To explain why I have no pictures for you, I was, in fact, on my way to the English bookstore for my monthly magazine glutfest. On my way to read about Lindsay’s luscious new locks when I run into the Tour de France! I don't know what the crowd was like on the Champs Elysées, but the rue de Rivoli was a delightful little gang, so I stayed! And hey, I totally got to see Lance Armstrong! (The story for the grand kids is that I waited all day in the rain so I could be front row, okay?) Overheard:
On the approach to rue de Rivoli:
“What are all these people?”
“They’re probably filming The Da Vinci Code.”
As the second batch of cyclists passes, a little American girl to her Lacrosse coach-esque mother:
“We’re clapping for them so they wont feel bad for losing?”
Yes, little Violet, but Mommy says that still doesn’t make losing okay.
HA! that's great. Those crowds are really huge and talk about all the americans. Next year I'll add it to my list of things to avoid, along with Bastille Day fireworks.
Posted by: juliana | 25 July 2005 at 03:44 PM
It was strange that first couple didn't know what it was, because most tourists seem really attached to the event. (Almost more than the French.)
And yeah, the Champs probably would have been brutal...Yay for Lance, though! Boy, that man has worked hard!
Posted by: Coquette | 25 July 2005 at 03:58 PM
It is sad, but I just found out that I have friends who only know what the Louvre is because they read about it in The Da Vinci Code.
Posted by: Gloria | 25 July 2005 at 05:02 PM
If I were French, I don't know that I'd be all that interested in the Tour either. It's been 20 years since a Frenchman's won.
Posted by: DDJ | 25 July 2005 at 05:08 PM
2,255.7...MILES, 7 times!
Posted by: Ana | 25 July 2005 at 09:18 PM
hardee - har - har!!!!
that was funny
Posted by: mindy | 25 July 2005 at 10:20 PM
'monthly magazine glutfest' - it's good to know I'm not alone!
and I'm totally cracking up about the da Vinci Code remark.
Posted by: samantha | 26 July 2005 at 06:37 AM
The Da Vinci Code, seriously, it is something to see how much tourism (and the genre of tourists) that book/movie has inspired.
Well, at least they mostly all stay in YOUR part of the country!
Posted by: sammy | 26 July 2005 at 09:36 AM
The Tour de France rocks. Being german I cheered for Ullrich but Lance kicked ass... Oups did I just sound like a fan here ? We are all alike, french/germans/french when it comes to sports... tous des beaufs...
Posted by: schuey | 26 July 2005 at 11:46 AM
Le Tour de France ? Trop nul ! Beurk !
Posted by: Jen | 26 July 2005 at 12:43 PM
I cheered for Jan. The Tour is equal parts tragedy, equal parts comedy, and he is the best character for that.
Jen - That's as cliche as hearing artists who say they don't like sports. Vraiment bobo... et le nouveau beauf.
Posted by: nardac | 26 July 2005 at 03:41 PM
I talked to my Dad on the phone last night. He hadn't seen this post, but he nearly went into cardiac arrest when I said I accidentally went to see the Tour de France.
Posted by: Coquette | 26 July 2005 at 03:59 PM
i got a good giggle out of the da vinci code part too! i know people who take that book a wee too seriously! dan brown must have introduced "the art world" like j.k. rowling introduced "reading" to mainstream americans. so sad!
(i like lyndsey's blonde...but her red was just so good, you know? but maybe that's because i'm a redhead too...)
Posted by: Jenny Vorwaller | 26 July 2005 at 06:44 PM
People who didn't know about the Louvre before the Da Vinci Code? OMG, that's soooo sad!
I hate to say this, but doesn't Lance winning every year (though this will supposedly be his last) get old. You know who's going to win, so look to see who the second place winner was. That's more interesting.
Posted by: juliana | 26 July 2005 at 09:30 PM
You don't know who is going to win... 'until they win'....the only time the second place winner is more interesting is during the race. Vive la France!
Posted by: Ana | 27 July 2005 at 12:31 AM
Young people, here's the scoop on Lance & the Tour de France. Lance has put the Tour "on the map" for the everyday US sportsfan who knows near nothing about cycling.( same goes for soccer). His amazing feat of winning 7 Tours after beating cancer make for a larger than life hollywood story. ( before even adding Star Singer Girlfriend C. Crow). The French owe Lance a big debt for making the US public at large aware of the amazing Tour history and unique event it is. France has a competition that all other cycling nations envy. Americans knew little about it until Greg LeMond and Lance Amnstrong. Lance is a "Class Act" that the US public has learned to appreciate, but because of the "language barrier" the French did not fully realize.
To Schuey, we are all the same, French, Germans, Americans, Italians, Spaniards, etc. We love to have a "local boy" win. But the runner-up can be just as popular if he's a class act too. That applies to Ulrich. He reminds me of Raymond Poulidor. "Poupou" never won the Tour but finished a close second several times to 5 time winner Jacques Anquetil. Poupou was more popular than Anquetil with the French public-at-large.
"And that's the rest of the story".
Posted by: Dad | 27 July 2005 at 05:19 AM
I remember my first tour...
me, keith, and ron.. we all got rip snorting drunk.. and keith pissed himself... couldn't understand a friggin word he said.. and he's talked like that ever since.... I started dancing around like a chicken...
whOA... I think I just channeled Mick Jaggar.. and he isn't even dead....
peace
WC
Posted by: wondercorky | 27 July 2005 at 05:40 AM
I agree with your dad on Poulidor... Panache and legend are certainly more important qualities for the Tour than actual winning. Which is why Vino is the real story of this year's Tour.
I agree that Lance has put the Tour on the map in the US, but when the majority of people who follow the Tour can only have disparaging things to say about the other competitors, if they even know who they are, it's a bit sad. It's like saying Pele put football on the map but not knowing any of the exploits that are really the legend and story of the game. A bit empty.
Posted by: nardac | 27 July 2005 at 05:56 AM
Whoa! I just got back from a month-long trip to Paris, and we went to see the Tour on the Rue de Rivoli also.
Posted by: Kellie | 13 August 2005 at 08:14 PM
couc's alors moi je m'appelle tiphaine et je suis passé sur your blog par hazar! il est vraiment genial moi je vis en france mais pas a paris ! a environ 2 heures de paris je voudrai bien correspondre avec toi parce que l'Amerique est un pays qui m'interrese beaucoup !voila je te fais de gros zoubzzzz ! et je l'espere a bientot et surtout bienvenue en france (si la prochaine fois tu prefere que je parle anglais previens moi!
titi
Posted by: tiphaine (titi) | 20 September 2005 at 03:49 PM