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Touriste Routier: Samuel Thompson - Reflections on a Record Breaking Lap of France

Touriste Routier: Samuel Thompson - Reflections on a Record Breaking Lap of France

11 July, 2025

4,750km, 50,000m elevation and a true tour of the perimeter of France via 61 control points and 51 cols. These are the headline figures of the , a permanent Brevet, established in 1958 and run & regulated by US Métro Cyclo​.

The route is accessible to all to take on in a manner which suits their desires (there is a time limit of 30 days to be recognised as a ‘Randonneur’ finisher, or 60 days for a ‘Cyclotouriste’), but the fastest recorded time had existed since 2011 when Kristof Allageart completed his tour in 13 days, 2 hours, 15 minutes.

That is before , set out on 15 June 2025 with one eye on the record time and a stomach focused on sampling as many boulangerie products as possible on his Tour de France Randonneur. 12 days, 15 hours and 5 minutes later, Samuel returned to Manosque, his home town and start/finish point, becoming the first person to complete this true Tour of France in less than 13 days (pending final verification from the organiser). He rode in a self-sufficient manner throughout, abiding to a set of personal principles that went beyond the organiser’s regulations.

The of Bella Molloy, Will Ward, Michal Serafin and Kishan Gondaliya asked Samuel to answer some burning questions fresh from returning from this lap of the country.

All photos by Samuel Thompson with some from Bella Molloy

This route is a true ‘Tour of France’ - what was the best stretch for you?

I love the mountains, so it is a toss up between the Pyrenees and the Alps. I was asked beforehand which I prefer and I still haven't got a definitive answer. So I’d say the two days of taking on the iconic climbs in each mountain range, both times including four iconic passes and 6,000m elevation. If I had to pick one pass for each I would highlight the Tourmalet in the Pyrenees and the Galibier in the Alps. I have done these climbs before but either at night or on a misty day. There is something mythical about both of them - they are tough climbs, but not so tough that you can’t appreciate your surroundings when the views open up. I could really enjoy my time up there and soak in the moment.

The Mountains

What did you use for motivation, or a framework to keep you going?

Bella asked me if I ever listen to music. My response was: “I'm never with music, but always with food”. Using food as both a fuel and as a motivational/emotional pick-me-up is always useful. At the slightest sign of anything not being right, eating something first can knock it on the head.

The word ‘gratitude’ was also going through my mind a lot - how fortunate I was, and we are, to do these things and to be in these places. This reminded me to take pleasure in the current moment. I had chosen to do this. Not every moment is supposed to be a cakewalk but I am going to find it rewarding at some point. So why not try and bring some of that fun to the current moment? That's what I kept trying to repeat to myself, especially in the mountains looking around in awe, however tough the climb. If I am just wishing away every moment, then what's the point of being there? Ultimately, this comes down to grounding yourself in the current moment and being grateful for that.

Photo credit: @seektravelride

You may now be the most qualified person to answer this - what is the best boulangerie on French soil and the tastiest almond croissant.

My favourite question! Naturally, the best boulangerie is Maison Rouger in Manosque. When you pick up a croissant (or three), the wrapping is oozing with grease by the time you get home. There is no better sign than that. But that wasn't technically on my route, so I will go for the Fournil des Eclusiers in Luxelbourg. It ticked all the boxes: a beautiful location, outdoor seating, good coffee, and most importantly banging viennoiserie. I also nabbed a BOGOF Paris-Brest-Paris deal, which of course counts as 2,400km of fuel.

For the best almond croissant (queen of viennoiserie, IMHO) go for MJ Maison Piquenot in Etretat. My timing was unfortunate though as I arrived during a thunderstorm so couldn’t fully indulge in the moment. It was so good though that I’d consider riding across the county again just to re-visit.

Croissants

What stands out as your top highlight, best memory and biggest surprise?

I am so appreciative of the support that I got from people at home dotwatching. I was quite overwhelmed by the response before, during and after. As much as I wanted to respond to everyone, it was very difficult at the time so I hope they understood that. I hope that I've since got round to thank each person personally. Also, the role of the DotWatcher commentary team. They have really gone above and beyond what I initially asked of them. It has felt as if they provided me with a link to the outside world and made me feel like what I was doing was beyond just a selfish little bike ride.

My best memory is from the final evening, and especially the final climb before returning to Manosque. I was heading west towards the setting sun in the most beautiful light, with a glowing orange in front of me. There was the sense that I was really going to finish this thing and I was feeling great on a bike. I got to the top of the climb and had a clear view over the glistening, welcoming lights of Manosque, with the last remnants of fading sun in the background and the moon hovering above. I just took a couple minutes there before descending, soaking it all in.

The biggest surprise maybe wasn’t a true surprise, rather a very welcome reminder that on the whole most people are generous, warm and kind. There was one day in particular which I called ‘freebie day’. In the space of a few hours I was given a free flan because I dropped half of mine on the floor in the bakery, a free pain au chocolat because I was originally given the wrong item by mistake and free figs in the supermarché because they couldn't seem to find the right price. This is on top of the countless interactions with people who took a real interest in what I was doing, offering their support in tangible and intangible ways. People are generally nice - we should be open to interactions and generous in our own actions.

The night sky

Is there anything you would have done differently from your plan in retrospect?

Did I have a plan?! The distinction I would make here is that I think there is a difference between preparation and planning. Plans go out the window on the first day if they are too rigid. A great example of this was on the first night. I hadn't necessarily planned to sleep indoors but I was making much better progress than I expected and I hit Narbonne at an opportune time where there were hotels that would be easy to check in to and reasonably priced. So I thought it would be best in the long run to get some quality sleep indoors and have a shower. I'm glad I did this and didn't hold myself to riding through that first night or finding a ditch to sleep in which may not have resulted in the same quality of rest.

I would therefore define my approach more as being prepared. I did a lot of research, including quadruple checking the control points (I could probably recite all 61!), knowing what was on my routes, and defining the route itself. I was never stuck for resupply and I always knew what was coming up next so I could make effective and efficient decisions on the road. In that sense, I didn’t have a specific ‘plan’ but neither was I winging it each day.

Still, one thing I think I should have done sooner was find a definitive solution for my leaky rear tyre, which ended up getting quite a few mini punctures that didn’t decide whether they wanted to seal or not. It got to the point where it wouldn’t hold above 30psi, and I had a couple of occasions where I could have waited for a bike shop to open but I hastily decided to press on to the next town. This eventually costs me more time than had I waited at the first opportunity.

Photo credit: @seektravelride

On a similar theme, did you have any moments of doubt during the ride?

I can truly say that I never had doubts about my ability to complete the route. The only real troubles I had were around that leaky rear tire. When I was in a hotel in Albertville on the second last night, I decided it was time to finally put a tube in. In the process of this supposedly simple task, I managed to break one of my tyre levers and double puncture my first tube. That left me with one tube without holes in and one tire lever. So I took great care putting this one back in, sweating all over the hotel bathroom floor in the process. Otherwise, it was going to mean waiting a few hours extra in the morning for a bike shop to open. Fortunately, I proved that I was still up to simple mechanical tasks and was rolling again early the next morning.

What advice would I give others to take on this challenge?

The first thing to emphasise is that this is a route that is open for anyone to take on in any way, whatever brings them joy. There is the ‘Randonneur’ time limit of 30 days, or the ‘Cyclotouriste’, which is 60 days. You can even split this over two distinct periods. There is no requirement to go as fast as you can, so you can savour your croissants more than I perhaps did. For me, doing it in the way that I did truly brought me joy. I primarily wanted to complete the full route and experience the whole of the country. The performance goal was also motivating, with the prospect of being the first person to complete it in under 13 days. This wasn't the be all and end all though and I see this as an outcome that was achieved though a series of processes along the way, all of which I could control. I wasn't focusing on trying to hit a daily distance target, as this is ultimately something I couldn’t fully control. I was trying to ride within my capabilities in a sustainable way, considering the full route.

I would also advise others to do your research. Make sure you really consider the route, what will be suitable for you and your circumstances. The shortest route with the least elevation isn't always the quickest! Perhaps you are not even interested in the quickest route, so spend some time looking at which roads will be the most pleasant to ride on. The organiser provides a suggested route but this is not obligatory as long as you pass through all 61 controls.

The Brevet

Are there any items of your kit that you would or wouldn't take again?

I can honestly say that there was nothing I was wanting for. This applies to kit, equipment, and the full setup. In fact, I took quite a few items which I didn't even come close to wearing, like a second pair of thicker gloves, a long sleeve base layer and thicker merino socks. Saying that, I was glad to have them and even if I was to do the same route with the information I had at the start, I would still take them. I couldn’t have predicted weather conditions two weeks in advance so the extra assurance that these items bring is essential. I would put a lot of the ‘dialedness’ of my kit down to preparation and practice. These include the ‘simulation’ rides that I did, the time that I put in to experimenting what worked for me in certain conditions, and envisaging the likely scenarios I would come across. Through this process I was covered for all likelihoods within reason, all personalised to my requirements and tolerances.

Sam's Bike

How about the bike and the setup, is there anything about that you would change?

Again, very little. Perhaps I would consider slightly more durable tyres like the All Season version of the Continental GP5000s, rather than the standard ones. This still may not have made a huge difference after nearly 5,000km of wear! For the rest, if money wasn't a consideration then there's plenty of minor upgrades I could make to optimise some of the equipment. Nevertheless, I was very happy with the setup as it was what I am familiar with and can trust. Nothing too fancy, but all durable and suited for its purpose. My luggage from Restrap was impeccable. Especially my frame bag, which gave me such huge capacity in a really accessible place. So much so that I was often carrying 5 ice creams at a time, albeit with a limited amount of time to eat them before they melted in the 35C conditions I regularly found myself in. I did wonder about putting in an insulating layer for optimised ice cream storage conditions.

Night Riding

If you could pick one country to do a similar circumnavigation, what would it be and why?

At this moment, not even two weeks after finishing, I think the Vatican City appeals. I’m not quite ready to really think about what is next just yet. Nor should I feel the pressure to. I think sometimes we are too soon to jump to the next goal and not appreciate the moment. That is really what I want to do right now and let the next objective form naturally when inspiration hits. It has to be something that really appeals to me. There was so much significance about doing this in France to me that I'm not sure it would be the same if I were just to pick another country.

Firstly, living in France and counting myself as a Francophile meant this was a unique way to explore all corners of this country I adore, starting and finishing in my beloved hometown, Manosque. Then there are the links of this route with the history of the Tour de France (the ‘easy’ one), and how the Tourist Routiers approached the event in the same spirit as we do now with ultra-distance races. Finally, there is the history of this route which has existed since 1958. I have been reading accounts of people who have completed it in the past. The previous record before Kristof Allagaert goes back to the 1970s and learning about their approach and how so much and so little has changed is quite fascinating. This makes it quite difficult to comprehend that my time will stand as the fastest amongst those. It's something which makes me really proud.

Saying all that, perhaps I could do Italy next and then move on to Spain. So I'm completing the Grand Tour of Grand Tours, let's say…

Samuel

You saw a lot of France. Are there any bits that you would like to revisit by bike or otherwise?

One thing to know is that, despite the profile of the middle section of my route, France is very rarely truly flat. The terrain constantly rolls and it can be quite frustrating at times that there seems to be no rationale to why these roads are going up and down minor hills all the time. It kills your momentum when you're in a fatigue state and can be quite frustrating if you let it get to you.

A region which did capture me was Alsace. I have passed through there briefly before, but this time I was struck by how pristine it all was. A bit like being in a Disney film with its fairy-tale architecture and how perfectly maintained everything seemed to be. Even the fields were immaculately manicured, almost in an artificial way. The boulangerie in Luxelbourg also hinted that there is good food to be had there.

And finally - Around the World…?!

There was a moment, I believe in Normandy, where I came to the realisation that this is what I do now, until I finish at least. Everything felt so natural. Almost as if my body was adapting to what was being asked of it. I now sit on a bike and pedal all day. So there is no point in wishing away this time. Just enjoy the moment and get on with it.

That made me wonder - is this the limit for me, a circumnavigation of a single country, or could I maintain this for longer?

Around the World is something which has always inspired me. One of the first memories I have of encountering ultra-distance cycling was reading Mark Beaumont's first book around his initial Around the World record nearly 20 years ago. The idea is massively inspiring and I can't deny that if I had the opportunity to do it then I would absolutely love to. So why not put it out there. If someone wants to lend me a bit of money and sort out the logistics then I'll be bang up for it!

There is a caveat though. Throughout this ride, it was reinforced to me how much I love doing these rides in a self-sufficient manner. I don't think it would be the same if I were to have a full support crew. That is part of the reason I chose to do this endeavour in self-supported. There are no rules against having support crews on the Tour de France Randonneur. But that would not give me the same experience or offer the same personal rewards. With Guinness not distinguishing between supported and unsupported, setting the outright record as it stands without support doesn’t seem viable. Nevertheless, a ride such as that wouldn’t and shouldn’t only be about breaking a record but, similar to my approach to the Tour de France Randonneur, I think that if I were to take it on it would be with the objective of moving as fast as I can from A to B (or back to A!).

One final point I really want to address is that some people may be asking the question - isn't it less fun doing it fast? For me, no. I absolutely loved doing this and the sheer simplicity of being on my bike all day, riding as far as I could. Having things stripped back. Of course, it's also not easy thinking about all your logistics, keeping yourself going, and all the actions you need to take to optimise your time on the bike. The main message I want to convey from my experience is how much I enjoyed it. There is too much focus on suffering during these ultra distance events in general. I didn't suffer at all during this. I loved it. I had a cheesy grin pinned to my face for the majority. I want people who are thinking about taking on this, or anything similar, to know it is not about suffering your way to the end and waiting until you finish to revel in a hollow type two fun. I had fun along the way. Others can too. Find what is sustainable, control your controllables and have a smile on your face along the way.

Fin