Unusual: 40 years ago, the first Tour de France... on wheels

IN THE ARCHIVES – In the summer of 1985, four friends embarked on a crazy challenge: to tour France on roller skates. In early August, they stopped in Bordeaux and were received at the town hall. Story with the article published at the time

Six o'clock in the evening, on Place Pey-Berland, four white figures sway between two cars, swinging their arms from side to side, as if afraid of losing their balance. They walk briskly toward the town hall. Under the porch, a police officer greets them with a puzzled look. Who are these young skaters crossing the entrance to Bordeaux town hall?

On the same subject

Bordeaux: in pictures, the history of the Quai des Chartrons skatepark

PORTFOLIO - In 2022, the Chartrons skatepark in Bordeaux was demolished to make way for an area open to all urban skating modes, in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. “Sud Ouest” opens its photographic archives on the history of this place, very popular with young and old, amateurs and seasoned alike.

François Lemoine, Guillaume Rossignol, Jean-Pierre Le Boedec, and Benoît Boyer, four Bretons, each aged 17, completed the first Tour de France on roller skates. By now, they had already covered 2,500 kilometers from Saint-Brieuc to Bordeaux, passing through Paris, Metz, Lyon, Cannes, and Toulouse.

Having set off on June 15th, they crossed the plains of the Île-de-France region before climbing the hairpin bends of the Jura mountain passes, taking the Rhône corridor, and skirting the Mediterranean beaches. A thousand kilometers remain to be covered before reaching Saint-Brieuc on August 23rd, the end of their long journey.

"Believe me, we were able to check the state of the country's roads: there's no shortage of work!" Benoît Boyer, the instigator of the project, is not his own adventure. Passionate about skating, he came up with the idea for this trip at the end of last year. He quickly convinced three friends to abandon their dreams of relaxing on Breton beaches for a more sporty vacation. But 60,000 francs were needed to finance this Tour de France.

This is where Benoît's parents come in effectively, taking care of finding sponsors. "When he came alone, no one took my son seriously. It's a shame that young people are prevented from realizing their goals in this way." Ms. Boyer doesn't mince her words. It wasn't until the Easter holidays, after the four friends had completed their first 800-kilometer journey, that companies would decide to take on the dream, finally making it a reality. Preparation then entered its active phase: purchasing equipment, intensive training, and June 15, the day of departure, arrived very quickly. After a few short stages (50 km per day), the skaters picked up the pace and some days covered more than 100 kilometers. Yet, upon their arrival at Bordeaux City Hall, one was struck by their freshness. Weariness didn't seem to be on their radar.

Welcomed by Mr. Pineau, deputy mayor, they dip their lips into a glass of orangeade (no alcohol for athletes) and already think about the next day. Their journey north will include a well-deserved stop of a few days in Les Sables-d'Olonne, before the triumphant arrival on August 23, where they will meet up with three of their friends, returning from North America after a journey of more than 4,000 km across the United States, still on roller skates. But then, they will never stop? Not next year anyway: they plan to reach Athens from Paris. Still on their damn wheels.