Cher Famille et amis,
On Saturday, nineteenth stage of the Tour de France passed within 1 1/2 hours from our home. This second to the last stage included a climb to the top of Mount Ventoux and is generally considered to be the hardest part of the month-long race.
After a quick dip in the pool in the morning, we piled into the car and drove north. Our trip took us on many small, windy roads through countryside we had not previously seen, such as the city of Simiane la Rotonde.
We arrived in Sault approximately two hours before the riders were scheduled to pass. Most of the best spots along the route had already been claimed, so we ended up settling for a place in the shade on a corner.
One of the first things we observed was that crossing the road was extremely dangerous. Race vehicles of every size and shape drove ahead of the racers and didn't show any inclination to slow down as they went through town. French Gendarmerie tried to warn spectators of approaching cars or motorcycles, but traffic was often unpredictable and we had to keep a tight grip on Nathaniel.
Approximately an hour and a half before the racers, the race caravan passed through Sault. Unfortunately, because of our late arrival, we missed out on many of the free goodies being thrown out to the crowds, a fact that the kids greatly lamented for the rest of the day.
After what seemed to be a very long wait, helicopters started to appear overhead. The racers themselves came up the hill in two separate groups. We were not able to get many pictures because of the speed at which they passed, our pathetic camera, and of course the head of the guy standing next to us. Nevertheless, it was exciting to watch the best riders in the world come within inches of us!
Bonne Semaine,
Joe, Julie, Nicolas, Elyse, and Nathaniel
No comments:
Post a Comment