17 June, 2006

Les Diagonales de France

France is shaped, roughly, like a six pointed star. The points of the star are connected by diagonals as seen on the map to the left. And what better to do with these diagonals than take a bike tour along them.

There is, of course, a group devoted to just this pursuit, Les Diagonales de France. And their members are Diagonaliste.

The Les Diagonales de France web site is at:
http://diagonales.homelinux.net/adf/index.php

From their site:

  • "DIAGONAL. For the common run of people, this term suggests the straight line which is, says one, the shortest way of a point to another.

  • DIAGONAL. For the touring cyclist, the word covers the concept of excursion autonomous of long distance, made long punctuated days of effort of a few hours of rest.

  • DIAGONAL. For the philosopher finally, it evokes the Adventure and the Dream: Strasbourg is not beside Brest and Dunkirk not more near Perpignan…

It is there one of the paradoxes of the Man whom to be tiny on the scale of the Earth and however being able to achieve what appears unthinkable. But isn't the bicycle touring a form of philosophy?"

Use Google language tools to translate the site. there is a lot of good information and photographs.

I wonder if we have logical diagonals in any of our states? In any case, this seems a little easier than pass hunting.


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