There are a lot of happy things that go hand-in-hand with a trip to Europe in July. Three summers in a row is a big one. Seeing a stage of Le Tour de France is another. Hiking up the final climb to La Toussuire to witness one of the decisive alpine stages of the 2012 Tour was an opportunity not to be missed.
The adventure really started in St-Jean-de-Maurienne where Gaye Camm and I stocked up on French patisserie treats, got dressed in Australian flags, and followed the general direction of other walkers and bikers who seemed to know where the real action would be taking place.
I could write about a lot of things, but with a race of this status I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of it already. Instead I’ll leave you with this photo gallery which gives a sense of the rhythm of spectating and all the free schwag that gets thrown out the windows of ‘the caravan’. The riders passed by pretty quick. For me it was the anticipatory stuff that was the best!
Photos: Gaye Camm, Kath Bickers.
Kath Bicknell 