ST.-MEEN-LE-GRAND, France — More than a half-century later after his heyday, Louison Bobet remains a hero here in his birthplace city of 4,000 in northwestern France. Bobet won the Tour de France three times consecutively, the last in 1955. He died in 1983.

But anticipating the start of the eighth stage of the Tour de France, the city put on a grand show. A huge vertical banner bearing Bobet's image was draped from the city's administrative building. Business storefront windows featured old newspaper clips and various photographs of Bobet as a boy as well as during and after his career.

The city had a fireworks display at midnight last night and broadcast a Tour de France highlights montage on a bigscreen television in the middle of the square. Restaurants and bars stayed open late, and it seemed as if everyone in the city wore a yellow T-shirt. In black cursive letters, the back of the shirts were inscribed "Merci, Louison. Merci, Le Tour."

I had driven to St.-Meen-Le Grand late Saturday night upon the recommendation of an acquaintance, Isabelle Carr
et. A young French journalist, I met Carret last February when she traveled to the United States to report on the inaugural Tour of California. She told me about the small place where I stayed in St.-Meen-Le Grand, Hotel les Trios Piliers.

I got lost a few times driving to the hotel last night, and a 25-mile drive took about two hours. I arrived at the city's center nearing midnight and I had to talk my way through through a thick crowd.

My hotel was located only a few meters from the epicenter of the fireworks launching area, and I had to get special permission from the security staff to walk to the front door.

I ate a grilled sausage wrapped in a crepe and drank two small glasses beers for dinner, and later I shared a bottle of rose wine with a half-dozen French volunteer firemen, who sat at my table. I had a small breakfast at the hotel this morning and then paid my bill — 45 Euros (about $55). It was money well spent for a great life experience in France.