As I drew closer to the town of Pont-de-Vaux... I found myself thinking of some ofthe places Id passed through. There wereso many tiny hamlets, villages and largertowns, some vibrant and fine-looking,others lifeless, run down and in dire needof repair. Then there were, of course, thecountless numbers of French peoplewho had helped me piece together thejigsaw of roads along my way. The placesI was riding through werent quite thesame, but there was that unmistakablepungent smell of agriculture in the air andthe sight of fat cows chomping lazily on mouthfuls of grass. It was vastly differentfrom the Hautes-Alps and the bustling stretch of Mediterranean coast, but full of itsown charm and character nonetheless.Beginning with the idea of tackling some of Europes most formidable mountainson his road bike, Mark Krieger, along with his wife Roz, started his journey aroundFrance - from the medieval town of Langres - and instantly fell in love with the country.Known for its history, culture, fine cuisine and above all, its cycling, it became theperfect setting for a Tour of a lifetime.
