For three weeks of our second COVID-19 lockdown we managed to escape, not only from Melbourne, but from Australia, and tour France.
Thanks to SBS and the Tour de France.
Starting in Nice on Saturday August 26 and finishing on the Champs-Élysées on Sunday September 20 we traversed some amazing countryside. We experienced coastal vistas, river valleys and alpine passes.
A great part of the enjoyment is seeing France from the air. The helicopter, or possibly drone, shots capture the majesty of the French countryside and rural villages.
One disappointment of the broadcast was that the commentators didn’t do the usual descriptions of the castles and chateaus we passed along the way. That could have been because the route the tour took might not have been in architectural heritage country.
This aspect did improve as the tour continued but it certainly wasn’t delivered with the enthusiasm that we have experienced in past tours.
We have always watched the SBS telecast of the tour, that’s when we’ve been home in winter, but this year it was especially welcome.
Like many in the ‘Couch Peloton’ we don’t have a huge interest in the actual bike race, but the travel was a great distraction.
And it was surprising just how quickly the three weeks passed.
Thanks again SBS.
