I was going through some old Tour photos last night, and I came across some shots that I took during the 2002 Tour. This shot is from the stage that went right through the middle of the lovely village of Vianden, in the Luxembourg Ardennes. It’s a really sweet place, with pavé streets, delightful shops, warm friendly people, and a magnificent castle towering over the little village.

I stayed for about three nights in the Hotel Heintz, which has been owned by the same family for about four hundred years. The front door was three feet from the race route - it climbed right in front of the hotel.

The first morning I was there, the owner saw my Go Lance banner and he immediately took it out of my hands and headed up the narrow staircase with it. Over his shoulder, he told me he was going to hang it up. I kinda stood there, with my mouth open, wondering if I was ever going to get it back. Obviously, he was a huge Lance fan....

His wife, with a big smile, showed me the way to a delightful petit dejeuner, overlooking a lovely garden area. I ate, wondering where in the heck my banner was. Later, the owner came up and took me outside, pointing overhead. There was the banner, stretched clear across the street with the American flag and the Luxembourg (I think) flag. It was visible from the entire village, and especially by the peloton as it made a left-hand turn and started up the long, narrow, cobble-stone road through the middle of the village.

Vianden has remained one of my most favorite places from the five years that I’ve done the Tour de France.... Check out the Link below...