For the first time in memory, the Tour de France this year not only came through Roujan but passed directly in front of La Maison Verte. I was sceptical about the benefit and fun to be had out of this but it turned out to be a veritable street party. For two hours before the cyclists flashed by a series of sponsors' vans, cycle support vehicles, police and indeed any old Tom, Dick and Harry who had blagged their way into the procession honked their way through Roujan throwing out sweets and gifts to the children (most of which were scrabbled for in an undignified way by adult tourists pushing small children into the gutter in search of a souvenir).
I spent part of that 2 hours taking glasses of wine up the street to friends who had bagged their spot on dangerous corners... Pretty well everyone we know in Languedoc was there and there was much gossip to be exchanged and cheering and shouting to be done. And then we had about 7 seconds of incredibly sleek and fast cyclists (4 of which I spent taking photos and not watching at all!) before it was all over. C'est le tour de France!
It goes down as a very jolly occasion and probably won't be repeated during my sojourn in Roujan.
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