This year the Tour de France is not only down in our neck of the woods it will pass within about 400 metres of our house.
It has been down our way (Carcassonne, Limoux, Quillan, Montesegur) a number of times before, but never this close.
Given the house is up on the hill and the route passes that close we will have a great opportunity to sit and watch it while have a BBQ and a few drinks with some friends.
Is anybody else on the route or planning to go and watch it?
I do usually visit a stage every year, and it has passed through our village once and nearby many times. Huge fun!
It has only been close once in my memory, 15 minutes away at Brantome in the Dordogne, and I jumped in the car and went down to a suitable roundabout where they swung left towards Angouleme. I donât know what I expected but I was disappointed, I did not find the âcaravanâ (if that is what it is called) very interesting and, of course, the riders all swept past in the blink of an eye. 
Much better on TV in my opinion. 
We have the time trial on the penultimate day to decide the overall winner from Libourne to St Emilion passing through a neighbouring village.
I will be there - probably in my mankini running beside the riders:
I agree David. Memories of my youth standing for hours to see the âMilk Raceâ, only for it to swish past in seconds. And the television coverage of the Tour is particularly good, isnât it?
The Tour has never come through our hamlet, but comes nearby regularly (this year, as on many occasions, to Mur-de-Bretagne - tomorrow, in fact).
The Guardian has some good guides this year by the way, eg.
But of course brexit raises its ugly headâŠ
The Grand Depart in 2014 went past the track to my house in Yorkshire in 2014. We set up a table, chairs, drinks and food with friends. Fortunately it was glorious weather. Was in Carcassonne one 14th July when the tour came in. Got some great photos. It was 37C and everyone was melting. A few minutes before the first riders arrived there was a very sharp but short downpour. Everyone waiting cheered ! Iâll be somewhere en route this year for stage 13 or 14 I think.
July 28th 2014 came through our village. Weather was appalling. Had been pouring with rain - light so bad that all the cars had their headlights on. Camera settings up at 1200 ISO to try and at least get something!
Hopefully this year will be better for everyone
Itâs a different experience going to see it. I like time trials as you settle down with your food and drink and pass the hours chatting to to others and you get to see one cyclist at a time. When it came to our village we all got involved making decorations, including wooden bicycles, and so it was a fun community day. And when I have been to see it elsewhere there has been a lot of camaraderie among the watchers and the kids like the caravan.
Iâve never been to a high mountain stage, and not sure Iâd like that as looks like its populated by loud drunken morons.
As a dĂ©taillant FDJ and rider and sponsor of our local club, I usually get a VIP pass to the Tour village but this is the first year that itâs not in my neck of the woods and the first year for a while now that Iâve got no VIP pass 
But the TVâs on in the back of the shop, on my phone too at the till so I donât miss anything 
Going to see it Stage 7 somewhere between Bourges and Nevers.
Last time was 2013 when Cav won at St Amand Montrond.
Itâs coming through my way on the 15th July. 
Stupid, stupid people!! I presume trying to be shown on TV rather than paying attention to the race coming towards her (?).
Presumably after 9pm when the highlights have finished we are allowed spoliers?
The first big crash today was caused by a woman on the grass verge, with her back to the oncoming riders, stupidly concentrated on posing for the TV cameras. She was holding up a big cardboard sign âHello Grandma and Grandadâ in German, I think.
And if they missed it live, they can watch it again (and again) now
Good grief⊠the cyclist could not escape the cardboard banner which whacked him
The TdF organisers have filed a complaint.
Le Tour de France porte plainte contre la spectatrice Ă lâorigine de la chute de la 1re Ă©tape
[âŠ]
Un appel à témoin lancé
La brigade de gendarmerie de Landerneau, chargĂ©e de lâenquĂȘte pour « blessures involontaires avec incapacitĂ© nâexcĂ©dant pas trois mois par violation manifestement dĂ©libĂ©rĂ©e dâune obligation de sĂ©curitĂ© ou de prudence » , a lancĂ© un appel Ă tĂ©moins pour retrouver la personne impliquĂ©e, qui a quittĂ© les lieux avant que les gendarmes nâinterviennent.
The win weâve been waiting for, just a shame that âpapiâ is no longer here to see him, met him a couple of times, lovely man, and he knew then, and told me so, that Mattieu would go on to even greater things.
A great win by Van der Poel. I didnât realise until today that he competes in cyclo-cross and mountain bike racing as well as road bicycle racing. Heâs quadruple world champion of cyclo-cross and is aiming for a gold medal in VTT cross country at the Tokyo Olympics.
Yep, weâve been waiting for him to do this for a while, Fleur
