Lehalle Coeur de Belle: The One-of-a-Kind Dream Car Born in a French Farmhouse

Farmhouse Fantasy - It’s almost hard to imagine, but at a time when cars prioritized function over flair, it took a dreamer with an artist’s vision and a mechanic’s skill to change the script. The mid-1960s were buzzing with creativity—music, fashion, and design were evolving fast—yet car design remained stuck in convention. Then, from a quiet corner of rural France, came a spark: a small team, a nearly forgotten village, and a bold vision that gave birth to one of the most original cars ever made. This is the story of the Lehalle Coeur de Belle. 

The Lehalle Coeur de Belle is a truly one-of-a-kind custom car, built by Claude Lehalle with the help of the villagers of Murasson, using the foundation of a Renault 8. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscars in Facebook)

Born not in a factory but in an abandoned farmhouse in the quiet village of Murasson, this car was never meant to blend in. Its creator, Claude Lehalle, wasn’t a car executive or a famous designer—he was a model maker, a craftsman, and a storyteller in fiberglass and steel. With a dream to build something original and utterly unlike anything else on the road, he packed up his life with his wife and moved to the countryside. There, among rolling fields and the warmth of a tight-knit community, ‘Coeur de Belle’ began to take shape.

When the Lehalle Coeur de Belle was unveiled to the public in 1967, it captured the admiration of the quiet village of Murasson. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscars in Facebook)

The car’s name, borrowed from a spiky yet striking flower called the Carlina Acanthifolia—locally known as Coeur de Belle—perfectly captured the essence of the project. It was raw, beautiful, and full of personality. Underneath, it used the bones of a Renault R8, a modest family car known for its durability and practicality. But Lehalle transformed that humble foundation into something truly fantastical. The engine, a 1108cc 4-cylinder mounted in the rear, delivered a mere 50 horsepower, but the story was never about speed. It was about imagination.

The Lehalle Coeur de Belle, named after the striking Carlina Acanthifolia flower, features a fiberglass body with no visible headlights, rear window, or wipers—elements Lehalle saw as distractions—and a butterfly-style canopy that gives it a distinctly futuristic presence. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscars in Facebook)

The body of the car, crafted entirely in fiberglass, looked like it belonged to a sci-fi movie rather than a French backroad. It had no visible headlights, no rear window, no windshield wipers—things most people would consider necessary, but in Lehalle’s world, they were optional distractions from the form. The cabin canopy opened upwards like butterfly wings, giving the car an otherworldly presence. At the back, the engine bay lifted in a dramatic clamshell fashion. Everything about it was bold and unapologetically futuristic, reminiscent of Luigi Colani’s avant-garde “auto-morrow” concepts.

The Lehalle Coeur de Belle boasts a sleek fiberglass body free of headlights, rear window, or wipers—deliberate omissions by Lehalle to preserve its pure form—topped with a butterfly-style canopy that adds to its futuristic allure. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscars in Facebook)

What made this car more special, though, was how it came together. This wasn’t a solo project done in secret. The entire village got involved. Craftsmen, blacksmiths, local Renault mechanics, and even schoolchildren played a part. Some helped shape body panels, others assisted in assembly, and it was the children who ultimately chose the car’s name. With the support of the Cooperative des Métiers and even the mayor—himself a passionate car enthusiast—the dream became a reality in just three months.

The Lehalle Coeur de Belle stood ready just before its journey to Paris for display at the 1967 Automobile Club de l'Ile de France exposition in Place de la Concorde. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscars in Facebook)

On June 16, 1967, the Lehalle Coeur de Belle rolled out of the farmhouse for the first time, met with awe and curiosity. Just days later, it traveled to Paris where it became a showstopper at the Automobile Club de l'Ile de France exposition, proudly displayed in Place de la Concorde. The car stood as a symbol of creative rebellion, an outsider that didn’t ask to follow the rules.

When this photo was taken in 2015, the Lehalle Coeur de Belle remained intact, though clearly in need of a full restoration to revive its former glory. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscars in Facebook)

Only one was ever made. Just one. A piece of rolling art that refused to conform. In 2015, decades after its debut, photos surfaced showing that the car still existed—weathered by time, in need of care, but undeniably still holding onto its mystique. A children’s car inspired by its design even emerged in 1970, complete with a tiny 49cc engine, proving that even in miniature form, Lehalle’s vision continued to inspire.

When this photo was taken in 2015, the Lehalle Coeur de Belle remained intact, though clearly in need of a full restoration to revive its former glory. (Picture from: ClassicAndRecreationSportscars in Facebook)

The Lehalle Coeur de Belle is more than just a car—it’s a moving memory, shaped by passion, community, and the belief that even in a quiet, tucked-away village, something truly unforgettable can be created. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RARECARSONLY | ALLCARINDEX | AUTOPUZZLES | CLASSIC AND RECREATION SPORTSCARS IN FACEBOOK | ATOMIC SAMBA IN FACEBOOK ]

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