Pau and cycling

While the city of Henry IV hosted the Tour 67 times, placing it on the podium behind Paris and Bordeaux in terms of fidelity to the race, it is also since last summer the town of the Tour of Giants –– statues glorifying the winners of the greatest cycling race. On each of the totems feature the name and the picture of each winner by year with a text written by Pau-born writer Christian Laborde. The totems, nearly eight metres high, form a monument displayed in a park in Bois Louis, near the Philippe Tissie stadium. The site, organised in the shape of a spiral, will receive a new statue every year. On each statue of aluminium and glass also features the number of kilometres ridden that year, the average speed of the winner as well as pictures or drawings. By scanning a code with a smartphone, it is possible to listen to the text translated into several languages. At night, the monument will be lit and visible from Boulevard des Pyrenees.