For cycling fans, le Tour de France is the pinnacle of the sport. It's the Super Bowl, World Cup and March Madness wrapped up in three intense weeks on the roads throughout France and the surrounding countries. The epic race culminates in France's capital city, Paris, and is one of the most exciting days of the year in the city. If you're a cycling fan and don't mind large crowds, July is the perfect time to plan your trip and you also can use a Paris Visite Pass to see all the usual sights that the city has to offer, in between cheering on your favorite cyclists during their epic ride.
The Tour is an annual bicycle race in July that lasts about three weeks and covers well over 2,000 miles. The race is broken into stages, which are day-long races that range from 150 miles to 70 miles. There are also stages that consist of short individual time trials and team time trials. The course changes every year, but the final stage is always along the Champs-Élysées, a famous avenue in Paris. This presents a perfect time for you to use a Paris Pass in between laps and visit a museum or eat a world-class cafe.
The Tour started in 1903 and has now turned into an international race that attracts the best cyclist in the world. The famous American, Lance Armstrong, has played a major role in making the event more main stream and an attraction for Americans, as he won the Tour an unprecedented seven times during the turn of this century. The race is a grueling race and is widely considered to be one of the most physiological demanding athletic events in the world. One of the main reasons the race so demanding is the famous climbing of mountain passes that can be found in France. In fact, the competitors total an ascent throughout the three weeks can account for climbing three Mount Everests. The winner is decided by the lowest cumulative time throughout the 21 stages. The leader throughout the race wears the famous yellow jersey (maillot jaune), while there are three other important jerseys that competitors aim for. First, is the polka dot jersey which goes to the 'King of the Mountain,' and then there is a green jersey that goes to the 'best sprinter.' Both of these jerseys are awarded by a point-based system which cyclist race for throughout the stages. The final jersey awarded is the white jersey, which is given to the 'best young rider' who has the lowest overall time.
Visiting Paris during the July is a great time because of the Tour and also the celebration of Bastille Day. This is a time of high spirits in France, especially in Paris. Not only can you enjoy all the other sights of Paris with a Paris Visite Pass, but you also can enjoy the festivities that only come once every year. So if you're a cycling fan, sign up for a Paris Pass, enjoy the city and then enjoy the final stage of the tour at the Champs-Élysées.
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