“The race itself may shoot by in less than a minute, but for everyone who happens to live nearby all the associated festivities make for a very full day out. Part of that involves anticipation of something that comes at least an hour before the race proper, something I have never read about in any media commentary about the Tour.
You can be sure that every child, and more than a few adults, will be leaning out onto the road for all they’re worth when it happens. It’s Le Caravan, the procession often at quite high speed of the most amazing array of floats and decorations put on by the advertisers supporting the event.”
Our Lady of the Tour de France