THE TOUR DE FRANCE 2021: WHOOSH ! AND THEY WERE GONE….

It was announced some months back that my village of Montréal would be on this year’s path of the Tour de France. Last year it was south of me but given the COVID lockdown, no one was able to go. This year – even though the Delta variant is changing the game – more people are vaccinated and we’re all very happy to get out and do things. I even had a dinner party last night honoring one of my neighbors who had been restricted from returning due to lockdowns in both England and France…

The party was fun and successful. They even liked my Plum Lavender Cobbler, a recipe I created about 10 years ago trying to put some zing into an otherwise bland plum cobbler I made on a whim because I had plums that were going to go bad unless I did something. Long story short, I discovered that lavender has a unique taste but is powerful and can easily overtake. So prudence is essential. In other words, less is more. See below for the recipe.

But I digress.

I found it hard to sleep last night because I was excited to see the Tour de France pass through. The question was where to go.

After much deliberation and some lost sleep, I decided to avoid the village as it would no doubt be packed. So I drove west on the back roads about a mile and found the perfect spot.

One of the advantages of living in this small village and rural region is that traffic is a non-issue. I left my home a mere 30 minutes prior to the arrival of the Tour cyclists and had no problems parking my car. In fact, there weren’t any….

I did, however, run into a neighbor and her sister. So it was nice and made it more a convivial event.

After a long and intermittent procession of support cars loaded with bikes and team members, suddenly we saw six helicopters overhead in a line formation presumably taping the race. The riders were close.

The cyclists departed Carcassonne for Stage 14 at 12:30 PM and were in our village by 12:57, right on time per the published schedule. They traveled 187 km (114 miles) today, up and down various hills and mountains to arrive in Quillan in a round-about way, 51 km (32 miles) to the south.

In a word, it was exhilirating! They came and went within a minute. But the energy was profound. I took a few photos from my phone and started a video, but for some reason, it only recorded for a few seconds so I have nothing of my own to show you. Fortunately last night’s guest of honor also went and has shared with me her photos taken as the Tour de France entered the village. I’m obviously disappointed because I figured a video would have really captured the energy. But alas…

The Tour de France had its first event in 1903 and is considered the most prestigious men’s cycling event in the world. While I saw the completion of a Tour de France race in Paris some years ago, I have a new appreciation for the athletic ability of the cyclists. The race continues for several weeks and spares no one with strenuous climbs and long days. Today’s heat maxed out at 30 C (86 F). Given the length of today’s ride, the summits they had to climb – up to 1059 meters (3474 feet), and the heat, I am in awe of anyone who can do this – and not just for one day but nearly three weeks.

This year’s Tour de France included 23 teams with eight riders each. The race also features new innovations in bicycles with the goal of increased aerodynamics. It was a magnificent spectacle but was over far too soon. I concluded the best way to see the Tour de France is via helicopter. Maybe next year…

My thanks to Jan Gleaves Gilson for sharing the title image and her additional photos below.

Plum Lavender Cobbler

FOR THE PLUMS

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon culinary lavender(1) 

8-10 plums, halved and pitted (2)

FOR THE TOPPING

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup rolled oats

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg, beaten well

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the seasoning for the plums: brown sugar, flour, cinnamon,  ginger, and lavender.  
3. Add the plums and gently stir to coat.  Arrange the plums skin side up in an ungreased deep 9-inch pie plate.
4. In another medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the topping: granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.  Whisk to blend well.  Add in the egg, use hands to mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle topping over the plums.
5. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the topping and bake 30-35 minutes until the top is browned. 
6. Cool before serving. 

• Less is more.  While it is tempting to add more lavender, doing so will only make the dish bitter. 
• Black plums are better and sweeter.  Therefore, if using the smaller red plums, be sure to purchase a few more to accommodate for the larger size and adjust the sugar by adding about 1/3 cup.

Yield: 6 servings