11 March 2007 is the departure date for the Paris-Nice cycle race, an annual harbinger of Spring and Summer. It is the first of the major European cycle races, the teams having spent the winter racing in friendlier climes such as Australia and California, and for me it conjurs up images of hot summer days with roadside picnics somewhere in deepest rural France. That may still be a little optimistic for mid-March even in Provence, unless you get lucky with the sun and no Mistral wind.
800 miles in 8 days across France and the Alps the race is known as the "Course au soleil"(the race to the sun!) and is really just a "warm up" for the athletes, but for me the joy is in discovering hidden corners of France. Forget the autoroutes, the race mainly uses by-roads, and whilst the autoroutes and major N routes are undoubtedly faster, cross-country driving on Michelin yellow roads is always more interesting. It is easy to forget just how big France is, and non matter how many times you have been there will always be more to discover. That is why even if you are not a cycling fan, it can be fun tracing the route of the major races - so this year's Paris-Nice will get you to places like Mende (48 Lozere, Languedoc-Roussillon) and Manosque (04 Alpes de Haut-Provence, Provence) - not often on the a more direct itinerary.
The lure of a trip from Paris to Nice is huge, as you really get to experience the diversity of France, from the classy metropolitan allure of Paris through to the exotic Mediterranean warmth of Nice, close to the Italian border - and everything in between. Think of Hemingway or Scott Fitzgerald embarking on a real adventure in the 1920s/30s - before autoroutes or the TGV - and forget route planning on the SatNav - take your Michelin red guide, determine not to rush, stay in small hotels (or better still in Chambres d'Hote), picnic on local food and wines, maybe get a little lost or follow a whim - and experience the real France.
For more on the Paris-Nice cycle race and route see www.letour.fr
