95


Left Raymond Blanc prepares the culinary centrepiece of the weekend. Below Blanc’s signature ‘essence of tomato’ dish, with Laurent-Perrier champagne. Opposite page The peloton departs the Laurent-Perrier estate


the 257km that the pros will deal with. As I clickety-clack out of the hotel in my


cycling shoes, I notice that, this morning, my bike is not waiting for me outside the hotel lobby as it had been the previous day. So I ask another member of the group already sitting astride his bike how he got it. He looks at me blankly and says: ‘I went to get it.’ And that’s when it hits me: after less than 48 hours of having my every cycling-related whim seam- lessly tended to, I have become totally accus- tomed to this treatment. Later that day, after the ride, as I’m driving towards the Channel Tunnel, I worry that my normal, decidedly low-fi, experience of cy-


cling will no longer satisfy me in the same way. Is it like turning left on a plane? Can you ever go back to economy class? Will I ever be content to return to washing my own kit, cleaning my own bike and scarfing down food from petrol stations, now that I’ve seen how comfortable cycling can be? Fortunately, a couple of weeks later, an email arrives from one of the LeBlanq team. It details plans for the company’s trips in 2022 that range from domestic one-day meet-ups to multi-day tours of the Dolomites, Ibiza and Norway. The prices are chunky, but luxury comes as standard. I just have one question: where do I sign? S


Spear’s travelled to Champagne in a Land Rover Defender 90 provided by The Out, the luxury car rental app powered by Jaguar Land Rover. Cars can be delivered to your doorstep within three hours of booking (London Zones 1-5, Manchester M postcodes, selected airports available). Custom- ers can select from a large fleet, including the Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Jaguar F-TYPE convertible. Prices from £144/day. Down- load the iOS app or go to: theout.com LeBlanq’s Joyriding weekend prices start from


£2,295 for riding guests and £1,995 for non-riders, including all riding, meals with matched wines, experiences and accommodation, but not travel. A programme of domestic day rides is planned for 2022, each led by former pro-cyclists and including a memorable dining experience at some of the UK’s finest restaurants. Prices start from £195 per person and include the ride and a multi-course gourmet lunch or dinner. For further information and to sign up to membership for priority booking visit: leblanq.com


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