Open Country

Beefeater Bend on the Tour de France


Listen Later

Over a decade ago, two friends from Essex decided to break off from work and drive down to the Alps. Neither knew much about cycling but the plan was to watch the Tour de France dressed in peaked caps and cravats. Probably best not to ask why. By 2014 when the race came to Yorkshire, they'd moved on to full Beefeater outfits - red jackets, black hats, white gloves, matching shades. They love dancing to europop at the side of the road, and in 2019 they were voted the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) fans of the year.

Miles Warde joins the Beefeaters as they load up their shopping trolleys at the bottom of Alpe d'Huez for one of the toughest and hottest stages of this year's race. They are pushing up to Bend 20 where they'll reclaim a little space from a German called Herbert who has been looking after their beer, then set up their generators and loudspeakers and dance for six hours. Unlike other bends on the Alpe - Dutch Corner, Norwegian Corner, Cymru Corner - Beefeater Bend is completely non-national. Everyone is welcome, and everyone comes because everyone loves europop in the blistering sun.

"The nicest programme I've made." Miles Warde

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Open CountryBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

83 ratings


More shows like Open Country

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,821 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,064 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,530 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,801 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,797 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,063 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,950 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

2,023 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

502 Listeners

Saturday Live by BBC Radio 4

Saturday Live

37 Listeners

Farming Today by BBC Radio 4

Farming Today

64 Listeners

Gardeners' Question Time by BBC Radio 4

Gardeners' Question Time

278 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

270 Listeners

Scotland Outdoors by BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland Outdoors

252 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

163 Listeners

The Plodcast by Our Media

The Plodcast

105 Listeners

Gardening with the RHS by Royal Horticultural Society

Gardening with the RHS

269 Listeners

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast by National Trust

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

102 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II

4,170 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,209 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

771 Listeners

As the Season Turns by Ffern

As the Season Turns

243 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

66 Listeners

A Life More Wild by Canopy & Stars

A Life More Wild

24 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

553 Listeners