This year’s race began in Monaco and advanced into Andorra, Spain, Switzerland and Italy and France.
I drove a 2009 Citroen C3 Picasso min-MPV. It’s a boxy crossover with a five-speed manual transmission, decent acceleration and a lot of storage room. It used diesel fuel, which in France (and other European countries) is more than $1 cheaper gallon than standard grade unleaded gas. It’s sold in liters, with 3.8 liters equaling a gallon. Prices varied from .88 to 1.15 euros per liter, or $3.34 to $4.37 per gallon.
During my 23 days at the Tour de France, I drove the Citroen 6,625 kilometers (4,115 miles). Someone stole a hubcap and small press sticker was peeled off the from rear window. Overall, the car performed well. It vibrated and lost some stability above kph (93.1 mph), but that didn’t stop me often from keeping up with the follow of traffic — in the slow lane.
James Raia
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.