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Or, you know, le Tour de Belgique (Belgium) and Hollande (Hollande).

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The 2010 Route

The tour route varies from year to year, and although most of it takes place in France, the cyclists will start in the Netherlands this time around. After the Prologue (which is apparently what it’s called) — a short 8km ride through Rotterdam — the real race begins.  The cyclists move south through Belgium, passing through Antwerp before ending the first leg in Bruxelles.  In fact, it’s not until the third leg — day 4, July 6 — that the race will cross into the north of France.

The 2010 Route

A Public Event • Supporting Your Team (in French!)

The 2010 race will pass through the following French towns:

• Arenberg Porte du Hainaut
• Cambrai
• Reims
• Épernay
• Montargis
• Gueugnon
• Tournus
• Station des Russes
• Morzine-Avoriaz
• Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne
• Chambéry
• Gap
• Sisteron
• Bourg-lès-Valence
• Bourg-de-Péage
• Mende
• Rodez
• Revel
• Ax 3 Domaines
• Pamiers
• Bagnères-de-Luchon
• Pau
• Col de Tourmalet
• Salies-de-Béarn
• Bordeaux

Click on any of the above links for detailed maps of each segment of the race (including smaller towns the cyclists will pass through), dates, and a description of that day’s ride.

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A Public Event

For the athletes involved, the Tour de France is a remarkable feat of athleticism and endurance.  For the people living in and flocking to the towns on the route, it’s an incredible (if sometimes brief in passing) spectator sport, and a way to get lots of free goodies.

Free chocolate!

Preparing to catch a leg of the race can be as serious as procuring concert tickets for your favorite, likely-to-sell-out-in-two-minutes band: people camp out over night — or several nights — to guarantee the best seats.

The event is open to the public, so it is up to each individual to secure a good view of the passing bikes.  If you are gung-ho about getting the best seat in the house (or, you know, the street), you’ll have to wait it out with the die-hards.  Investing in (or bringing along) sleeping bags is a good idea, if you want to be at the front of the pack.

Once the cyclists have passed, which can happen quite quickly early on in the race, the caravan of swag follows.  Vehicles bearing the sponsors’ names, floats representing the teams, and lots of people hired to distribute the goods will stretch as far as (if not farther than) the race, itself.

Free candy!

The include Haribo (gummy candies!) Power Bar, Nesquik, Nestle Ricoré (pictured above), St. Michel (cookies!), Belin (more cookies!), and Cochonou (meat!).

So maybe I’m a bit fixated on the free food aspect of the race, but there are many other treats to be had.  Sponsors and Partners represent every kind of company from tire production to sportswear, and many of the companies (food-related or not) give away discount coupons, knick-knacks, and chances to win fabulous vacations and hotel stays (Étap Hotels is also one of the sponsors)!

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Supporting Your Team

The French are determinately loyal when it comes to supporting their riders, and fiercely divided when it comes choosing a favorite team member.  If you’re joining the spectators on the sidelines, be sure to have a few French phrases in your arsenal to hurl at the passing cyclists and spectators!

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