared in the late 1920s but while Energol lubricants can still be bought today, Energic disappeared from petrol stations several decades ago.

Click on the picture below for a larger than usual version.


Location: Avenue de la République, Burie, Charente-Maritime / Pictures taken in June 2010