Ten interesting facts about the Tour de France in Yorkshire

Some Tour facts and figures about Le Grand Depart

1. The official song of the Grand Départ, The Road is written by York’s Alistair Griffin and features Bradford’s Kimberley Walsh

2. Taylors of Harrogate, the official tea partner of the Grand Départ, is preparing to giveaway over 5m tea bags to spectators lined along the UK stages

We're a big fan of the new @YorkshireTea packaging. So much so that we did this... #teaonletour #TDF pic.twitter.com/DM4BAAlkhC

— Le Tour Yorkshire (@letouryorkshire) June 6, 2014

In Masham, over 100,000 pints of beers are predicted to be sold from its breweries during the Tour de France weekend. The biggest party in the town’s history

3. Harrogate Borough Council after a call out for 3,000 knitted bunting jerseys, have been inundated with 23,000 jerseys

Bunting made from knitted jerseys near the Tour de France Stage 1 finish line in Harrogate. I love these. :-) pic.twitter.com/WNHLFgf1oX

— Richard Johnson (@richard0x4A) June 29, 2014

4. In Ripley – which is styled on an historic French village complete with Hotel du Ville - a giant Tricolour of flowers is being planted on the castle terraces to be visible from the air

Le Tour Yorkshire – an inflection reflection of a tricolour in the lake at Ripley pic.twitter.com/uM2jydmh0k

— Tony Dexter (@Timbleman) June 14, 2014

5. Fans from around the world have contributed, when Bradford Visitor Information Centre appealed for yellow knitted triangles, Australian fan Tanya Travers, from Williamstown, Victoria, saw the appeal on twitter and created some bunting triangles

Thank you to all our knitters so far who have helped us to decorate Bradford Visitor Information Centre. pic.twitter.com/b2SSIItL7T

— Visit Bradford (@visitBradford) May 30, 2014

6. Knaresborough have filled their town with over 20 yellow bikes and 14 trompe l’oeils window murals, two of which feature cycling legends Beryl Burton and Brian Robinson

House in knaresborough ahead of Tour de France. Brilliant. pic.twitter.com/OT3UcRt0QZ

— Georgina Duncan (@Norgeous) June 25, 2014

7. The first ever Official Painting of the Grand Départ by North Yorkshire artist Alister Colley has been unveiled, depicting an imagined Yorkshire landscape featuring 28 landmarks and landscapes.

#PateleyBridge #Nidderdale Artist Alister Colley- official @letour grand depart artist 2014. Fantastic! @ZeitgeistArt pic.twitter.com/3Qm7ZziwQp

— Studfold (@Studfold) June 13, 2014

8. The first ever Tour de France Grand Départ shops opened to queues around the block in Leeds Trinity and Sheffield’s Meadowhall.

le Tour de France official store pop up in City Square #Leeds pic.twitter.com/YJL1gXJ6X2

— Visit Leeds (@VisitLeeds) June 30, 2014

How cool! The countdown clock for the Grand Départ in Leeds Trinity. #tourdefrance pic.twitter.com/LHEK4QRTu8

— Rebecca Nuttall (@BecNotTall) June 6, 2014

9. 70km of celebratory cycling jersey bunting being sent throughout the county to dress towns and villages in preparation for the big weekend.

Ours and @theflaxandtwine's Tour de France bunting is proudly up! #TDF2014 #tdf pic.twitter.com/ucgzwxq4in

— Gift Gallery York (@GiftGalleryYork) June 29, 2014

10. 500,000 spectator guides have been published – including versions in Dutch, French and German.

"@harrogatetic: @letouryorkshire spectator guides available from @harrogatetic. pic.twitter.com/o6bnhS49XR" and from @NidderdalePlus #Pateley