Tour de France 2011 starts just a 2 hour drive away from here...

The route

Running from Saturday July 2^nd to Sunday July 24^th 2011, the 98^th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,430.5 kilometres.

These stages have the following profiles:

• 10 flat stages,
• 6 mountain stages and 4 summit finishes,
• 3 medium mountain stages,
• 1 individual time-trial stage (42.5 km).
• 1 team time-trial stage (23 km).

Distinctive aspects of the race

• le Galibier climbed twice,
• 2 rest days,
• 23 level 2, 1 or highest level mountain passes or summit finishes,
• no bonuses will be awarded during the intermediate sprints and stage finishes.

15 new stage towns

Blaye-les-Mines, Cap Fréhel, Carhaix, Carmaux, Cugnaux, Galibier Serre-Chevalier, Limoux, Modane - Valfréjus, Mont des Alouettes Les Herbiers, Mûr-de-Bretagne, Olonne-sur-Mer, Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts, Pinerolo (Italie), Redon, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux

100 candles for the Galibier

The Tour de France’s cyclists first climbed the Col du Galibier in 1911.

To mark this hundredth anniversary in the appropriate way, in 2011, the Galibier will be climbed twice after an interval of 24 hours. The finish of the18 th stage will be judged at the summit, which will be the highest finish in the Tour’s history, at an altitude of 2, 645 metres.

The stages

Stage	Type	Date	Start and Finish	Distance	Details
1	En ligne	Saturday 2 July	Passage du Gois La Barre-de-Monts > Mont des Alouettes Les Herbiers	191.5 km
2	Team TT	Sunday 3 July	Les Essarts > Les Essarts	23 km
3	En ligne	Monday 4 July	Olonne-sur-Mer > Redon	198 km
4	En ligne	Tuesday 5 July	Lorient > Mûr-de-Bretagne	172.5 km
5	En ligne	Wednesday 6 July	Carhaix > Cap Fréhel	164.5 km
6	En ligne	Thursday 7 July	Dinan > Lisieux	226.5 km
7	En ligne	Friday 8 July	Le Mans > Châteauroux	218 km
8	Medium mountains	Saturday 9 July	Aigurande > Super-Besse Sancy	189 km
9	Medium mountains	Sunday 10 July	Issoire > Saint-Flour	208 km
R	Rest Day	Monday 11 July	Le Lioran Cantal
10	En ligne	Tuesday 12 July	Aurillac > Carmaux	158 km
11	En ligne	Wednesday 13 July	Blaye-les-Mines > Lavaur	167.5 km
12	High Mountains	Thursday 14 July	Cugnaux > Luz-Ardiden	211 km
13	High Mountains	Friday 15 July	Pau > Lourdes	152.5 km
14	High Mountains	Saturday 16 July	Saint-Gaudens > Plateau de Beille	168.5 km
15	En ligne	Sunday 17 July	Limoux > Montpellier	192.5 km
R	Rest Day	Monday 18 July	Département de la Drôme
16	Medium mountains	Tuesday 19 July	Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux > Gap	162.5 km
17	High Mountains	Wednesday 20 July	Gap > Pinerolo	179 km
18	High Mountains	Thursday 21 July	Pinerolo > Galibier Serre-Chevalier	200.5 km
19	High Mountains	Friday 22 July	Modane Valfréjus > Alpe-d’Huez	109.5 km
20	Individual time-trial	Saturday 23 July	Grenoble > Grenoble	42.5 km
21	En ligne	Sunday 24 July	Créteil > Paris Champs-Élysées	95 km

and YES! we will be going.
A bientôt
Peter et Donna

New photos taken by our talented friend Dave

In Gourgé: The Chapel and a distant view of St Hilaire's Church



The River Thouet, the Medieval Water Mill and the 11th Century Roman Bridge
The markets in Thenézay are held every Sunday (10min drive away)

Across the road: views of the River Thouet
and we get to view this every day! A bientôt Peter et Donna

Our Aussie visit - Christmas, Birthdays, Babies, a Farewell and our strong Queenslanders...

Hmmm...a great day/evening had by all! Special friends, family and a fabulous setting at Clontarf Beach.











Our eldest grandson Zy, his first sleep over with us. Of course blu, blu had to come too!

Our youngest grandson Joel, his fun bath time with Gran-d

Pete's annual family get-together, whilst we are in Aussie land

Bell (family pet) had 6 female puppies.. and our daughter Britt is having her first bub, thank goodness only 1!!

Pauline's Birthday party (my younger sister), and the wild one of the family!

Christmas Concert with the Mann family (my brother's family), and their 8 children in toe! Who is counting?

The Parents of the 8 children finally getting a feed on Christmas Day, and Pete going for seconds, before it all goes!

Our grandson Joel's first drum kit. With a musical family, this is just the beginning.... Zy's first Ben 10 bike and a ride with Dad. Mum & brother Joel in toe.

And there is more..a Guess Who game for Zy, and an Elmo backpack for Dad! what the?????


Their parents enjoying the finale.....It is always an experience back in the land of OZ.



We would also like to take this opportunity to say that the devestation and heartache caused by the massive flooding in Queensland will remain in our thoughts and prayers always.....


A bientôt Peter et Donna