Celia Hart's blog about what's going on in and around her studio.
Art, printmaking, inspirations, gardening, vegetables, hens, landscapes, wild flowers, East Anglia, adventure, travel.

Monday 7 July 2014

Le Tour de France en Essex

It's hard to believe but today Le tour de France came to a lane not far from where we live; when the greatest cycle race in the world is on your own doorstep, surely it's worth wandering along to see?!


There were lots of road closures, so getting to a good vantage point needed planning and a walk long shady lanes . . .


Through cool woods . . .


Alongside fields of ripening wheat, into the open sunny landscape of North Essex . . .


.  .  . to the edge of a tiny village called Little Chesterford.


A good number of people where waiting at the roundabout. The atmosphere was jolly and expectant.


Everyone cheered any vehicle that passed by – sponsors' vans, the French gendarmes and the press. Local police got loud applause especially if they waved!


I think the sun made us all a little sleepy, enthusiasm had definitely peaked a little early. 

Then, at just before 1pm and heralded by 6 helicopters and an escort of bright yellow police motorbikes, the peloton was upon us!


A steady stream of colourful lycra . . .


Then it was gone.


C'st tout!

Au revoir Le Tour! 


Did Le Tour come to a road near you? Did you go to watch?

Celia
xx

13 comments:

  1. I would have loved to have been able to get to see it but sadly end of term mania has almost reached its peak so I was tied to the laptop. Glad it was a good spectacle and the walk the looks lovely too.

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  2. Tsk! and the went the wrong side of the roundabout bl***'in Frogs! ;-)

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  3. Lovely to have a walk to see it. I braved the crowds in Cambridge but it was worth it for the atmosphere... even if we only saw the cyclists for 10 seconds!

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  4. Lovely! I like the bit about being off-side!

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  5. Gosh they're so fast aren't they! We were on Cote de Bradfield yesterday as we're massive cycling fans in our house. My boys loved it, such s great experience. Vibe le Tour! (Hope that's right!) x

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  6. We were visiting friends who live in that tiny village - I must have been about 5 metres away from you! It was indeed over in a flash after 3 hours of standing in the sun but we all agreed it was worth the wait - even my husband who will never be convinced that any sport could be enjoyable. Not sure that that means he will follow any more of Le Tour though - confusion set in when we tried to explain the different jerseys as he couldn't see how anyone could be the "King of the Mountains" in Essex!

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  7. I watched it from Tasmania - but I was probably in bed by the time it got to you!

    Tasilass

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  8. I'd have loved to have seen it, lucky you, it's a rare opportunity. I'll have to wait for it to head to the southwest, who knows, maybe one day. CJ xx

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  9. We thought of driving to Cambridge but were put off by the travel reports, so watched it on t.v. instead! How lovely to be able to walk to see it.

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  10. My OH owns a cycle shop so went to both stages in Yorkshire and again in Cambridge. Having been force fed cycling for the last twenty years, I declined his invitation. Though I was forced to drink wine at the side of the road when the Giro d'Italia was in the town that we stayed in. that was quite civilised.

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  11. We were further down the road near Felsted. Wasn't it a wonderful day and didn't the Essex countryside look fabulous?

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  12. Celia, your taking a countryside walk to arrive at roadside to view the Tour is very amusing. I'm glad that the weather was fine, and that those bikers didn't arrive before you got to your viewing point.

    What a whoooshhh!

    Thank you so much for taking your camera along with you. xo

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  13. We watched it on TV! I had seen that the route would go right through Saffron Walden, so Guy set it so we could record all the excitement :) It's around 7am here when the race starts, so we saw the beginning and watched it through Saffron Walden and a bit further along before we had to head to work. We sat and watched the whole thing later that evening - well almost the whole thing. Turns out the recording stopped just about when the race got to Trafalgar Square!!
    Technology, you just can't trust it!
    How exciting to have been able to be there to see it in real life though - we still have the recording, I'll have to fast forward to Little Chesterton and see if we can spot you on the roundabout :)

    Carole

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