FRANCE - le tour de

The Maillot Jaune - Yellow Jersey

On Saturday cycling's Tour de France begins. As usual I shall be following the action via ITV4's excellent coverage. Live everyday and via their highlights programme.
Every year I get as much pleasure from watching them travel through France as I do from the actual racing. I worked on travel brochures primarily involving France, for 10 years, and yet each 'tour' they go somewhere I've never seen before. Last year I noted some crazy hairpin bends not far from Grenoble in the Alps, beautiful valley scenery in the Pyrenees at Plateau de Beille and the Millau Viaduct over the River Tarn. 
This year I shall be glued, watching for more sights as the helicopters circle and camera bikes follow the riders around the 21 stages. See the official site for the route. 
The opening stage begins at Mont St.Michel and goes to Utah beach (St.Marie-du-mont) in Normandy. I'll be keeping an eye out for Stage 9 the Pyrenees and Andorra. Stage 12 which climbs Mont Ventoux, always spectacular. Stage 16-17 takes us into Switzerland. And Stage 20 ends in Morzine, a town I know quite well.
I'll be on my bike for the next three weeks and naturally following the Sky Team and hoping for Chris Froome to repeat last years success.