L'été prochain, je pense que je serai en France!!

dodgy

But if you're staying in the haute savoie region around Samoens, Les Gets etc, then the food is heavily influenced by Italian cooking anyway.
In fact, that part of France was originally Italian - that's why you see those little (what look to be Swiss at first glance, but are not) red and white cross flags everywhere around there.

paulcuthbert

dodgy wrote:

But if you're staying in the haute savoie region around Samoens, Les Gets etc, then the food is heavily influenced by Italian cooking anyway.
In fact, that part of France was originally Italian - that's why you see those little (what look to be Swiss at first glance, but are not) red and white cross flags everywhere around there.

As long as I can order it in French and not Italian, I'll be happy

BikingBernie

dodgy wrote:

But if you're staying in the haute savoie region around Samoens, Les Gets etc, then the food is heavily influenced by Italian cooking anyway.
In fact, that part of France was originally Italian - that's why you see those little (what look to be Swiss at first glance, but are not) red and white cross flags everywhere around there.

Actually the Savoy region was an independent state that predated the final unification of Italy. Those flags are the old flag of the House / Dutchy of Savoy.

Kléber

And Italy itself was a collection of states and kingdoms. Which is also why there's no such thing as "Italian food", more that there's tuscan pasta, risotto from the north etc.

As for Italian food in the French alps, no way. It's just variations on melted cheese. Fondu, raclette and other dishes with more calories than you can imagine.

dodgy

It was explained to me last week there was a strong Italilan connection in the Haute Savoi, but it was a converation conducted in Franglais between me and a restauranteer
But the food tastes good (to me anyway)

emadden

deejay wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Me! Although it will be the 12th time I've been, still get excited by the whole thing though

Well I've logged a few more than that but it's the vans that got me and the slobs that go with them.(anyway the Tee shirt was getting worn out )
Those endless convoys (even worse now) moving off the mountain following one another till long past midnight looking for their next spot on the course.
I swore in 2002 that I wouldn't return as it got so crowded (and more vans) because the US had found they had a winner. They didn't even know what a cycle race was in 2000.
I had to return though because they put a TT up D' Huez and I was up there yet again. (I had never seen the place so overcrowded)
My 2nd time was with camping gear on the bike and train to Grenoble and at a guess that way again to see more than the vans do these days. (well they have TV these days with the French sats pointing one way and the Belgians/Dutch the other way)

+10000 for the traffic jams.

Last year it took us about 5 hours to get off ventoux and then had to drive all night to Paris. This year we had problems at Morzine. They closed the climb early the day before, so those of us driving from Les Rousses had problems when we arrived. We had to drive back the course to the Col de La Ramaz and then drove up and down the mountain twice at 2am to find a place to park! It gets tiring after a while... but still fun I guess.

BikingBernie

emadden wrote:

This year we had problems at Morzine. They closed the climb early the day before, so those of us driving from Les Rousses had problems when we arrived. We had to drive back the course to the Col de La Ramaz and then drove up and down the mountain twice at 2am to find a place to park! It gets tiring after a while... but still fun I guess.

You should have followed the advice that I posted.

I suggested parking at one of the big ski-season car parks that were opened and taking the telecabins to the top. These cost one Euro and the one I recommended came out 100m from the giant screen at Avoriaz. They also stayed open late so there was no problem staying around after the finish and still getting down. Generally, getting rid of the car as soon as is possible is the secret to getting to and from the race in good time.

It is even easier if you have a bike with you. I cycled in and there was still ample parking in Montriond only a few hours before the race was due. If you plan to park a few km from the start of the climb and cycle up you can usually turn up a few hours before the race is due, ride in and be off and away 30 minutes after the broom wagon has passed. Always check the local tourist websites to see what arrangements have been put in place to deal with the influx of visitors, usually these are well thought out. On a mountain finish attempting to drive to your vantage point is probably the worst thing you can try.

paulcuthbert

BikingBernie wrote:

dodgy wrote:

But if you're staying in the haute savoie region around Samoens, Les Gets etc, then the food is heavily influenced by Italian cooking anyway.
In fact, that part of France was originally Italian - that's why you see those little (what look to be Swiss at first glance, but are not) red and white cross flags everywhere around there.

Actually the Savoy region was an independent state that predated the final unification of Italy. Those flags are the old flag of the House / Dutchy of Savoy.

This is starting to sounds like the commentary when Paul Sherwen reads from the Tour handbook

Amazing!

Teach

Saturday 2nd July 2011

FIRST STAGE
Passage du Gois > Mont des Alouettes: 180 km
A Grand Start between sky and sea… The official start of the 98th edition of the Tour de France will take place at the Passage du Gois. Linking the continent to the island of Noirmoutier and measuring 4.5 km in length, the Passage du Gois is a submersible road covered twice daily at high tide, but which remains fully accessible at low tide.

Beforehand, the starting ceremony will take place in Fromentine followed by a parade along the island of Noirmoutier. Then, once they have rejoined terra firma, the pack will wind its way through the Vendée, firstly along mainly flat roads towards the south, before heading northeast towards Les Herbiers through more rolling countryside. The finishing line will be based at Mont des Alouettes whose summit stands at 232 metres. The Mont des Alouettes was a strategically important site during the Wars of the Vendée (1793-1796).



Sunday 3rd July

SECOND STAGE
Les Essarts > Les Essarts - Team time-trial: 23 km
The second day in the Vendée will witness the return of the team time trial, a stage not included in the programme for the Tour de France 2010. It will be contested over a 23 km circuit with the start and finish at Les Essarts.

The route will follow a loop to the west of the town, mainly on the flat and straight roads in the Bocage of the Vendée, passing through the towns of Boulogne and La Merlatière in particular.



Monday 4th July

THIRD STAGE
Olonne-sur-Mer > …
The riders will cover a distance of approximately 80 km on the department's roads before leaving the Vendée…[/b]

If you get to visit the passage de goss, it is well worth a visit with or without the tour. Part of the local entertainment is to collect shell food from the sea bed and then sit at the end of the passage and see if any one gets caught by the incoming tide. We saw one car drive of the 'road' and get stuck and rather wet. it was entertaining for us!

paulcuthbert

Just done watching the ITV4 review show.

I'm absolutely pumped about next summer now. BRING. IT. ON.

cajun_cyclist

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Discovery-Franc ... 580&sr=1-1

As I said, I'm reading this book "Discovery of France", why, at times, French has not been spoken by the majority of the population. Just getting into it.