Oh la la, Le Tour de France! {No. 20}

Excitement was in the air as soon as we woke.  You know the type of day—the red letter day, the one that holds a special je ne sais quois….  Today was the day that the cyclists would ride through Paris and finish their weeks-long epic journey via Le Tour de France.  Every year in the Douglass living room, there is a lingering weariness that plagues my very soul with the incessant television coverage of Le Tour and Dean’s insatiable need to tune in.  For some reason, the main commentator guy feels the need to fill every second of airspace with his voice and all you ever see are the spandexed backsides of the same group of riders riding past miles and miles of roadside well-wishers through every little village and tall climb.  The view never changes.  This way, that way, this way, that way, round the corner, up the mountain, would you look at THAT?!, more spandex, more backsides, more weaving, pedal pedal pedal pedal, someone just wrecked, oh a flat tire—until my brain wants to EXPLODE.  Mute it, for the love.  Cannot take it.  I still cannot really understand what the draw is for Dean but I do accept that it is a real thing for him.  LOVES IT.  

So when we were talking about the planning of the trip and dates/timing, etc. we realized that we could potentially be in Paris for the finale of Le Tour.  Normally, this would’ve been exciting—like bucket list-level—for Dean and semi-exciting for me, but the ante was upped by a connection to the Tour through a close friend who works with Team Cannondale and would be able to get us passes to sit in the stands instead of in the crowds along the street.  Nice friend to have, eh?

The day before we got to Paris we received an email from the Team Cannondale hospitality coordinator who was liaising with us to deliver our passes.  Included in her email were the details about picking up our passes and also the schedule of “events” for the day.  Our eyes got as big as saucers to read that our passes included not just some good seats in the stands on the Champs Elysees—we were also invited to a reception at the US Embassy with snacks and balcony views onto the Rue de Rivoli and the Place de Concorde for the pre-finale parade and then an evening cocktail reception with the riders after the race, also at the Embassy.  WHAT.  Dead.  We died.  Could NOT believe it.

It was a long, epic, memorable, thrilling day.  This was Dean’s day and it was a joy to witness his excitement.  And even though I wouldn’t consider myself a Tour fan girl, I could not deny the energy, drama and exhilaration of watching these world-class athletes compete in the sport’s premiere event on a world stage.  It’s not something neither of us will ever forget!

Yes, it’s the day of Le Tour.  But first:  breakfast.  And I could not get my hiney over to Cuisine de Bar quickly enough.  Three years ago when I was in Paris for my 40th, I think I ended up coming to Cuisine de Bar four different times.  Safe to say it made an impression.  Give. me. the. For’bon. Tartine.  NEED.  My mouth is watering now just writing about it.  Bayonne ham and the St Marcellin cheese on a slice of the best bread in Paris.  

Getting a closer look at the goodness.  Words cannot convey how perfect this is.

Walking around St. Germain des Prés and checking out the oyster bar by Le Comptoir de Relais.  Ehh, that right there is a hunk-load of butter.  There were a couple of these on the bar.  We are officially in the land of perfect butter and there’s something so right about seeing a gigantic mound of it the size of a cantaloupe just hanging out in a bar.  

Scenes around St. Germain….

We decided to make our way to the Musee d’Orsay because even though I went a few years ago, Dean had never been and it seemed time-wise like a good thing to do before we had to head over to pick up our Tour passes.  Little known fact:  Dean took four years of art in high school.  I liked seeing him enjoy seeing so many famous works of art up close and examining styles and techniques of painting.  This is a side of Dean that rarely gets exposed!!

Fascinated to see this cross-section of the the Royal Opera building.  I had the pleasure of attending a ballet here three years ago and it’s a night I will never forget.  Loved seeing all the layers above and below the stage for scenery/backdrops.  I’m sure there’s a better word for this but my main drama experience was Mrs. McAfee in “Bye, Bye Birdie” in my high school musical in 1991 and I don’t remember anything much about it except that I had to sing “Ed Sullivan” and I totally could NOT sing out loud in front of other people.  I imagine I sounded like the love child of Julia Child and Mr. Rogers.  

So after trucking it around the city in a harried attempt to pick up our passes when 90% of the roads leading to the hotel were closed due to mind-boggling amounts of Le Tour barricades, I was edging on mental.  I was  Chevy Chase in Vacation when he’s broken down in the desert with his shirt over his head talking to himself and proclaiming he was going to die while he walks around trying to find a gas station.  The sun was beating down and I might as well have been in the desert.  Every time we thought we might get to follow the route on the map, the road was blocked and we had to walk further.  I moaned out loud, “We’re never going to get there.”  My brain started to fold inward.  And then finally:  the Red Sea parted and we got to the hotel and shortly thereafter, the US Embassy.  

So as soon as we got our passes and got to the US Embassy, we were like, “Give us the food and the water.”

Gaze on the beauty of the US Embassy event facility with me.  This used to be a PRIVATE RESIDENCE.  Can you imagine?  Originally built in 1769, right on the Rue di Rivoli.  It has just undergone a nine-year, $5 million restoration effort (funded with private donations).  I think they re-gilded every gold leaf surface in the whole place.  It was incredible.    

The view from one of the balconies, looking out over the Place de la Concorde and the Rue de Rivoli.  

Just a few of the many cars? elaborate floats? that were part of the pre-Tour parade that comes through before the cyclists to much fanfare and applause from the public.  Hilarious!!  Most of them had radio music blaring, people dancing and throwing out little prizes.  We saw everything from a chicken to a car-shaped madeleine.  We watched all of this from the balcony.

After we had walked over to the special bleacher/seating section/grandstands along the Champs Ulysses.  Such a special opportunity!  Dean was soaking up every second of it!

The guy in the bright green is one of the Team Cannondale riders.  For the finale, once they enter Paris, they do 8 laps up and down the Champs Elysees around the Arc de Triomphe and back down to the Place de la Concorde.  This is after they’ve already ridden approximately 55+ miles just to get into Paris that day and over 2,000 miles overall.  Such an impressive feat just to finish!!

Can you feel the love tonight?  He’s having such a great day.

And it’s been sweet coming home to this cozy little place at night, the Hotel Duc de Saint Simon, even if their wifi signal has been out the entire time we’ve been here (annoyed face).  And we are officially exhausted!  Incredible day!!