Bubblegum Bangers Rally Day 5, Paris

TODAY topped the Nurburgring and San Bernardino Pass.

Earlier this afternoon the Bubblegum Bangers Rally managed to bring one of the world's greatest landmarks, the Arc de Triomphe, to a standstill.

Our day's mission was to make it up from Switzerland to Paris, which we did surprisingly without any hitches.

For the first time myself and Nick weren't late.

We've got into a routine where I drive and he navigates purely on the basis that I'm unable to read maps.

I'm more Ray Stubbs than Ray Mears.

But I like to think of it more in Top Gun terms – I'm Maverick whereas he's Goose.

We joined the rest of the bangers parked on the side of one of the main roads onto the Arc at 4.30 pm before we all descended on what is quite possibly the world's biggest roundabout.

In actual fact, James Bentley and Carl Ward in the Island FM car were already on it going round and round and round.

Driving on the Arc is like being stuck in a massive whirlpool.

There are no rules as mad Frenchman and women in their cars, buses, motorbikes and scooters are all on a mission to get off but with no regard for anybody else.

You soon lose count of the number of bumps, near misses, car horn toots and loud French expletitives.

We eventually got the 50 odd rally cars onto the Arc and slowly and surely we all gravitated to the middle.

And then some truly amazing happened.

We brought the inside lane to a standstill so that the Arc was entirely enclosed by multi-coloured bangers with Guernsey number plates.

You could look through the Arc and see fellow Bangers the other side.

It was a truly breathtaking experience and must have been an equally stunning sight as all the tourists under the landmark turned and started taking pictures of us while the rest of the traffic sped round.

Even the police had smiles on their faces.

We slowly drove round and round for a couple of minutes before we pulled away into the chaos.

And now we're getting ready for the end of rally party and presentation night which is being held at the famous L'Atelier Renault Restaurant near the Eiffel Tower.

I've got a feeling a few beers will be drunk...