Category Archives: Bicycles

Biking Bits of Brussels, Belgium

I have long admired the European attitude to cycling within cities as both an economical and eco-conscious mode of transportation. So I wasn’t the least bit surprised to see so many references to bicycles as we travelled in Brussels, Belgium.

Can you see that small red child’s bicycle mounted on the street lamp? The sign below it indicates that you have arrived at a Point Velo Fietspunt where you can rent a bicycle or leave your own for repairs. That would be a comforting feeling to know that if you had a flat tire or your chain came off, you could just look for one of these Fietspunt signs sprinkled around the city.

Bike mounted on lamp post indicates a Point Velo Fietspunt bicycle hire or repair pick up spot in Brussels, Belgium

This poster on the window immediately below the bicycle-in-the-air shows the range of services that they offer.

Bike shop for small repairs or bicycle rentals in Brussels, Belgium

Not owning a 2nd car (and in some cases a 1st one) if you live in an urban environment with good public transportation AND a respect for cyclists when you choose that mode of travel? What a healthy and sensible way to live!

Cycling At Night in the South Of France

Daylight was slipping away as the scraping sound echoed up the stone walls and through the street. Barricades were being dragged across the end of the block, people began unpacking their cars in the parking lot across the street, and men in safety vests began taking up positions up and down the street.

Officials and riders preparing for a night-time road race in St. Girons in the Midi-Pyrenees in France

Cycling is such a passion for people of all ages in France and the Tour de France is not the only racing or touring event that attracts attention. We discovered yet another reason to love living in St. Girons 10 days ago when a night-time cycling event was held here that circled the town and passed right beneath our window again and again and again.

Cyclists preparing for a night-time road race in St. Girons in the Midi-Pyrenees in France

Hours passed, the light changed from twilight to darkness, the streetlights illuminated the pavement, and the cyclists went around and around the circuit until after 10 PM.

Cyclists on a night-time road race in St. Girons in the Midi-Pyrenees in France

Mark was a very happy man as he watched some fellow cyclists going around and around the curve at the end of our street. And he did it all from the best spot possible — out the front window of our apartment.

Watching the cyclists go by in a night-time road race in St. Girons in the Midi-Pyrenees in France

Tour De France Photo Essay

One of the many joys of being an ex-pat resident of a country like France is getting to attend events like the Tour de France live without the hassles of around-the-world flights from Australia. We never imagined when we left Australia in December of 2010 that Mark would get to watch a stage of this famous race for two years in a row.

I’m turning the photo essay over to my husband Mark today since he’s the one who braved the drizzly weather to watch a Midi-Pyrenees stage of the 99th Tour de France on Sunday, the 15th of July.

Instead of being crunched by the crowds at the finish-line in Foix, Mark chose to watch from the village of Massat which is only about a 40 minute drive from our home in St. Girons. Here are some scenes in the village prior to the arrival of the caravan of floats and then the peloton of riders.

5 Jersey Display in Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Man Waiting for the Tour de France in Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Gendarmes in front of building decorated for Tour de France in Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

The caravan passed steadily by as people of all ages eagerly awaited the ‘goodies’ which are flung out to the crowds.

The pre-peloton caravan parade begins in Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

The Haribo (candy) parade car in Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

The Big Yellow Rider at the pre-peloton parade in Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

The Mickey Mouse comic book car in the pre-peloton parade in Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Waiting and watching for the Tour de France cyclists to arrive

Zoom! After all of the waiting, it was quickly over for another year and people began returning to their homes.

Tour de France cyclists passing through Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Walking home after watching the Tour de France pass through Massat, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Caps, keyrings, fridge magnets, packs of candy & snacks, wristbands, tote bags, blow-up pillow, glasses case, and more. Mark was much luckier this year since he picked a spot that had less people than his position in Normandy a year ago and he thus increased his odds of catching the ‘goodies’ that are flung out by the caravan of floats prior to the arrival of the peloton. He came home a very happy-chappy with a huge grin on his face!

A selection of 'goodies' that are tossed out to the crowd during the pre-peloton Tour de France parades through villages & towns

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Relaxing on a Tour De France Sunday

How to spend a gloomy and gray Sunday in St. Girons in the South of France? Sit alongside a very happy husband watching the live coverage on television.

Live Tour de France coverage on television

Can you see what’s on the console in front of the flatscreen TV? Those little pieces of sculpture are two cyclists that we bought in a shop in St. Lo up in Normandy. And the red and white polka dot hat is a souvenir from a previous Tour de France.

More soon!

Photo Of The Day: River Salat and St. Girons in France

Just a taster of this beautiful region today — a shot from the Avenue Francois Camel bridge across the River Salat and into the old town section of St. Girons in the Midi-Pyrenees of France.

View from bridge over Avenue Francois Camel into old town section of St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

We are ringed by mountains here and this is one of the prime cycling destinations in Europe. Organised tour groups come here from a variety of countries and in the last week alone I have heard groups that were German, Swedish, Danish, and Italian as I was out walking through the town. From the large front windows of our new apartment, we constantly see pelotons of brightly clad riders zooming by.

We both feel that we have made a very good lifestyle choice in moving here!

A Glimpse of Cycling Heaven in the Midi-Pyrenees

Almost a year ago, Mark got a chance to fulfil a long-held dream and go to see the Tour de France during one of the stages in Normandy. Little did we know back then that we would end up living in France and Mark would get to immerse himself in Cycling Heaven here in Europe.

It has been a rainy weekend — gray, yucky, not a good set of circumstances for walking around with expensive camera gear — so we’ve just stayed snuggled up in the house. And Mark has been rather run down with a bad case of bronchitis that, in spite of the meds that our new doctor gave him, he’s fighting to shake off.

But what excitement there was in his voice when he got up from watching a movie yesterday afternoon because he heard a lot of honking and noise coming through our teeny-tiny-village and then I hear him say excitedly, “Here they come!” Something made me grab my camera as I raced to the kitchen window at the front of the house and arrived just as the first cyclists were going by.

Here come the lead cyclists as they race through Engomer in the Midi-Pyrenees of France

Zoom! The cluster of men on bicycles was a blur — literally! You can see the sign on the other side of the road that states Salle des Fetes and Tennis Court quite clearly, but the cyclists themselves were a true example of ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ action.

A blur of cyclists pass the front of our house in the Midi-Pyrenees of France

They were followed by more police and ambulance services and several support vehicles with spare bikes on top. Then the clump of people and vehicles in this organised racing event wove their way through the valley and were gone in less than a minute.

We’re just entering the beginning of the cycling season and there will be a lot more such events, not to mention the Tour de France, in the coming months. What fun this is for a diehard cycle nut like my darling husband!

Photo Of The Day: London Cycle Network Sign

London is proud of its status as a cycle friendly city — and these signs seen in the heart of the financial district attest to that encouragement to be more eco-conscious by getting out of a car and onto a bike.

London Cycle Network sign in the heart of the financial district.