Crowds waiting along the route of the Tour de France have always been treated to the site of the official “caravan” about an hour before the riders speed by. Made up of sponsors’ cars and other promotional vehicles, the caravan is part of the pre-race entertainment that showers the crowds with gadgets and goodies plastered with corporate logos.

Among the gadgets this year are snoods, water bottles and flags bearing the Visit Luxembourg logo as well as DVDs and magazines about the Grand Duchy. Appropriately enough, the Luxembourg promotion is focusing on the Grand Duchy’s extensive network of cycle paths and trails.

The Luxembourg convoy, with vehicles provided by the Losch VW and Audi dealership, is peopled by eight volunteers--chosen from around 150 applicants--and led by Claude Hermann, who has experience of eight previous caravans. The impact of the Tour de France caravan cannot be underestimated, says tourism minister Françoise Hetto-Gaasch, with the potential to reach some 15 million spectators along the 3,471 kilometre route and also be visible on TV coverage of the world’s most famous cycling race for three weeks.