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TOUR DE FRANCE 2018

Our Italian "poor retirees" motorcycling team participated at the 2018 edition of the Tour de France: a multi-stage tour aimed at discovering Gallia. The team, also this year, is formed by the two noble cycles Aquila V7 of Giorgio and mine and the consolidated Alfredo’s Hondasemiala Transalp.

After the rendezvous in Parma, delayed for a flat tire to Sirio’s bike, our convoy crosses the Alps on the Passo del Moncenisio, already trampled, before our horses, by Hannibal and his elephants. The conquest of  Gallia starts  heading to Fontainebleau, emblematic icon of the power of France. A detour from the French borders takes us to the Hanseatic Bruges, fascinating city for its center, its canals and its beer; from here we head to the Atlantic coast. Dunkirk is the first major stop in Normandy, an insignificant city, but interesting for its recent historical past. The road to the west slopes parallel to the sea, but running away from the view of the Atlantic Ocean. The visit to Boulogne sur mer comes out to be  extremely interesting: a city founded by the Romans, the site of departure of the ships for the Caesar's campaign in Britain and then the seat of the Great Napoleonic Army that it was supposed to invade England. Although visited even under the rain, Etretat with its cliffs painted by Monet, Dieppe and Honefleur are pleasant destinations that intrigue us for their Norman characteristics. As expected, the view of the beaches of the Normandy landings was one of the highlights of the tour. Riding on the beautiful and pleasant side roads of Normandy and crossing its typical towns, we reach Bordeaux; city ​​that struck us, as well as for its beauty and elegance, even for the historical past of the Second World War. In fact, in the harbor on the Gironde you may still see the reinforced concrete base of the German submarines and the docks where the Italians  were moored. The nearby Saint Emilion, center of vineyards  and wine production, was a pleasant discovery. Leaving the pleasant cool of northern France, the southern direction of travel leads us to Carcassonne: a fortified military city, born at the time of Romans and Visigoths and subsequently modernized, which is enchanting for its homogeneity and size. After a stop in Nimes, the Rome of Gallia and a bath under the Pont du Gard, our journey ends among the Popes of Avignon.

In conclusion, this Tour de France, although not very interesting from a motorcycle point of view, proved to be very interesting for the cities and for the sites of contemporary history visited. Our old motorbikes behaved well and the roads and hotel accommodations proved to be satisfactory. An easy, comfortable and close ride that we recommend to carry out.

i miei viaggi
my trips