Hello all,
thank you very much for your help, on- and off-list. It took me minutes to download all the answers. The decisive clue then was http://www.letour.fr/
With regards to the elderly gentleman I met, his name is not on the list. He must be much more confused than what I took him to be.
There is a similar story like this which happened to me some years ago. I noticed a small ad in which a 1940s bicycle was offered, so I rang the vendor, and he told me it was a French lightweight on which he had ridden home from France after having been released from a POW camp in 1946. So I told him not to commit any mistakes until I had arrived, and sprinted for the van under the astonished eyes of not only my wife but also my parents who had driven quite a distance that day to visit us. At least my son was too young to make any acid remarks. I left with my head full of dreams of sudden fame among my fellow collectors, and envious glances on rides.
So I arrive at this elderly gentleman´s house, nice, garden; his own it transpires. Big car in the garage, too. Very friendly people, offer me a cup of coffee first. The gentleman says he isn´t trying to maky any money out of the bike as long as it goes ot a good home.
There was no reason for them to try and unload a cheap 1970s department store roadster on me, which the bike turned out to be. I then mumbled something like "Sorry, I´ve got one of these already," and left, to expose myself to my family´s wrath.
Let us hope our minds will not end up like these people´s.
Toni Theilmeier, Osnabrueck, Germany.