In seven days time, the world’s greatest bike race, Le Tour de France, kicks off in Monaco. Normally home the Monaco Grand Prix, F1 cars are giving way to the hundreds of cyclists next Saturday, 4 July as the great race begins. Over 23 days and 21 stages, over 400 riders will cover 3,459.5 kilometres. Up hills, down hills, on the flat, time trials, in peletons and breakaways. It’s totally intense.

In the last two years Australian Cadel Evans has finished second. Can he go all the way this year — or could returning legend Lance Armstrong make it eight wins? Or, one of the many, many talented and strong European riders?

SBS has a great website dedicated to the race.

In the meantime, the lead up to Le Tour de France has BBBB thinking about all things bikes and books. And of books with a French flavour. Here’s five of our favourites.

Nicholas series by Goscinny & Sempe (brilliant website, too!)

Toby Alone (and sequel) by Timothee Fombelle

Tintin by Herge (see here for the new museum dedicated to Herge)

365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joelle Jolivet

The Book of Time Guillame Prevost

And some Australian titles with a French (or cycling!) connection:

Mr Chicken Goes to Paris Leigh Hobbs

Boys of Blood and Bone David Metzenthen (great book set in World War 1)

Joan of Arc Lili Wilkinson (history of the Maid of Orleans)

or two for the road:

The really, really epic mini-bike ride by David Metzenthen

Greasy Rider by James Roy

Okay, On yer bike!