Lycra, Lattes and the Long Way Round

As I drew closer to the town of Pont-de-
Vaux... I found myself thinking of some of
the places Id passed through. There were
so many tiny hamlets, villages and larger
towns, some vibrant and fine-looking,
others lifeless, run down and in dire need
of repair. Then there were, of course, the
countless numbers of French people
who had helped me piece together the
jigsaw of roads along my way. The places
I was riding through werent quite the
same, but there was that unmistakable
pungent smell of agriculture in the air and
the sight of fat cows chomping lazily on mouthfuls of grass. It was vastly different
from the Hautes-Alps and the bustling stretch of Mediterranean coast, but full of its
own charm and character nonetheless.
Beginning with the idea of tackling some of Europes most formidable mountains
on his road bike, Mark Krieger, along with his wife Roz, started his journey around
France - from the medieval town of Langres - and instantly fell in love with the country.
Known for its history, culture, fine cuisine and above all, its cycling, it became the
perfect setting for a Tour of a lifetime.