'Traffic jam forest' filled with hundreds of abandoned cars buried in a long line
- Over 500 classic cars were left behind in a forest near a small town in Belgium
- Most of them are American classics made by Pontiac and Ford
- The history behind the graveyard is a bit hazy, but there are theories
Published on Feb 22, 2024 at 8:25 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Feb 23, 2024 at 4:00 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Adam Gray
This is one of the most impressive car graveyards we’ve ever seen.
A stone’s throw from a small town in Belgium, this forest was the resting place of hundreds of abandoned cars.
The forest in question is located just outside Châtillon, a Belgian town near the border with Luxembourg, about 120 miles south-east of the capital Brussels.
No one knows for sure how the cars ended up there, but there are theories.
According to one theory, the abandoned cars were left behind by US troops after the end of World War II.
This, however, would create a bit of a time paradox, because some of these cars were built in the 1950s and 1960s.
Years, or in some cases, decades after the end of the WWII.
A slightly different theory suggests these cars may have been left behind by Canadian soldiers about a decade later.
And then there’s a third theory, and this sounds a bit more plausible.
In 1966, French President Charles de Gaulle withdrew French forces from the military command structure of NATO, and the HQ was moved to Belgium.
So that would imply that several cars, most of them privately owned, were moved en masse, too.
Either way, the images of the graveyard are mind-blowing.
We’re talking about at least 500 vehicles, almost all of them American made, including some amazing classics such as the Ford Thunderbird and the Pontiac Chieftain.
The thing is, all we’re left with are images.
This is because the graveyard was cleared in 2010.
Collectors were flocking in, helping themselves to different parts, components and souvenirs.
That’s when Belgian authorities decided something had to be done, also due to environment reasons, and simply decided to clear everything away.
These graveyards are always fascinating, in a way, even though the story behind it is often tragic.
That’s the case of the massive vehicle graveyard just outside the town of Chernobyl.
And, for different reasons, the same can be said about the Lamborghini Aventador that was inexplicably abandoned in the middle of a forest.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
