You are invited to attend a press briefing of this Run for History-Les Routes François Ier: The Ultimate Marathon! and discover the treasures of the City of Blois, gateway to the châteaux of the Loire Valley.
Mr. Nicolas Perruchot, the Mayor of the City of Blois and Deputy of the French National Assembly will be present in New York to honor the first man and woman from New York City, along with the first man and woman from France, to cross the finish line of the 2003 ING New York City Marathon. Each winner will receive the François I trophy and a free trip for two to Blois and other sites along the Routes François I.
Blois, ideally located in the Loire Valley (which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List) is home to a château built by François I and is a member of the Routes François I, an organization that promotes 18 châteaux and towns associated with the ?Renaissance? king who ruled France from 1515 to 1547.
A lesser known member of the Routes François I is the City of New York, one of three of the 18 sites located outside of France. What is now known as the New York Harbor was first discovered in 1524 by Giovanni de Verrazano whose exploration was sponsored by the French king, François I. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge that spans the entrance to the harbor was named after the Italian-born explorer and is today the starting line for the ING New York City Marathon.
The mayor and the people of Blois have chosen the marathon as a symbol to celebrate France?s historical ties with the United States and to emphasize the continued friendship between the two countries. Through this unique relationship they wish to extend an invitation to their American friends to experience the charm and beauty of Blois and the other sites of the Routes François I.
The awards ceremony will be followed by a tasting of regional wines.
BLOIS, GATEWAY TO THE CHÂTEAUX OF THE LOIRE VALLEY,
TO WELCOME NYC WINNERS OF THE 2003 ING NYC MARATHON
November 3, 2003, New York, NY?In honor of the Routes François I, four of the runners in the 2003 ING New York Marathon will be awarded the François I trophy along with a free trip for two to Blois, in France?s Loire Valley. Mr. Nicolas Perruchot, Mayor of Blois and Deputy of the French National Assembly will present these prestigious prizes to the first male and first female runners from New York City and France to cross the finish line.
The mayor and the people of Blois have chosen the ING New York City Marathon as a symbol to celebrate the historical ties between France and the United States, and to emphasize the continued friendship that exists between the two countries. They wish to extend an invitation to their American friends to experience the charm and beauty of Blois and the other surrounding sites of the Routes François I.
Blois, ideally located between Orléans and Tours on the Loire River, is considered to be the gateway to the châteaux of the Loire Valley (now on the UNESCO World Heritage List). The city?s dominant landmark is the impressive Château de Blois. The masterpiece of French architecture is known for its varied styles dating from the 13th to the 16th centuries.
The Château de Blois was a royal residence to French kings and queens for over four centuries. King François I inherited it along with the throne, from his father-in-law Louis XII. In 1524, he added a wing and the famous octagonal staircase, one of the most beautiful structures and an outstanding example of the French Renaissance craftsmanship.
Beyond the walls of the château is the delightful city that is characterized by its white façades, blue slate roofs and redbrick chimneys. The captivating old quarter is easily navigated by a well-marked walking tour or can be visited by horse-drawn carriage. Highlights of Vieux Blois include the 12th-to 13th-century Benedictine church, the Eglise St-Nicolas, the small terraced gardens, the Jardin du Roi and the Jardin de l?Evêché, the Pavillon de Anne de Bretagne and the Cathédrale St-Louis. The Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin is a fascinating museum on the history of magic and the art of illusionism.
Mayor Nicolas Perruchot is considered one of the most promising men of his generation. Generous, dynamic and determined, the young mayor will always appreciate the American influences that helped him get where he is today. First exposed to American culture when his family hosted college students from Dartmouth in the 1980s, Mr. Perruchot has long been an admirer of American society, even going so far as to count President John F. Kennedy as a personal role model. In 2001, at only 34 years of age, he was elected mayor in Blois and set about improving life in the city, and strengthening his city?s relationship with the United States.
THE ING NEW YORK MARATHON LEADS TO THE ROUTES FRANÇOIS I
November 3, 2003, New York, NY ? Every New Yorker knows that the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge is the starting point for the ING New York City Marathon. What they may not know is how this bridge links New York City to the French Renaissance. What they will find out this year is how vital this link still is, and how four select runners in this year?s marathon will find themselves crossing the finish line in Blois, France.
François I, one of Europe?s most powerful monarchs of the early 16th century, was persuaded by Florence-born navigator Giovanni de Verazzano, a figure historically linked with New York, that he could find a shorter route to the Indies. The king of France agreed to sponsor a voyage to explore the lands across the Atlantic in the New World. As a result, Verazzano was the first European explorer to reach North America.
Verazzano departed aboard La Dauphine and after 50 days arrived in the future South Carolina. He continued up the coast making seven stops on land that he claimed in the name of France. In April of 1524, Verazzano sailed between what he called two little hills into a bay. These little hills are now known as Brooklyn and Staten Island, and the bay is the Bay of New York. In homage to the discovery, the City of New York is now part of the Routes François I.
The Routes François I is a non-profit organization that commemorates and promotes 18 towns and sites associated with the Renaissance king, François 1er. In France, the routes span through three regions: the Ile-de-France, the Loire Valley and further south into Poitou-Charentes.
Some of the most magnicifent châteaux in France are on the Routes François I. Four are in the Ile-de France region: Ecouen, home to the French Renaissance Museum; Fontainebleau and St-Germain-en-Laye, two of the king?s impressive homes and Rambouillet, where the king died and which is now a summer residence for the president of France.
Eight châteaux on Les Routes can be found in the Loire Valley, also known as ?the valley of kings? with the best-known sites being Blois, famous for its unique spiral staircase and Chambord, the 440-room hunting ?lodge? which also served as the inspiration for the design of the bottle of the famous liqueur. The others, some of which are still inhabited today, were residences of the lords of the court who wanted to live near the king.
Cognac in Poitou-Charentes, where the spirits of the same name are produced, is the birthplace of François I. Angoulême was the birthplace of his sister Marguerite, and La Rochefoucauld was the home of his godfather. The La Rochefoucald family has been living in the chateau over 1000 years.
Three of the 18 sites on the Routes François I are actually outside of France: Istanbul because of the alliance that François I forged with the ruler of the Ottoman Empire; Quebec, capital of New France, discovered by another explorer under François I, Jacques Cartier; and, of course, New York City and the Verazanno-Narrows Bridge.
To celebrate the unique link between America and France, the mayor of the City of Blois, Nicholas Perruchot will present the François I award to the first man and woman from New York City along with the first man and woman from France to cross the marathon finish line. Each winner will receive a free trip for two to Blois with an invitation to visit the sites along the Routes François I.