Franck Chavaillon is marketing director of Vichy Destinations and today our guide through Vichy and its long history of wellness, sport and cycling.
"Vichy has been well known since ancient times for its thermal waters," he begins. Under the rule of Napoleon III, who transformed it, the city began to work on a cosmopolitan clientele that has remained until today, being such a tourist site ". Not in vain, Vichy is part of a list of the ten best thermal localities of Europe, being a site that is part of the world patrimony of the Unesco.
"In the sixties, the mayor of that time, decided to execute with fortune his bet for the sport, focusing on the tradition of the water with the rowing by means of, with 200 hectares where you can practice more than 25 sports" he comments.
At the foothills of the Puy de Dôme
Vichy is in Auvergne, the birthplace of big names in French cycling such as Raphaël Géminiani and Romain Bardet. "Here we have the mythical climb of the Puy de Dôme, which saw the legendary arm wrestling between Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor. That's where the Tour will return next year," continues Franck.
Last year, "we created the Vichy Sport brand, to put the spotlight on our sporting heritage. We have had such an inspirational event as the Ironman for a long time and, for ten years, all kinds of athletes have passed through here. I am convinced that these athletes are a reflection of the city's sporting DNA. That's why this year we are launching a collection of technical clothing for the three sports included in the triathlon, offering several athletes, including cyclists, to wear our colors.
The cycling part of this clothing comes with the signature of GobikI know the brand from my trusted retailer, Cyclespresso. I think they have excellent material and I appreciate the aesthetic level of their garments, something that as a marketing director I know how important it is. I also appreciate the level of customization they have achieved and our athletes speak highly of the clothing."
He admits that "we want to have visibility among the general public and athletes. Sport is a powerful value, and we intend to be in this environment, as a city of sport, whether high level or leisure. We are obliged by the tradition of health and wellness in which the city is based.
Cycling landscapes
Vichy is a place for cycling, in the very heart of France.
At Franck's wheel, he explains that "within a radius of 50 kilometers, there is a great variety of landscapes. To the east, the Burgundy mountains, a mid-mountain area with the Montoncel as the highest point at 1,300 meters. It is an area well known among cyclists and highly appreciated by Ironman participants as one of the most beautiful spots on the calendar. In the north, the Burgundy countryside offers small roads, with little traffic and surprising climbs".
If we turn our gaze, "to the south, the Limage plain offers routes to ride that take you to the famous area of the "Puys" You can enter the regional park of the Auvergne volcanoes, between mountains and many climbs to do. The highest point is the Puy Sancy, with its 1,800 meters is an ideal place for climbers with great views" he continues.
A 100% cycling route to do from Vichy?
"I really like the Ironman loopI really like the Ironman loop, which is about 90 kilometers long and is done twice, with about 2,300 meters of elevation gain," he says.
Cyclists in the colors of Vichy
"We currently have about 30 athletes in all disciplines," says Franck, "but our colors are worn by many others who want to carry the Vichy Sport name prominently. All products are on sale at "Maison Vichy”.
The city's promotion manager is a cycling enthusiast: "I've been cycling for three years, but I really like swimming. I started as a mountain biker, but moved on to gravel and road."
His intention is to be in all of them, not to miss opportunities to make Vichy's name big, bigger, among athletes and cyclists: "We try to be in the Ironman events. We will be somehow with our colors at the arrival of the Paris-Nice at the Loge des Gardes, in the Burgundian mountains". That will be as early as March.
Gobik Custom Services
If you're thinking of making a custom kit for your event, club or group of friends, you're in the right place. Because we will always be "The Custom Wear Company".
Our design team will be in charge of modeling your initial inspiration, from a simple hand sketch to a more evolved design.
Find your inspiration at Gobik Custom Services.
Credits
Photographs courtesy of:
- Cindy Michaud
