2. Who is this woman and what do you think she is offering to spectators?

3. This van is also part of the Tour’s Caravan. What can you buy here and for how much?

B. Identity and Business: What does the Tour represent?

Sponsors play an important role in the Tour Caravan and especially with the Tour spectators. Studies have shown that half of all spectators consider the caravan to be the most fascinating part of the Tour. Here are three sponsors of the Tour de France. Read the following excerpts from their web sites and answer these questions: How do these companies see the Tour and their company’s role in the Tour ? How does their product add to the Tour ?

1. The Official Coffee of the Tour de France: Grand'Mère
The official sponsor of the Tour de France, Grand’Mère coffee participates in this popular festival and celebrates the pleasure of bringing families together on the small and large roads of France. A sharing of emotions, a ritual transmitted from generation to generation, the Tour de France is an event that lends itself to warm and powerful moments. Because the Tour is more than the Tour: a myth, values, traditions; because a cup of coffee is always more than a cup of coffee: meetings, moments of conviviality, a savoir-faire, and because it’s always the right time to meet over a good cup of coffee: Café Grand’Mère, the official coffee of the Tour de France, is a proper and natural sponsor.

At the departure of each stage with Grand’Mère breakfasts for the public, at the heart of the VIP Tour Village, where the welcoming Grand-Mère proposes tea biscuits and coffee and freshly prepared espresso non-stop…On the Tour stages, coffeepot vehicles will allow the Tour fans amassed along the route to savor Grand’Mère coffee. Composed of 6 vehicles, these giant teapots will precede the caravan and create surprise and a contagious desire to celebrate. Grand’Mère will distribute samples to all lovers of cycling and good coffee.
(reference: http://www.kraftfoods.fr/FranceInternet.nsf, translation by M. Antle)

2. Cœur de Lion (Lion’s Heart), Tour de France sponsor!
Did you know? For the eighth consecutive year, Coeur de Lion is the Official Sponsor of the Tour de France, which takes place July 6-28, with a departure from Luxembourg. Coeur de Lion works with the Tour de France by sponsoring a Combativity Prize and also by sponsoring the Young Juniors of the Tour de France, rewarding both groups of riders each day for their commitment and team spirit.

Coeur de Lion also participates in the publicity caravan of the Tour de France. Composed of spectacular sponsor vehicles, it precedes the race in a festive and parade-like atmosphere.
Come discover Coeur de Lion’s stunning caravan on the routes of the Tour: you’ll see a parade of camembert boxes and tasty oversized “tartines Crémerin”. And maybe you’ll have a chance to taste the “minis” distributed by the Coeur de Lion hostesses, little camemberts in the form of hearts to savor while you wait for the riders to come by.
(reference: http://www.coeurdelion.com/tour/index.htm, translation by M. Antle))

3. Nestlé Aquarel
In 2001, the Tour de France sold no tickets, but still attracted 15 million spectators to the event in Belgium, Germany, Spain and France. Every day, before the riders race by, the tour caravan gives spectators a taste of the excitement to come. Last year, the travelling show featured a team of 60 people and 11 Nestlé Aquarel vehicles. Along the way they handed out 500,000 free samples, and won four of the event's six awards for sponsors.

Nestlé Aquarel won the organiser's "Grand Prix de la Caravane du Tour", a special award for the convoy styled like Nestlé Aquarel bottles, the "Prix des caravaniers" presented by other participants and the "Prix du Public" from the Press in 2001.

The ultimate challenge for cyclist skills and endurance, the 21-day Tour de France is one of the top events on the international sporting calendar. With banners, arches, the caravan convoy and other excitements including the presentation of the White Jersey to a triumphant young cyclist, Nestlé Aquarel will share every thrilling step of the way to the finish in Paris! Nestlé Aquarel will distribute thousands of free samples to spectators during the Tour de France. Look out for the caravan, and save the coupon on the bottle for a special price offer (In France only).
(reference: http://www.nestle-aquarel.com/)

** To read more about the Tour sponsors, go to the website http://www.letour.fr/2002/fr/ and select “partenaires”.