A veritable treasure trove of late 1950s-60s French tv footage has been uploaded on YouTube by the organizers of the Tour de France.
This url for an especially good segment from 1966 is here:
http://www.youtube.com/
and the others are referenced on the page
Warning: French narration, French newsreel "happy music" and loaded with Merciers, PX-10s, Aniquetil, Poulidor, Citroen and Peugeot team cars and there's not an Italian rider or bike to be seen.. I think this was the year they boycotted the Tour over anti-doping controls.
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA