As highlighted by Frank Haag, organizer and the only Luxembourger to have completed the Tour Magne Challenge, what makes this event truly unique is the historical richness of its route. Born during the first wave of bicycle ownership in France at the very end of the 19th century, it stems from a desire for travel and discovery through a new means of transportation. Let’s take a closer look at a truly remarkable era and journey!
A Time of Great Change
The 1890s saw the bicycle emerge as a new means for the French to reclaim a sense of freedom in terms of mobility. Cycling generated such enthusiasm that, in 1895, writer J.H. Rosny even declared that “the bicycle is the first stage of aviation.” Fueled by the Second Industrial Revolution, mass production of affordable bicycles began—driven notably by Peugeot in the Doubs region, Manufrance and Mercier in the Loire. It was in this context that Léon Giran-Max, a Parisian painter from the École des Beaux-Arts, and his companion Marius-Antoine Barret, embarked on a journey of over 900 kilometers from the capital to Nîmes. With brush and pen respectively, they captured in words and images the essence of this fascinating journey.
Departure and Stages
On August 28, 1897, Giran-Max and Barret departed from Paris to Melun—by train. It was only from Melun that their ten-stage journey to Nîmes truly began. Starting in forested paths, they immediately noted the contrast with the cobblestones of Paris. As they traveled, they passed through ever-changing landscapes, at times dealing with uncooperative farmers, and at others admiring timeless monuments that, over a century later, still give the route a special resonance. One such example is the Garabit Viaduct, designed by a certain Gustave Eiffel, and sketched at the time by Giran-Max. Today, the bridge remains visible along the challenge route. Their descent took them deep into rural France, through villages where locals had never heard of cycling and expressed their astonishment in their Occitan dialect at the arrival of these strange “velouchpièdes.” On the evening of September 7, 1897—after a spiteful café waiter punctured their tires(!)—the two friends arrived in Nîmes, completing the tenth and final stage of a journey that still allows today’s challengers to ride in the footsteps of Léon and Marius-Antoine.
A Challenge Like No Other
As he penned the final chapter of their adventure, Léon Barret claimed to have “discovered nothing,” yet hoped to spark interest in the grand and diverse regions they had traversed. He added that if he had managed to do so, he would feel he had accomplished “something worthwhile.” Today, more than two hundred challengers take on the same journey each year, following in the footsteps of the two pioneers, toward the Tour Magne. It’s worth noting that, in a century and a half of existence, only one Luxembourger has ever taken part. Given that the Tour Magne Challenge still has a bright future ahead, that number can only grow!
Matthieu Brunet, President of the Challenge du Tourmagne Association:
“It is a crossing of France from north (Paris) to south (Nîmes), where one can discover the diversity of French landscapes. From the plains and forests of the north to the extinct volcanoes of the Auvergne, and on to the mountainous regions of the Margeride and the Cévennes, you can see the great variety of landscapes, villages, and historic towns.”
