|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jun 30, 2006 22:27:24 GMT -5
Since I am not a big sports fan  I'll take it upon myself to announce the start of the Tour de France beginning July 1. With Lance Armstrong retired, it should be an interesting race this year. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing the French landscape and learning more about the country's history. |
|
|
|
Post by vigilanti on Jul 1, 2006 15:00:01 GMT -5
yup for my discription of overland travel in france (soon to be posted in crisis point) I used a diary of someone who traveled the route by bicycle. I imagine except for the modern roads and buildings ithe landscape would have looked much the same on horseback. We can dream can't we?
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 2, 2006 23:42:40 GMT -5
Stages One and Two cover...
Strasbourg: A Germanic name, meaning, “town at the crossing of roads.” In Northeast France, the city boarders Germany and is located at the heart of the Rhine basin. During the Thirty Years' War, Strasbourg remained neutral. However, it was seized by King Louis XIV of France in 1681, and annexed. Cathedrale Notre-Dame, or Strasbourg Cathedral, was the tallest building in the world from 1625 through 1847. This portion of the Tour de France is laid out on level ground.
Obernai: located southwest of Strasbourg on the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains. This foothill town is beautiful and green.
Esch-sur-Alzette: Until the 19th century, when iron ore was discovered here, it was just another Luxembourg village. The city is known as "Esch" for short.
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 3, 2006 9:57:07 GMT -5
Stage three...
Valkenburg Aan de Guel: A gorgeous hilly landscape of south Linburg. The marl pits are an ancient and intricate part of this town. From the Romans, down through present, the light-yellow stone has been used to create chateaus, farms and houses. The town boasts over 200 monuments. It is a place where horseback riding and other sports are still at their finest in the beautiful surroundings.
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 4, 2006 12:14:41 GMT -5
Some of the things I've noticed while watching the "tour", so far, are the lush green hilly landscapes and plenteous woods. Hill tops are often occupied by castle ruins (much of the damage to the castles having taken place during the World Wars). Every town seems to have its own cathedral and canal system. And for July, it is HOT! Today's temperature was 99degrees with a heat index of 122degrees. (It sounds like where I live). The tour is still making its way through the northern portion of France.
Stage four departure and arrival towns:
Huy: Located in the Belgian province of Liege, the city lies along the Meuse River by the mouth of the Hoyoux River.
Saint-Quentin: Located in the northeast, Picardie region of France. The city is the birthplace of Maurice Quentin de la Tour, a famous pastelist who painted portraits of Voltaire and Louis XV. It is the site of a 13th century basilica, a Gothic city hall, an Italian style theatre and thousands of art deco facades. The low-lying area is the home of the Isle marsh nature reserve.
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 5, 2006 10:37:27 GMT -5
Stage five departure and arrival towns:Beauvais: At the foot of wooded hills on the bank of the Therain where it meets the Avelon, lies the once capital of Bellovaci, as it was known during the times of Gaul. It was fortified in 275 and very prosperous in the Middle Ages before a succession of wars, including those with England. The northern French city is appreciated for its proximity to Paris. Caen: Less than 12km from the Norman coast, Caen has a rich port infrastructure linked to the sea by a canal. It is the historical city of William the Conqueror, who, in repentance for marrying his cousin Mathilda of Flanders, had two Romanesque abbeys built—one for men and the other for women. After successfully conquering England, he built his ducal castle—one of the largest medieval fortresses of Western Europe. I’ll be going on vacation and may not be able to follow the tour past here. You can check out the route for yourself at: www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/LIVE/us/300/index.html Picture from Official Tour de France web site: Moulin de Robinson Canal d’Ille et Rance (Service Communication - Mairie de St-Grégoire)
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 6, 2006 9:43:02 GMT -5
Stage six departure and arrival towns...Lisieux: Capital of the Pays d’Auge, the city is tucked in the valley of the Touques River between Caen and Paris. In the region of Basse-Normandie, the roots can be traced to the Gallo-Roman days. Cathedrale Saint-Pierre, built over the span of the 12th through 17th centuries is a reminder of the city’s spiritual heritage. Vitré: On the outskirts of Brittany, the city lies on the slopes of the Vilaine River. A chateau preserved historical quarter gives hint to its historical heritage. www.letour.fr/2006/TDF/LIVE/us/300/index.html
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 22, 2006 21:09:42 GMT -5
I'm back from my trip (not France ) and I've been catching up on the rest of the route. I'll post it as I manage to put it together. Stage 7 Saint-Grégoire: North of Rennes, the large town includes many parks and fields, and has the Ille et Rance Canal running through it. The canal is an extension of the Vilaine River. Rennes: A prefecture of Ille-et-Vilaine, the town is the capital of the Brittany region. The Ille and Vilaine Rivers meet at the city built on a hill. Stage 8 Saint- Méen-le-Grand: Southwest of Rennes, built at the crossing of two Roman roads, the city has marked one of France’s busy historic trade and communication centers. Lorient: Located on the south coast of Brittany, where the Blavet and Scorff Rivers enter the Atlantic Ocean. Rightfully named, L’Orient (the Orient), as goods from India came into France at shipyards here. King Louis XIV established the French East India Company in 1664, which gave birth to the city. |
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 23, 2006 16:10:39 GMT -5
Stage 9 . . . (Not to forget that Gascony is the famed origin of "the" d'Artagnan!) Bordeaux: Moving southwest to Gascon, the Atlantic coast port city on the Garonne River is known for its wine. Dax: In southwestern France, the mild-tempered Gallo-Roman town is given its character by its ocean weather and Europe’s largest forest. Thermal mud spas and a rich architectural heritage add to Dax’s fame. Stage 10 . . .Cambo-les-Bains: Tucked between the Atlantic and the Pyrenees in the Basque region of southern France, this small village is also noted for its thermal spas. Pau: Ideally located near the Spanish boarder overlooking the passage into the Pyrenees. Pau means “palisade” in Occitan, and was the place where the viscounts of Béarn resided. In the early 16th century the Château de Pau, became the residence of the kings of Navarre, who were also counts of Béarn. Jeanne d'Albret, traveled across France to ensure that her son, Henry IV (1553-1610), was born at Pau. As history states: “The baby's lips were moistened with the local wine and rubbed with garlic in his first moments. When Henri IV left Pau to become King of France, he remarked to the local notables that he was not giving Béarn to France, he was giving France to Béarn.” The map source is Wikipedia img77.imageshack.us/img77/5571/gasconymapzr5.th.png[/img][/url]
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 23, 2006 17:16:30 GMT -5
Stage 11 . . .
Tarbes: Also located in Gascony, the plain town is located only minutes away from the Pyreness. On the Adour River, rich in ancient heritage, it is just north of Lourdes (famed pilgrimage town) and the Spanish boarder.
Val d’Aran – Pla-de-Beret: The Spanish town Val d’Aran in Occitan or Gascon means Valley of the Valley, and beautifully describes its location as one of the highest valleys in the Pyrenees—some portions rising above 7000ft. Only 100 meters apart are the Garona River (flowing to the Atlantic Ocean) and the Noguera Pallaresa River (flowing to the Mediterranean Sea).
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 23, 2006 17:35:28 GMT -5
Stage 12 . . .Luchon: This southwestern French town is ideally located in the heart of the Pyrenees, making the thermal spa town the perfect summer and winter retreat. The city is met by the One and Pique Rivers in a beautiful valley. Carcassonne: Amazingly, this medieval city is still lived in! In 1659, the Treaty of Pyrenees gave the boarder province to France, and the town converted from a military town to one of commerce. The Canal du Midi was shortly after built by Pierre Paul Riquet in 1667. Picture source: Wikipedia 
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 23, 2006 18:46:04 GMT -5
Stage 13 . . .Beziers: A unique community of thirteen towns united to form the Béziers-Méditerranée. Near the Orb River and the Mediterranean Sea, the town was home to Pierre Paul Riquet, canal builder (1604-1680); Paul Pellisson, author (1624-1693); and Jean-Jacques d’Ortous de Mairan, geophysisist (1678-1771). Montélimar: This large city has a history dating back to the Celtic days. Again, being renovated during Roman times, there are spas, basilicas, aqueducts and a forum. The Adhémar family castle, built in the Middle Ages, still dominates the landscape today. Stage 14 . . .Gap: Annexed by France in 1512, this alpine town is in the Hautes-Alpes at the foot of the Bayard Pass. This is the crossroads of the routes Napoleon and National along the Luye River at 2406 ft above sea level. Stage 15 . . .L’Alpe d’Huez: The Tour de France’s most legendary stage with the most breath-taking mountain climbs. The alp town is known for its sunny weather, averaging three hundred days of the year! Stage 16 . . .Bourg d’Oisans: In southeastern France, the town is in the valley of the Romanche River. A bicycle can be rented at this base town to ascend the L’Alpe d’Huez to see if you’re made of champion material (a certificate awaits you for a small price if you complete the trek)! LOL, anyone up for the challenge?  La Toussuire: On a pasture plateau overlooking a 360° view. The Arves peaks make skiing plentiful in the winter, while hiking and biking provide scenic summer lures.
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 23, 2006 20:03:44 GMT -5
Stage 17 . . .
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne: A mountain town in the upper valley of the Arc River. Having changed hands numerous times, the area of Savoy finally was annexed to France in 1860.
Morzine-Avoriaz: Located in the proximity of Mont Blanc, in a river gorge and bordered by alpine forests.
Stage 18 . . .
Mâcon: A communication hub for the east and west, north and south, the Saone River and numerous routes intersect here. South of Burgundy, the town is nestled in vineyards and architectural history. Historically, it was the busy border between France and the Holy Roman Empire (843 – 1600).
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 23, 2006 20:12:08 GMT -5
Stage 20 . . .Sceaux – Antony: With Paris nearby, the city was the ideal residence for Jean Baptiste Colbert, King Louis XIV’s minister of finance. He was one of the "Jean Baptistes" in my fan fic. ;D Colbert’s chateau is an impressive sight!  Picture source: Wikipedia
|
|
|
|
Post by jeantre16 on Jul 23, 2006 20:14:29 GMT -5
Paris: The final stage of the Tour de France needs no introduction. Home to the Louvre, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, the Place de la Concorde, and the Rue de Rivoli, the city’s fame speaks for itself!
And the winner of this year's Tour:
[glow=yellow,2,300]Those who enjoyed the scenery.[/glow]
Footnote: Sadly, this year's Tour has been riddled with drug abuse issues. Not only were top athletes in the sport diverted from day one's starting line, but the winner was later stripped of his title. Congratulations go to those who finished this year's Tour drug free!
|
|
I'll take it upon myself to announce the start of the Tour de France beginning July 1. 
