The Adirondack Region will welcome Le Grand Tour in August 2010

Adirondacks, NY-05/28/2010 - Velo Quebec, a non-profit cycling organization, will bring their popular cycling adventure Le Grand Tour to the area August 7-13, as part of a weeklong traveling vacation. In preparation for the event, tourism partners in Warren, Washington, Essex and Clinton Counties are organizing accommodations and entertainment in each of cyclists’ destinations to help provide a memorable experience and encourage the cyclists to return with their families.   

This year, Le Grand Tour is offering participants a journey along the Lakes to Locks Passage, a designated All-American Road in the collection of Scenic Byways, which brings to life the early nation building activities of the United States and Canada. Traveling a pre-determined route of approximately roughly 500 miles in a week, 40-75 miles a day, cyclists will follow a route steeped in history and scenic beauty through Lake George, Lake Champlain and the Richelieu River, to their ultimate destination in Montreal.   

Velo Quebec has chosen the Adirondack Community College campus as the departure point for the non-competitive event. Buses loaded with participants and tractor-trailers with accompanying luggage bicycles and equipment will start arriving at the college the morning of August 7. A tent village will be erected on campus where the participants will camp out the night prior to their morning departure. The cyclists will have the option to enjoy the beauty, dining and attractions of Lake George Village the evening of their arrival, along with a warm community welcome to include street entertainment, vendors and music in Shepard Park.  

The following morning, riders will depart ACC at their own pace and cycle along residential streets and scenic roads through the towns of Queensbury, Fort Ann, Hartford and Granville before arriving in Whitehall for lunch. The lunch stop includes and added bonus of a POW WOW and optional excursion up the hill to Skene Manor, before the cyclists continue their journey north through Dresden and Putnam, and conclude their day in Ticonderoga. Area youth groups and others in Washington County have been asked to create fun sculptures out of hay bales to encourage the cyclist to admire the bucolic landscape that Washington County is famous for, and take fun photographs they can share with others. 

Ticonderoga will be the location of the second cyclist village, and it will include several amenities to allow the cyclists to feel at home and enjoy their trip such as hot showers,  massage therapists, bicycle mechanics, vendors, live local acts performing nightly and a wine bar and bistro. While in Ticonderoga, the cyclists will be able to take advantage of the La Chute River Interpretive Trail, the Ticonderoga Beach, Fort Ticonderoga, a hiking trip up Cook Mountain and a mini run up Mount Defiance. The next day, participants will have the option of traveling into the communities of Schroon Lake, Horicon, Hague and Chester, before departing north from Ticonderoga the following morning.

 On their way to Clinton County, the cyclists will have a chance to visit Willsboro and stop at Ausable Chasm, before they reach the next destination in Plattsburgh and the next cyclist village at Clinton Community College. With its large facility and breathtaking views, the campus is a perfect fit for the tour. Steve St. Onge, Ph.D., Clinton Community College’s Vice President for Student Affairs said, “It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome the Velo Quebec team to our campus. As a community resource, we’re so glad to have a group such as this explore the North Country and all that it has to offer, using our campus as a base.”

One of the greatest advantages of hosting Le Grand Tour is the impact it will have on the Region both economically and promotionally. Tour organizers estimate that riders spend more than $300,000 in the regions they travel through during the tour. The same study showed that 83% of participants intend to return to the regions they explored during their visit.

“Our decision to bring the Grand Tour to New York State was motivated by our ongoing desire to offer a unique bicycle tourism experience in new regions and particularly along different routes,” explains Joëlle Sévigny, Executive Director of Vélo Québec Événements et Voyages. “Following in the footsteps of Champlain, this edition of the Grand Tour will be both rich in history and an opportunity to showcase all that bicycle tourism has to offer in the Quebec – New York corridor.” 

Tanya Brand, Group Tour & Event Promoter for Warren County Tourism Department, commented, “Velo Quebec’s team has been a pleasure to work with, and we are excited that they recognized the potential of our beautiful area for this exciting event. We are eager to show off the Adirondack Region as a fun, affordable vacation destination just a few hours drive from the Canadian border. I am confident this unique event will provide an incentive for them to return again and again with their friends and families.”  

Barb Brassard, Executive Director for the Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce added, “The Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce is happy to help coordinate the Grand Tour’s stay here in Ticonderoga. We want to help them see our beautiful area and provide the hospitality that will make them feel welcome.” 

"This is a huge event for the North Country," stated Garry Douglas, President and CEO of the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber of Commerce. "It means 2,000 visitors coming to experience our region, and drawing wide attention to Lake Champlain as a biking destination. And it's also another success in our constant effort to build cross-border connections within our Quebec-New York Corridor, directly building upon discussions that began at our Quebec-New York Summit in 2008."

“According to a study by the Outdoor Association, bicycling is the second most common form of outdoor recreation in the U.S. These cyclists represent potential customers who bring revenue to our local businesses and our communities. This summer’s Le Grand Tour is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to the cycling community what fantastic recreational resources are available in Northern New York,” says Lakes to Locks Passage Projects Coordinator Drew Alberti.

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 About Vélo Québec
 Vélo Québec is a non-profit organization that has been a prominent part of the cycling landscape in Québec for over 40 years. Vélo Québec has continuously encouraged the use of the bicycle, whether for tourism purposes or as a means of clean and active transportation, so as to improve the environment and the health and well-being of citizens.  In 1995, Vélo Québec created an agency specializing in bicycle travel that offers various cycling packages in Quebec, including major bicycle tourism events like the Grand Tour. This agency also plans routes and designs bicycle vacations in North America, the Caribbean, Europe, North Africa and Asia. Every year, over 6,000 people travel with the agency. To make a reservation for the Grand Tour or learn more about its various trips and excursions, visit www.explorebybike.com.
 

About the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau
The Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, a division of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, was established in 1994 as the official tourism promotion agency for the travel and tourism industry in Clinton County, NY.  Based in Plattsburgh, NY the Adirondack Coast Visitors  Bureau contributes to the county’s economic development and quality of life by promoting the region as a top destination for tourism, meetings and other special events. For more information on Clinton County tourism, please contact the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau at 518.563.1000 or check us out on: