the Maurrassian right during the beginning of his career, he distanced himself from politics later in his life. He also wrote sports features for L'Équipe, for which he covered 27 editions of the Tour de France and seven Olympic Games. The Tour de France winner, Bernard Hinault, said: He never interviews anybody but just records his impressions of what he's seen and what he feels. Sometimes René Fallet was with him. They both love the Tour and, in simple language, they turn it into a modern epic, a troubador's song, a crusade, as they describe its beauty. The most banal event becomes significant to Blondin; he has only to see it and write about it. He raised the status of the Tour by giving it his own cachet; it became a myth to be renewed every year. No matter how predictable the race, he could maintain the interest in it. Blondin was a bon vivant known for heavy drinking in the Parisian district of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, playing at bull-fighting with passing cars and racking up numerous arrests for drunkenness. He chronicled this aspect of his life in the autofictional novel, Monsieur Jadis ou L'École du Soir. He was frequently pursued for unpaid taxes. Pierre Chany said: He really did owe a lot and, frankly, his situation was becoming serious; we even wondered if he wasn't going to prison. Faced with that, his friends called Maître Bertrand to the rescue. Bertrand managed to organise a summit meeting with the general inspector of taxes - the highest man in his profession, the equivalent of a minister. Full of good will, this man said: "Alors, M. Blondin, I understand that you want to come to terms..." "Let's come to terms!" Antoine said coldly. "How much would you be able to put into your account?" "A tear, monsieur..." Naturally, the man threw him out. It was poor Françoise who had to make another interview to sort it out. A literary prize, for the best sports article, is awarded in his name. References 1922 births 1991 deaths Writers from Paris People affiliated with Action Française Cycling journalists Tour de France journalists Cycling in France Prix des Deux Magots winners Prix Goncourt de la nouvelle recipients Prix Interallié winners Lycée Pierre-Corneille alumni Lycée Louis-le-Grand alumni Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery 20th-century French novelists 20th-century French male writers French male novelists French male non-fiction writers 20th-century French journalists