Americans @ the Tour de France

There are many reasons to visit and explore the Dordogne region of France. Some of the key highlights inlude:

Lascaux caves.

The prehistoric paintings at Lascaux are probably the most renowned
cave paintings in the world. The cave paintings you can now visit are a
copy of the prehistoric paintings contained in the original Lascaux
caves, 200 metres away, because human breath was damaging the
originals. The replica paintings have been made using the same
materials and techniques as were used for the original paintings,
19,000 years ago.

The Lascaux cave paintings are mostly pictures of large animals,
including the ‘auroch’ - a now extinct early relative of the ox (it is
thought that the Auroch was worshiped as a sacred beast in prehistoric
times). Truly a remarkable experience, and you quickly forget that you
are looking at modern day replicas.

Sarlat

Sarlat is a beautiful medieval town a few kilometres north of the
River Dordogne. The old town, dating from both medieval and renaissance
times is a pleasure to visit, especially during the spring and autumn,
or early in the morning. If you can catch the early morning sunshine on
the yellow sandstone buildings, so much the better.

Wander through the back streets around the cathedral to get a feel for how the town must have been 500 years ago.

Les Eyzies

Les Eyzies is at the centre of a very beautiful area, in the Vezere
Valley, with numerous cliff and rock formations, surrounded by rivers,
hills and tranquil countryside. At the centre of prehistoric life in
Europe, there are several interesting cave systems and prehistoric
relics to visit around Les Eyzies.

Les Eyzies is also home to the National Prehistory Museum which
houses one of the world’s most complete collections of prehistoric
artefacts. Just a couple of hundred metres from the National Prehistory
museum is Abri Pataud, a cro-magnon shelter dating back almost 40,000
years. The cave-lined Vézère valley has been classified as a World
Heritage Site by UNESCO

Chateaux

In the Dordogne region there are reputed to be 1001 chateaux. Many
of the most magnificent are open to the public. Start perhaps with the
Chateau de Commarque, Chateau de Castelnaud, or (my personal favourite)
Chateau de Beynac, set high above the Dordogne river and the attractive
village of Beynac.

Each has its own impressive tale to tell of centuries of conflict,
often between the French and the English during the Hundred Years War,
and each has its own magnificent views over the surrounding
countryside.

Most beautiful villages

There are several villages in the Dordogne region that have
received the prestigious ‘Most Beautiful Villages of France’ award.
These include Monpazier, a perfectly preserved medieval bastide town to
the south of the region; La Roque-Gageac, a picture postcard village
spread out along the Dordogne river, with troglodyte dwellings and a
tropical garden spreading up the cliff behind; and Beynac, mentioned
above for its castle but equally attractive as a village in its own
right

Several other villages in the immediate vicinity also have the award.

The Dordogne region provides a glimpse into a world virtually
unchanged as the centuries have unfolded, and a visit is always an
unforgettable experience.

Visitors to France expect to see medieval villages and magnificent
scenery, but the wild animals that live in the countryside are usually
forgotten. However, France has very large areas of unspoiled
countryside, allowing many rare and unusual species to live in peace,
above all in the forests and in the mountainous regions.

Perhaps best know, because they frequently get in the news, are the
Pyreneean bears. Several of these brown bears have been released in the
mountains in recent years, to the pleasure of environmentalists and the
annoyance of local sheep farmers.

Although sheep farmers get full compensation for any sheep killed by
bears, they still object noisily to their reintroduction and the danger
they present. The problem has emerged because over the last 100 years,
with bears being almost extinct in France, the shepherds have stopped
breeding the ferocious hunting dogs that used to protect the flocks. So
now that the bears are being reintroduced from Slovenia, the sheep have
little protection.

While you are thinking about the threat from bears in France,
remember there are perhaps 20 bears in France and 5,000 in New York
City!

The second large mammal to get a hard time in France is the wolf.
Hunted to extinction in the country by the 1930’s, the wolves have now
re-entered France from Italy and live in remote places in the Alps,
especially the Mercantour Alps.

Not surprisingly, as with the Pyreneean bears it is the sheep farmers
who complain the loudest, about the wolves killing their livestock. But
the statistics seem to show that the threat from wolves is really
extremely small. Despite what you might expect, wolves will almost
always run and hide rather than seek a confrontation with humans, and
on a visit to the mountains you are very unlikely to see a wolf.

The lynx, a large wild cat, has also been successfully reintroduced
in the mountains following earlier extinction across France and most of
Europe. They are now a highly protected species.

Some other ‘mountain mammals’ are also unlikely to be seen. The
Alpine Marmot is very similar to (and closely related to) the American
groundhog, and lives above the tree-line in these mountainous regions.
You may hear the curious marmot sound, half whistle and half bark, as
it warns of your approach.

Two other unusual mountain animals are the ibex and the chamois –
both are ‘large goat’ types of animal. Both are also very good mountain
climbers, and may even be seen on mountain tops if food is present. A
chamois has even been reported as seen near the summit of Mont Blanc.
By preference they live in the lower regions where food is more
plentiful– it is the presence of man that has forced them high up the
mountains.

So you can feel safe to visit France, even the mountains, but be
aware that when you are walking a quiet path through a high, rugged,
region you might not be alone…

The Tour de France is the BIG one; it’s the World cup and the
Olympics all in one. It has it all, the high mountains, the wind swept
northern planes and the heat of the south. It also has the world’s
media, all the top teams and riders and millions of cycling mad fans
watching. The other “Grand Tours” of Italy and Spain are as exciting,
sometimes more so, but they don’t have the thing the Tour has, that
unique Tour ness, that unique French ness.

How it started.

It all started in 1903, when the French daily paper, L’Auto
wanted to sell more than its competitor, Le Vélo, who at that time was
the only paper reporting on cycle racing. It was suggested to the
papers director, Henri Desgrange that they should organise a bike race
all round France. The first race was 2,428 kilometres split into six
stages and was run off at 25.29 kilometres per hour and out of the 60
starters 21 finished and the race was lead from start to finish by
Maurice Garin.

The Heroes.

Over the years there has been a lot of heroes in the Tour de
France, you could say all the riders are heroes, to win the race once
is hard, but to win it five times is phenomenal. Only five men have
done this, and one of these has won it seven times. French rider
Jacques Anquetil was the first to win the race five times, Eddy Merckx,
Bernard Hinault and then Spaniard Miguel Indurain all equalled him.
Then the American, Lance Armstrong started to win in 1999 and didn’t
stop until he had won it a record seven times in a row. This is all the
more amazing as he is a cancer survivor and was given a 50/50 chance of
life; he beat the cancer and went on to beat all comers in the Tour de
France.

The course.

The race starts in a different town every year and every other
year it starts outside France, the choice of stage towns is a
combination of money and sporting considerations, the towns will pay
for a start or a finish, but they need to be near a mountain or a
cobbled road or be near other town who want to host the Tour. The Towns
pay to be the centre of interest for a day, the Tour also brings in a
lot of money in tourism and the Towns collect much more than they pay
and the world will remember the name of the Town, for at least a day.

The riders.

All the best riders want to win the Tour de France, but they
cant, from the 200 or so starters there is a possible five or six
riders who can win, the rest are either helping their team leaders or
sprint or mountain specialists who want to win stages or points or
mountain jerseys, this keeps the race active and interesting from
beginning to end.

The BIG Tour.

The Tour is the biggest, but that has its problems, some Towns
are not big enough, hotels etc., the television needs more space, the
journalists need more phone lines and computers, more and more people
are following the race and the riders can be forgotten about in all the
razzmatazz, but its still the biggest sporting event in the world, long
may in run!

The Giro d’Italia has a fine history behind it, like the Tour de
France it was started to publicise a newspaper, just like the Tour de
France the organisers made the leaders jersey the same colour as the
paper, yellow in France from the L’Auto newspaper and pink in Italy
from the La Gazzetta dello Sport. The first Giro was in 1909 and was
2448 kilometres long (the shortest), split into 8 stages and was won by
the Italian rider Luigi Ganna, 127 riders started in Milan, but by the
finish, also in Milan, there was only 49 left, this was not the worst
edition, in 1914 only 8 out of the 81 starters managed the full
distance.

The winners.

Just like the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, the Giro
d’Italia always has a deserving winner, three riders have won it five
times, Alfredo Binda and Fausto Coppi of Italy and the great Belgian,
Eddy Merckx, Merckx of course also won the Tour de France five times
and the Vuelta once. There have been many other “stars” who have won
the Giro over the years, French heroes Jacques Anquetil and Bernard
Hinault and from Spain Miguel Indurain have all one 5 Tours de France
and the Giro more than once. The home riders have obviously been the
big winners, Felice Gimondi, Gino Bartoli, Ivan Gotti, Gilberto Simoni
and Paolo Savoldelli have all shown there winning ways, but the battles
between Giuseppe Saronni and Francesco Moser in the 80’s are epic. The
strangest rider to have taken part in the Giro d’Italia would be
Alfonsina Morini Strada who is the only woman to have ridden the race,
and finish!

The race itself.

The Giro has started outside of Italy on eight occasions, the
furthest away being either Belgium, Greece or possibly the Dutch town
of Groningen, which hosted the opening individual time trial in 2002.
When the race is on Italian soil the main difficulties are usually the
Alps, Dolomites and the Apennines, the Giro is in May so the big climbs
can get dreadful weather, snow, rain and cold temperatures can shape
the race and determine the winner.

The future of the Giro d’Italia.

The future of the Giro d’Italia looks good, since the UCI
(cycling’s governing body) brought in the Pro-Tour all the top 20 teams
have to ride the race, before they would only get all the Italian teams
and a few foreign teams with sponsor interests in Italy, now the race
is also shown free on television, where as before it could only be seen
on a private station. The 2005 edition was one of the best for years,
top teams, top riders and a hard course brought the race to life, for
years the Giro had become a procession until the last hour, then the
sprinters took over. The climbers had some good hard stages and the
team leaders would do there work for the overall on the hills or the
time trial, and that was it, now its one of the most exciting stage
races there is from begging to end.

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And the Tour de France has a new champion… The professional cyclist
Carlos Sastre became last Sunday the third Spaniard to win one of the
crown jewels in cycling — the Tour de France. This also became another
great sports achievement for his country during the present year.

Sastre managed to win the 95th edition of the most well known cycling
race in the world after competing without problems next to his squad
during the last phase of the race, which consisted in a 143 kilometers
stage in
Étampes.

Sastre’s victory continued the line of triumphs of his countrymen Oscar
Pereiro in 2006 and Alberto Contador in the 2007. “It is a dream come
true, I waited a lot of time before this,” expressed Sastre. The
33-years-old CSC racer obtained the yellow jersey after winning on
Wednesday the 17th stage of the Tour, a section full of ascents in the
Alps.

Astana team’s rider, Contador, was not able to participate in this year
competition due to the doping scandals involving him as well as his
team.

The Australian Cadel Evans ended second in the general classification,
58 seconds behind Sastre. Evans assured the victory on Saturday after
resisting his pursuers against the clock, a very exciting last moment
which paved the road to the Champs Elysee.

The Austrian Bernhard Kohl finished third,1:13 minutes behind the
winner. He kept the white and red jersey along with the honors of being
the best climber in the competition.

Close to the end of the last stage the Spaniard’s team began to fall
behind while Sastre remained with the group of cyclist that were the
closest to Evans and Kohl, suddenly Sastre began to gain a considerable
advantage in general.

After the latest edition of the Tour de France, the incredible success
of Spain during 2008 continues as another Spaniard Oscar Freire kept
the green jersey, which is given to the racer of better action in
sprints.

This Sunday’s victory is shared with the Danish Bjarne Riis, CSC
general manager, who gave Sastre plenty of support and the leadership
of the team instead of Frank and Andy Schleck. These two riders had to
sacrifice their possibilities to help Sastre since he was the one with
best chances to obtain the title. Anyhow, the Schleck brothers were
given the white jersey which is an accomplishment to those young riders
that excelled in the Tour.

Other cyclist, the Belgian Gert Steegmans of the Quick Step team, was
the winner of the last race of the event in the final sprint, arriving
before the Germans Gerald Ciolek and Freire. On the other hand, the
Colombian Leonardo Duque closed his participation in Paris remaining in
the last positions.

Additional matters regarding doping also struck this edition of Tour de
France; the Spaniards Manuel Beltrán and Moises Duenas Nevado as well
as the Italian Riccardo Riccò, tested positive for the prohibited
substance EPO. The three riders withdrew from the competition as soon
as they were advised of the latest results obtained from their blood
samples. Likewise, the Kazakh Dmitriy Fofonov was the last of the
cyclists in violating the anti-doping rules after testing positive
right after the 18 stage of the Tour.

France has become an extremely popular destination for the carp angler, especially with so many different carp lakes in France choose from and many that have carp in excess of 40lb to 50lb plus.

However, due to the sheer size of the carp, you do need to have sensible equipment in which to land these fish. Most people recommend at least a 2 and 3/4 test curve rod or more, plus baitrunner reels are a must. We actually use the Shimano 8010GT baitrunner reels, and although there are some more modern ones on the market, we prefer these to anything else. But a lot of people also opt for the large big pit reels that hold a lot more line, as some of the places you may choose to fish could be quite a considerable distance from the bank.

In France there are a lot of privately owned fishing lakes such as Rainbow Lake, L’Etang de Tricherie, L’Etang du Chef de Ville, etc, that hire boats and many other lakes such as Bills Lake and Brittany Mill Lakes that allow you to use your own or hire out bait boats.

Also, many carp fishing lakes do not allow braid and the best option is monofilament line and we have found that Ultima PowerPlus is an excellent quality fishing line, yet a higher breaking strain line is needed when you are carp fishing in France compared to fishing most lakes in the UK.

Some lakes are also extremely strict on the type of tent where it must be a bivvy, but like ourselves where we do this as a family, we have a large tent which is not gaudy in colour but needs a bigger swim than most, so there are certain lakes that we could not go fishing at for this reason, so it is sensible to check out these details prior to booking your carp fishing holiday.

Now bait is something that differs from lake to lake and in some French carp lakes they will only allow specific types of bait and it is necessary to check this before you go, for instance, tiger nuts or certain ground baits are not allowed.

Mobile phones are the norm these days, but apart from these that need charging, you do have to consider things like bait boats if you have one, but there are now plenty of carp fishing lakes in France that do cater for charging different equipment you have, and when it comes to facilities, something you may not have really thought about is the need for a freezer, hang on forget this, what about washing facilities? Well forget this as well, we need the fridge, not just for the bait, but that cold beer or chilled water on a really hot day!

And although we all know the drive and survive aspect, there are now numerous different carp fishing lakes in France that have complete packages available right through from accommodation, to all of your equipment supplied and even lakes that supply a complete service from the flights through to full board, along with exclusive fishing and some of these include Dream Lakes, Croix Blanche, Willow Lake, Lake Juvanze, Brittany Mill Lakes and many more, plus some lakes are also available as an exclusive family holiday.

However, the cost for these and the all inclusive carp fishing packages can be considerably more expensive than making your own arrangements, but it can certainly save you a lot of hassle and keep the Wife happy!

Rules and regulations vary at the numerous carp lakes in France and some allow you to fish with three rods, whereas others are four and night fishing is only allowed if the owner has a permit for this, so again it is always a good idea to check these points prior to booking.

Other points you feel are essential for you, like local bars, restaurants, shops or swimming facilities, etc are also good points to check on, plus most people find that the carp fishing is best during the months from April through to October, but do bear in mind the further down South you go in the height of summer with hot days, most of the action will happen at night when it is cooler, so you had better be prepared for lack of sleep!

On one session near Bordeaux, we were getting up and down to the bite alarms at least two to three times every night and by the time our stay was coming to an end, we pulled our rods in just so that we could get some peace and quiet and catch up with much needed sleep before the long drive back home!

But saying that, when you are catching 40lb plus carp each time, the lack of sleep becomes insignificant and if you want to try catching a fish of a lifetime or just beating your personal best, then a carp fishing holiday in France is definitely for you!

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So when you start planning your holiday to France, you are no doubt
going to try and find out what you can do, see, or visit, but when it
comes to Paris, there are so many different monuments and landmarks,
that it is sometimes a hard job deciding on what to see next!

One place we would highly recommend you go and see is the Arc deTriomphe, which is a remarkable monument that was built to honour thosewho fought for France.

Now, you may of heard of the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysees, which
is known around the world for its shops, restaurants, hotels plus much
more, this is the were you can find the Arc de Triomphe, positioned at
the western end of the Champs-Elysees, standing in the centre of the
Place Charles de Gaulle.

This is also the second largest triumphal arch it stand over 51metres high and was commissioned by Napoleon and designed in 1806 butwas not actually completed until the 1830’s during the reign of KingLouis-Philippe. But it is hard to imagine how large this monumentreally is, so to give you an idea, only a few weeks after the World War I victory parade in Paris, a pilot flew his biplane right through the centre of it!

When visiting the Arc de Triomphe you will find that it is also home
to the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier and has an eternal flame, which by
the way, is the first eternal flame to be lit in Western Europe since
the year 391 and it burns in memory of the dead who were never
identified from World War I and World War II, but although it is never
meant to be put out, it was once when a drunken man decided to urinate on it, and yes, you guessed it, he was quickly arrested!!

Over the years, numerous political figures have paid their respects at the tomb including President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline and when President Kennedy was assassinated, Jacqueline decided to do a similar tribute with an eternal flame. So the French President went to

Washington to attend the funeral and witnessed the lighting of the
flame that had made a lasting impression on Jacqueline Kennedy since
her visit to France.

Now getting back to this historic landmark in Paris itself, you will be able to see richly sculptured friezes of soldiers depicted upon the masonry. And in the attic of the Arc de Triomphe as you look up there are 30 shields which are engraved with the names of major revolutionary and Napoleonic military victories. Also on the inside walls it lists the names of hundreds of French generals.

Also, the Arc de Triomphe has become a focal point for many events
and on 11th November, which was the date of the armistice between
France and Germany signed in 1918, there is now a ceremony held on this
date every year, plus there have also been numerous parades and other
major events and another is the major parade held every year on
Bastille Day, which is actually the largest in Europe.

But probably one of the main reasons that most people know about the
Arc de Triomphe from all over the world is through the famous cycle
race, The Tour de France as this plays an important role for the
participants, because the minute this fabulous monumental arch comes
into view, the cyclists know the race is almost finished. No doubt why
you see a few smiles on their faces at this point, especially as the
Tour de France ends on the Champs Elysees with the crowds cheering to
the very exhausted participants.

Obviously you can reach the Arc de Triomphe at a more leisurely
pace, by the Paris bus tours, hiring a bike or taking a stroll along
the Champs-Elysees and utilising the tunnel on the north side, which
goes underneath the notorious intersection and is safer than dodging
the traffic!

Although walking around the outside is free, if you want to venture
inside to the museum to learn more about its history and go to the top
to get a great view, there is a small fee but being open to the public
for visits until after 10pm, The Arce de Triomphe provides a great view
in the evening of the shimmering lights along the Avenue des Champs
Elysees.

Plus the views in the day from the top, with the Eiffel Tower in one
direction, the Grand Arche and business district in another direction,
obviously the Champs Elysees and even the Sacre Coeur Basillica in the
distance, makes a tremendous spot to experience the wonders of Paris.

Yet unfortunately, there is no lift so it is not accessible to the
disabled and there are a lot of steps to climb, so you do need to be
reasonably fit and able for the climb to the viewing platform, but it
is well worth the effort!

There are thousands of different Paris restaurants and cafes and
these will range from the small a bistro to haute cuisine, but the
quality of food will be a delight to all, no matter how big or small
your budget is.

Choosing a restaurant in Paris can give you a real headache, as
there are so many different types of cuisine to choose from, and you
will be really spoilt for choice deciding where to eat.

But there is something to suit everyones palate, so why not try
something a little different, like Japanese food in France, or you
could opt for numerous other International varieties of cuisine from
Mexican, American, Turkish, Italian, Brazilian like the very popular
Brasil Tropical that also has a cabaret show, Spanish, Indian, and many
more to excite your taste buds!

The finest way of eating in Paris is at a Haute Cuisine restaurant,
but you need a good bank balance, as this type of meal has elaborate
preparations and presentations of the delicacies in small portions and
can be found at some of the best hotels and plush restaurants.

However, most Paris restaurants have a ‘Menu du Jour’ and this
normally means the most reasonably priced meals or set meals, with the
food prepared from what is available locally and always changing
through the seasons, it is the freshest produce available.

The French loves their sauces and there are many different sorts,
and some are regarded as specialities at certain restaurants where they
will accompany most food, so if you get a chance, consider trying some
of these.

Having breakfast out is more than likely to be at a Patisserie or
cafe in Paris where you can get croissants, bread, numerous varieties
of cheese and cold meats, plus pastries that are usually accompanied by
a cup of strong black coffee, but if you prefer white coffee, then ask
for café au lait, so that you get milk with it.

Whilst experiencing this fabulous city, you will come across
numerous cafes and bistros in Paris that have indoor and outdoor
dining, but if you decide to eat on the terrace, there is often an
additional charge added to your bill.

Most of the shops in France close for at least two hours of a lunch
time, which is when most of the French have their main meal, but there
are now lots of restaurants providing a Brunch type service, so it is
great time to re-fuel before continuing your sightseeing.

If you need to have a snack in the afternoon prior to an evening
meal, where most restaurants only start serving from 7.30pm onwards,
you would need to go to a Brasserie as they are usually open all day
and serve the same food, whatever the time.

Having a glass of wine with your meal is like a French tradition and
is almost expected in most places, but bear in mind that a table wine
in France is not normally a cheap and hopefully cheerful option, like
it is in the UK, and you can often purchase more reasonably priced
wines from the menu, yet there are also always vintage wines available,
so if you know what you like then go for it, ad we are sure that you
will experience quality, whatever your wine choice.

But thinking about this, normally wine is paired with your meal, so
when dining at a plush restaurant it is customary to order a different
wine to accompany each different dish served, so as to truly enjoy the
cuisine and not take away from any of the exquisite tastes.

There are so many different options for a Paris restaurant and a
couple of these even have museums such as the Musee du Vin. Here you
learn about wine making, its history and different wines, plus do some
wine tasting, then you can even enjoy a fabulous meal with the wine and
come away feeling a little more knowledgeable.

But if you are still not sure about where to go for your next
evening eating out in Paris, then it may be an idea to pick up Le
Carnet Gourmand, which is a free guide to restaurants in Paris that are
registered with the Tourism office and has a list of around 200 with
the type of cuisine, average costs, and other information such as
access for the disabled. To obtain a copy you would need to go to the
Office de Tourisme, but this restaurant guide can also be found in
numerous Paris hotels and at the restaurants that are listed.

Yet there is one last point we would like to make and that is the
fact that Parisians tend to dress up for an evening meal and many
restaurants require a jacket or even dinner attire, so we would
recommend that you check what the dress code is when booking, or you
may be refused entry!