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An expedition which is called "Paris-Dakar" sets
off of course in the French capital. The start line is
on an early Sunday morning at the base of the well-known
Eiffel Tower. You leave the sleeping metropolis over big
boulevards and along the banks of the Seine where you
can catch a last glance of impressive buildings like the
Arc de Triomph and the Notre Dame.
Everyone can cycle his or her own pace when we come in
the verdant French countryside with its panoramic views,
lush farms and historic chateaux. The first place of
interest on the route is already on the second day.
Vézelay,
it's one of the most beautiful towns in Burgundy, a
UNESCO world heritage site and it was from here that the
Crusades set off in the 12th century for the Holy Land.
Your first rest day is in the heart of the Massif
Central,
Le-Puy-en-Velay, another
UNESCO world heritage site. The charming town is a
pleasant place to wander around the narrow streets or to
visit the impressive cathedral. Many pilgrims still
gather here today to embark the route to Santiago de
Compostela in northern Spain. |
A peaceful road leads you through the picturesque
Gorges du Tarn
with its stunning steep cliffs. The Tarn
River has eroded in million of years the deepest gorges
to be found anywhere in Europe. You cycle at the end of
the gorge below the huge
Millau Viaduct. It's the
tallest vehicle bridge in the world with a highest pier
which fits between the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State
Building.
A second rest day is in
Carcassonne. The town is located
at the crossing of two major traffic routes in use since
antiquity; the route leading from the Atlantic to the
Mediterranean and that from the Massif Central to Spain.
Now it is on your route between Paris and Dakar. You can
enjoy the rest day with a glass of local wine at one of
the picturesque squares in the fortified city.
Most of the route in France passes rolling hills with
lots of quiet winding roads in a green setting. You
cycle through several regional and national parks before
you reach the mountains of the Pyrenees in the south of
France. |
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