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Now there are some of you who find the traditional annual cycling Tour de France (le Grand Boucle) a bit of a turn-off - all those sweaty lycra-clad bodies zooming past at silly speeds with the accompanying noise, smell of embrocation, ballyhoo, congestion and closed roads - not an unreasonable response.
Hence you may find the Sailing Tour de France more civilised. Running from 29 June - 29 July 2006 this marathon event starts in Dunkerque and ends in Hyeres in Provence via Normandy (Dieppe, Le Havre), Brittany (Saint-Quay Portrieux, Camaret sur Mer,la Roche Bernard) the Vendee (Talmont-Saint-Hilaire), Aquitaine (Royan) and the Mediterranean (St Cyprien, Marseille, Sainte-Maxime). However, as in the Tour de France, they do cheat a bit - well for the boats they cheat a lot - as the boats are transported by road for the 590km from Royan to the Mediterranean rather than sailing across the Bay of Biscay, down the Portuguese coast, through the Straits of Gibraltar and up the Spanish coast!! - or alternatively using the Canal du Midi!!
The race itself comprises both port-to-port offshore sailing with in-shore races - and is based in each of the hosting ports for several days - so plenty of time to see the boats moored and in racing fettle - and to soak up the atmosphere - or get soaked if the weather is well-suited to sailing.