I had a lovely surprise today. A good friend of mine visited France at the weekend and she sent me a delightful postcard of a gorgeous lady on a bicycle with the slogan "Vive Sainte Catherine" (See above)

Now, my friend is no cyclist, but knowing that I love anything to do with the bicycle, she sent me the card with quite an intriguing message.

"Jay, Happy St. Catherine's Day! I don't know who she is but the words "Vive St Catherine" appear on many post cards and posters with images of ladies of all ages on bicycles. Perhaps she's the patron saint of cyclists? Thought you might like her!"

So I googled St Catherine. I had a hunch that she had something to do with the Catherine Wheel, but that was about it. Apparently, if Google can be believed, Catherine, a devout christian, pissed of some Roman Emperor in 307 by refusing to marry him. So he ordered her to die on the wheel, poor girl, but when she touch it, it shattered, so she was beheaded instead at the ripe old age of 25. Catherine later became the patron saint of unmarried women and crafts people who made wheels.

This started a tradition, particularly in France, for unmarried women over the age of 25, to party on down to celebrate their freedom. And it still happens today with unmarried women partying on down until dawn.

Now, the bike wasn't invented until 1890's but I find the association with Catherine and the bicycle fascinating. The 1890's heralded the start of emancipation of women as they bicycled to freedom in their heavy victorian dress and bloomers without a chaperone. By refusing to marry, Catherine was stating her intent to remain free of the constraints that marriage would have imposed upon her and yet the irony is, that the wheel gave her the ultimate freedom.

So, perhaps it's not that strange that unmarried french women associate Catherine with the bicycle after all.

But my final musing on this matter led me to researching who IS the patron saint of cyclists. And, guess what, it's a woman!! A good old Italian, rather like myself! The story goes that Count Ghisallo was travelling near the village of Magréglio when he was attacked by highway bandits.

Spotting a image of the Virgin Mary in a roadside shrine, he broke away from his attackers and ran to it. There he took refuge, pled for Our Lady's protection - and was miraculously saved from the robbers. The Madonna del Ghisallo was given patroness of cyclists on 13th October 1949 by Pope Pius XII .

The Chapel at Ghisallo is now part religious shrine, part cycling museum with artifacts and photos from the sport. There is an eternal flame that burns there in memory of all cyclists who are no longer with us.

Has anyone been there, I wonder?