Battle of the Somme 1916
Was one of the largest battles of the First World War, with more than one million casualties. The Allied forces attempted to break through the German lines along a 25-mile, 40km front north and south of the River Somme in northern France. One purpose of the battle was to draw German forces away from the battle of Verdun; however, by its end the losses on the Somme had exceeded those at Verdun
Tour de France 2016
CBG Mignot Toy soldier painted in gloss
Tour de France 2016 Mountain Le Mailot á Pois du Meilleur Grimpeur
The line between insanity and genius is said to be a fine one, and in early 20th Century France, anyone envisaging a near-2,500km-long cycle race across the country would have been widely viewed as unhinged. But that didn't stop Géo Lefèvre, a journalist with L'Auto magazine at the time, from proceeding with his inspired plan. His editor, Henri Desgrange, was bold enough to believe in the idea and to throw his backing behind the Tour de France. And so it was that, on 1st July 1903, 60 pioneers set out on their bicycles from Montgeron. After six mammoth stages (Nantes to Paris, 471 km!), only 21 "routiers," led by Maurice Garin, arrived at the end of this first epic.
