Le Tour. Yes, you know which one…

Yesterday TC and I joined a friend and rode out to see Le Tour go past.  Yes, you do know which tour I mean!

One of the things I love about it is that it goes all around the country, giving so many local people the opportunity to go our & see it in their area and cheer the riders on. It came within 20km of our home on this stage and we decided to go to a spot between Montagnac and Villeveyrac where there are some small hills, so we could get a good view of them coming up a rise. The map in that link gives you a good idea of our region.

Once we arrived, we stopped in front of a pretty vineyard (and some of the locals came up to chat, telling us what good wines they sell there) and before we knew it the caravan was coming up the road. For the uninitiated, the caravan is the parade of sponsor promotion vehicles which are like small floats, equipped with loudspeakers, music and people throwing out free goodies to the crowds.

After the caravan, we sat in the shade and enjoyed our picnic of freshly made baguette sandwiches (filled with leftover chicken from coq au vin, fresh ham, fromage & salad) and of course good red wines. Thanks to the caravan, we enjoyed some madeleines as a little treat after our baguettes.  A relaxing hour was spent in the perfect summer weather until the sight and sound of 4 helicoptors coming over the hill announced the imminent arrival of the riders.  Two had gone out in a breakaway lead early in the stage, I don’t think they lasted very long.

Then it was time for the peloton.

Of course I was out in my Aussie gear to support our riders – in fact TC was waving the flag while I was calling out “Go Aussies” and one of the Orica Greenedge riders threw him his empty bottle. I also got one from the Movistar team, Score!!

Then it was all over so quickly… but what a good day out. We made our way home, past many cars & a few small traffic jams and accompanied by the occasional call of “allez allez allez!!!” from other tour fans driving past us. The views on the way there and back were just gorgeous, so enjoy our pictures!

Gorgeous views along our ride

One of the valleys the tour will go through after passing us

Pretty winery between Montagnac and Villeveyrac

Parked and the best viewing spot chosen

Here comes the start of the sponsors’ caravan

more of the caravan

Sponsor caravan

Sponsors winding up the crowds with their music and giveaways

Some of our free stuff from the sponsor’s caravan

Picnic time, the important things must come first

Two breakaway riders early in the day, still around 170km to go

Jens Voigt leads the stage early in the day

Cupcake and a friend watching the peloton arrive

Here they come!

…and there they go

One of the Orica Greenedge team getting fresh water

Rider’s water bottle as a souvenir

then come the bikes…

and more bikes…

Riders at the back are surrounded by the support cars

All over, time to enjoy the views on the ride home. Looking down towards the Mediterranean, Mont St Clair at Sete and the Etang de Thau down there on the right