| The Tour de France is largest and most fiercely | | | | imprisonment for selling secrets to the Germans |
| contested cycle race in Europe. Summer 2010 will | | | | many, including the editor of Le Vélo (the |
| see the 97th Tour cover a total distance of | | | | prolific French sporting newspaper), thought this a |
| 3,600km, and Morzine-Avoriaz has the pleasure | | | | gross anti-Semitic miscarriage of justice. Le |
| of hosting two stages and a rest day. The race | | | | Vélo’s most prolific advertiser Dion Car |
| arrives on the 11th July for their first day of rest | | | | Works did not agree with this view however, and |
| day and then they set off again on the 13th July | | | | withdrew their advertising, opting to start their |
| for La Maurienne. Over 500 towns and villages | | | | own publication called L’Auto and creating a |
| have hosted stages of the Tour since its | | | | cycle race to launch this enterprise which has |
| conception in 1903 and this will be | | | | grown into what we know today as Le Tour de |
| Morzine-Avoriaz’s twenty fourth year of | | | | France. |
| participation. It is reputed to be one of the hilliest | | | | In 1919 the highly coveted prize of the yellow |
| races to date, as the cyclists set off from | | | | jersey or Maillot Jaune as it’s known in its |
| Rotterdam on the 3rd July, through Belgium then | | | | native language was introduced to distinguish the |
| race back through Reims, France and into Morzine | | | | leader from the pack and give the other racers a |
| then onto the the traditional 25th July grande | | | | visible target. Yellow was also a symbolically |
| finale in Paris Champs-Élysées.. | | | | chosen as it was the colour of the pages of Le |
| Although Le Tour de France is not strictly a tour | | | | Auto. The mountain stages of the tour were only |
| of just France anymore, it is still quintessentially a | | | | added in 1910 to give climbing cycylists a chance |
| celebration of France and its rolling countryside, | | | | against the powerful flat cyclists. The white |
| stunning scenery, cheering locals and the freedom | | | | jersey with red polka dots that goes to the uphill |
| and sportsmanship it encourages. It’s origins | | | | winner, or ‘King of the Mountains’ is also |
| are also scarcely known, but firmly rooted in | | | | highly sought after and a great performance in |
| French history. When the French Jewish soldier | | | | Morzine-Avoriaz is key to this success. |
| Alfred Dreyfus was sentenced to life | | | | |