Tour de France 2009

Watching Stage 5 in Bessan
This has been an extremely busy, hectic week - and next week promises to be even busier. That's when France stops and French people take time off to enjoy being French -it's National Holiday (Fête National - Bastille Day). Although Tuesday is the official holiday the celebrations always start the day before, with many events taking place on the eve of Fête National - concerts, dances, fireworks, meals with friends and neighbours... And of course there will be many French people who "fait de pont" - make a bridge day, or finished early on Friday to make the holiday weekend last longer

Here in the village preparations are now complete, with a vast stage erected on the place, the main street decorated with red, white and blue bunting, and the tricolour flag in place at every conceivable place (we have ours already on show at the gate!).

But, that is for tomorrow, and hopefully I will have time to tell you more about this next week.

The news for this week is the Tour de France. For this event I encouraged my husband David - who loves cycling, to take a day out from work, and watch the tour in reality, rather than on the television he normally sticks on his desk in the office as he works.

We live in Montblanc, and the tour was scheduled to go through our neighbouring village, Bessan, which is an excellent location to view the spectacle. The tour's start (Stage 5) wasn't so far away either, starting from Cap d'Agde, which is around 12 kms from our home. So Wednesday we packed a cool box and joined with thousands of others lining the streets and roads in the next village. In addition to local people, the village was packed with tourists from all over the world - many people arrange their holidays in France to coincide with the Tour de France!).

We made an early start to make sure we had a good position near the Bessan Cave Co-operative (home to David's favourite Rose wine). This is also a place where the cyclists have to slow to make the turn around the roundabout as they head towards Béziers, so a good chance to see all the riders as they flash past.

The crowds started to gather early to get a good view

To really enjoy the tour you do need to be there early so you can join in the excitement as the caravan passes. The caravan is a 20 kms long cavalcade of around 200 publicity cars, trucks and motor bikes that travel before the cyclists. They pass very quickly, but as there are so many it can take over an hour. Spectators are given a free show of the publicity machines - vehicles converted into all type of shapes and different sizes to advertise particular services or products. Horses on top of cars to advertise PMU, giant cows advertising cheese (Vache qui rit - the Laughing Cow) on top of vans, girls dressed out in familiar white and red spotted costumes to advertise Carrefour (was Champion) supermarkets, etc. Whilst passing, loads of freebies are thrown into the crowds - sun hats, sun cream (necessary!), lollipops from Haribo, T-shirts, free newspapers, anything to grab your attention.

Young enthusiasts study the route

There is a lull as the long caravan finishes and excitement builds up as people wait patiently from the main event.

The arrival of a motorcade with over 50 cars, each with what seem to be twenty spare cycles strapped to their roof, is the first signal that the riders are coming, and the signal is made stronger with the sight of some 30 gendarmerie motorbikes, each with the lights blazing and many with their blues flashing.

Moments later they come. At this stage the tête (the head, or the first bunch of cyclists) consists of four cyclists only. My husband David had quickly moved to a slightly different position so that he can take better photos as the cyclists flash by.

The leading riders as they go towards Béziers

You have to be quick as a few seconds later the Peleton - the main group of riders, is in front of you. They speed past, with David cramming in as many photos as possible. Then, in minutes, it's all over. They are gone, making their way to Béziers, and then onwards to Perpignan for the finish of this stage, altogether some 200 kms. A good day out, brilliant sunshine, a picnic with good food and wine, and a spectacular event.

As a foot note, although I am French, my husband is British so he takes particular note of the British riders. He was really pleased to see that two days earlier Mark Cavendish (GB) won Stage 3, and as I post this, I am being told that Bradley Higgins (GB) is also doing exceptionally well, and is currently in 5th overall position.