My eighth year competing and my first year captaining. It's about time I wrote a review!…read moreA brief warning before we start - If you aren't interested in inline skating, this event and my review are probably of no interest... Still here? Then let's get on with it. A little history first... This event began in 2000 when a group of French skaters watched the Le Mans 24hr race and thought "we can do that". At least that's how I'd like to believe it. It's based on the Circuit Bugatti, a 4.185km course comprising of an initial hill of 600m @3.5% (rising roughly 25 metres) followed by straights and descents for the remainder of the track. Trust me on this, 600m doesn't seem very far, but when you have no gears and it's hot... it can and will hurt... It runs from 4pm Saturday until 4pm Sunday, traditionally the last weekend of June. So on to the review! I suppose if I've been going for 8 years of the 15 it's fair to say that I'm a fan of the event, even if there have been a few times when I've said it'd be my last (I returned from the my most recent on yesterday!). It's gotten better over the years and I'll break my review into different sections:- Organisation **** Pretty top notch - registration is a breeze and they do give plenty of time to update details prior to the race. The only gripes we had was the timetable, although not such a bad thing (for example registration opened from 7am instead of 8am, so we could have gone earlier if we wanted to - I didn't). Also some confusion about when the pits close (very important, as it decides who is left on track at the end of the race to continue skating laps until the actual finish). But all in all, pretty slick, actual registration and close out is well organised from my point of view and there didn't seem to be any hiccups. The Stadium and facilities ***** Probably the only major race track I've been to apart from Goodwood and this is a heck of a lot bigger. It's a little spread out if you're walking, but skating around it is a breeze! The pits where the teams are based are big and although there are a few teams allocated to each pit, it never seems to be a massive fight for space. Teams seem to just spill out the back of the stadium where there is more space, if a little exposed. The expo has stands from all the major manufacturers as well as a few of the major shops in France. For the most part the manufacturers seem to have good prices, but those shop stands... they can be a little gouging... Food has improved year on year with this year being the best we've seen since the beginning. Various grilled meats, different sauces for the pasta and freshly cooked frites (not from frozen!), a crepe and churro stand was also in attendance. Not the cheapest food but tasty and filling. We chipped in for a "VIP" suite this year, basically one of those rooms normally hired out by some firm to take their clients to a big race. We turned it into a dormroom... At €600, maybe not a great value, but it was nice to have a climate controlled room with a view of the track, right above where we needed to be, compared to walking to the campsite (see below). Campsite *** Good value at €10 for the entire stay from Friday to Monday. It's a campsite, so it's a little basic, two shower/toilet blocks, one older than the other, so has smaller showers and squat toilets. There is a lot of broken glass unfortunately, especially as it's only a couple of weeks after the Le Mans classic. Plenty of bins and a fair amount of shade if you set up carefully. There is a food stand too that cooks for a fair amount of the weekend. Only downside really is that it's about a 15-20 minute walk from the track depending on how tired you are... The Race ***** So much fun! From the classic Le Mans start, to the other competitors and supporters. It's a very inclusive race, lots of professionals mixed in with the amateurs and beginners. No one really looks down on any of the teams. Pace lines can be made up of lycra clad speedskaters and people in shorts and tshirts, as long as you are fast enough, you're welcome to join. Every year that I've been able, I've gone, skated in the sunshine and torrential rain. Every year I've felt my muscles seize and been in pain the following week, but it's not about the pain, it's about the fun and camaraderie that you have. Help the solo skaters and duos as they struggle round (those crazy, crazy people) and see just how fast you can go. Our team split into shifts and relayed our way around the course for 24 hours, grabbing sleep where and when possible and supporting each other along the way. This is very much a team event, you rely on each other to help you out, even people in other teams encourage each other on - with over 400 teams competing it's not about the winning, just the taking part (at least for the most of us). So that's my review! There are things that could be better but they don't detract from what is an amazing weekend and a regular fixture in my diary.

We had a lovely time looking at the art exhibition and then getting a dessert and drink to sit…read moreoutside. Everyone was friendly and the desert was delicious!

I'd give this no stars if I could... I came here and sat down at one of their many tables (I will…read moresay I was impressed with how much seating they had). Other groups sat around us and got their orders taken, but the server wouldn't even look our way. Every time they came to take another group's order or serve them, we were completely ignored. We ended up waiting an hour before leaving, clearly receiving the message that the server wasn't going to serve us. The drinks that the groups around us got looked good though!

It took me twenty-six hours to get to France. Two and a…read morehalf hours to negotiate my way to Montmare. Six hours before it started hailing rain. 10 hours before my IPhone was stolen on the Paris Metro. I had a friend tell me once. Make sure your first night in Paris is fantastic! Because apparently, that'll set the tone for the rest of the trip. Ha! Little did I know, that the minute you step out of Gay Paris, that's where you meet the true people of France. The heart of France. The France that consisted of small alley ways, cobble stoned floors, forlorn musicians humming in the streets, and Gothic Cathedrals that reached for the sky. While stumbling across Tours, dazed and confused, my friends and I (still having quite the rough trip), decided, to get drunk before 1 pm. Because... how would you have it any other way? I mean shit, we had to break the bad spell some way right? This establishment stood out with it s sleek new architecture of glass and wood. We had to come here...twice. Because, well, they're a bit lax with their comings and goings-- according to their hours at least. So be patient my friends, good things come to those who wait. When we finally did get in, we opted for the 4 Euros a person wine tasting, 4 tastings each. Arnold-- who was a bit distant at first, asked if we would prefer White or Red. I got white, my friend got Reds. And after the first whiff, the spell was broken. What continued after, was a spectrum of different tastes, textures, stories and laughs. Arnold (ahem, who is quite handsome), started bringing out more and more wines. He educated us --- now quite buzzed and drunk Americans, on the different regions from which the wines came from. I remember liking very much the whites that stemmed from Vouvray. These were the local wines. I believe it's located in the Touraine district and just east of Tours. I cannot begin here to capture all the small nuances, and hints of love that I got from these samplings. It was so much more then I had hoped for, and has brought me back to whites all over again. The reds were equally fascinating. There was a specific one, which gave off strong aromas of bell peppers. It was-- in short--- divine. We didn't even go into the Roses, because we were on a time constraint. (not our choice...ofcourse). Yelpers. I say this from the bottom of my heart. I wanted to marry the man, and live a the Wine Store. Or at least, spend another good 6 hours there, boozing it up. The most expensive wine on the wall? 10 Euros. Why in the world are wines in the US-- an equivalent of the wines I tasted in Tours-- at least 80 dollars. EXPLAIN THIS TO ME. yeah, yeah, you have to pay for gas and such. but really?? really????! Arnold talked me off the ledge of attempting to buy everything in the store. Instead, we walked out with 3 bottles and two tastings, somehow equalling up to barely 20 Euros. Sigh. Next time I go to France, I'm beelining it right to Maison des Vins de Tour. But if you happen to go before me, please give Arnold plenty of Bisous for me. ...After some wine ofcourse.

My daughter has been here multiple times and rates it very well. We enjoyed the 6 tastings ...we…read morehad 3 of us ...so we shared and had 18 tastes .... A great way to travel Loire quickly.

From the owner: Folles soirées C'est dans cette demi-cave que vous descendrez avec l'assurance d'y passer de bonnes…read moresoirées. Les jeunes patrons dynamiques sont voués au monde qualitatif de la nuit en organisant deux à trois soirées thématiques tous les mois. Vous pourrez observer un savant mélange de recherche dans la décoration, et remarquer l'implication des habitués, puisqu'ils se déguisent selon le thème et l'ambiance torride de fins de semaine. Associées à des marques d'alcools, ces soirées sont propices à de délicieux cocktails que vous dégusterez, avant de faire la fête, en dansant et chantant au rythme de la musique diffusée et animée par un DJ.

Aside from being a very cool place to have some dinner and hang out with the French fare, this…read moreplace was really a life saver. On our trip to the Normandy region of France we got in pretty late to the City of Angers and after finishing up settling in we went out on the hunt for something to eat. Lucky for us after a relatively short walk, we came across Matt Murphy's Irish Pub. I can't say how happy I was to see a pub style establishment that was open as it was pretty late. The food, beer, service was excellent and the owner behind the bar was extremely friendly and helpful as well. They appreciated my speaking and ordering in French; however, they were very cool and spoke to us in English as well with none of the stereotype attitudes we have all heard about. We kept it simple and had a cheeseburger, fries and the fish and chips. Overall the menu has a little for everyone with all the typical items you would expect to see at a pub. Comfort food for the perfect end to a perfect day. I mean we are in France!! C'est magnifique! So if you find yourself If you find yourself visiting Angers and want a laid back atmosphere to let your hair down, have a few pints of beer, a little food and recount the days activities then Matt Murphy's fits the bill. You can't miss it as it is on the main drag in the center of the City! Enjoy and Bonjour!

From the owner: Le Matt Murphys est un pub-Brasserie irlandais au centre ville d'Angers. Venez découvrir notre…read moresélection de bières et manger nos plats brasserie.

From the owner: Un grand changement en cuisine, le patron se met enfin aux fourneaux, spécialiste de la cuisine…read moreasiatique désormais cuisine maison, fusion et authentique à base de produits sélectionnés, saumon label rouge, gambas sauvages, produits de sa ferme, Gambas sauvages au curry rouge, citron vert et basilic, porc au caramel façon Hanoï, vrai caramel de sucre, coco, sauce soja et gingembre frais, Réveillon 2015 soirée spéciale, St VALENTIN