Amazing Race : la plus grande course autour du monde ! () is a French reality competition show based on the American series The Amazing Race. Following the premise of other versions in the Amazing Race franchise, the show follows nine teams of two as they race around the world. The show was split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in foreign areas, interact with locals, perform physical and mental challenges, and travel by air, boat, car, taxi, and other modes of transport. Teams are progressively eliminated at the end of most legs for being the last to arrive at designated Pit Stops. The first team to arrive at the Finish Line wins a grand prize of €50,000.
The show was hosted by Alexandre Delpérier, produced by Shine France for CBS Studios International and in association with ABC Studios (a division of The Walt Disney Company), distributed by The Walt Disney Company France and broadcast on D8. Starting in Paris, teams traveled through the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Japan, the United States, Brazil, and South Africa before returning to France and finishing in the Paris Region.
The finale aired on 24 December 2012 with cyber-friends Anthony Martinage and Sonja Sacha as the winners, while childhood friends Hadj Semara and Yacim Djabali finished second, and surfers Stéphanie François and Alice Digne finished third.
D8 began airing the season on Monday 22 October 2012, and D17 on Tuesday 23 October 2012, both at 8:50 p.m. CEST (UST+2)
Production Development and filming
On 23 March 2012, it was announced that Canal+ had acquired the format for a French version of the show. Filming started on 30 June 2012 in Paris. Teams travelled to seven countries for 24 days, spanning over in five continents, finishing on 23 July at the Stade de France. This season visited the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Japan, the United States (making it the first foreign version of the show to visit this country), Brazil and South Africa. Among the highlights are a leg in the streets of Bangkok, an African safari, an excursion to Iguazu Falls and the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Teams also visited Tokyo, Dubai, Los Angeles, Hawaii and Cape Town.
Unlike its American counterpart, the show is more narrative and informative in content as the show stopped several times throughout each episode to provide viewers with information about the culture and life in the places they visit. Also differing from the American version is that teams are presented their first clue for the next leg at the Pit Stop of the previous leg. The teams are also often told of their next destination at the Pit Stop before they even open these clues. Teams normally don't begin the next leg at the Pit Stop, rather, they are released separately from airports or begin the next leg at hotels they stayed in during the Pit Stop.
Casting Applications for the show started 16 April 2012 and ended on 29 May 2012. On 27 September 2012, the teams were announced on Télé-Loisirs.fr.
Broadcasting Amazing Race premiered on D8 22 October 2012 and aired each Mondays at 8:30 p.m., with three rebroadcasts on weekends: two on Saturdays at 1:45 p.m. and 10:45 p.m., and one on Sundays at 5:35 p.m. These rebroadcasts were later cancelled due to declining ratings. D17 also offered a rebroadcast of the show on Tuesdays starting 23 October 2012 at 8:50 p.m.
On Friday before the premiere date, D8 posted the first hour of the premiere episode via Dailymotion.
Contestants
ContestantsAgeRelationshipHometownStatus 23Belgian CoupleCharleroi, BelgiumEliminated 1st(in Dubai, United Arab Emirates) 21 30Police OfficersParisEliminated 2nd(in Ayutthaya, Thailand) 30 22ParisiansGarchesEliminated 3rd(in Kualoa Valley, United States) 21 28TwinsVilletaneuseEliminated 4th(in Los Angeles, United States) 28 54Father & SonCalaisEliminated 5th(in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 27 32BikersAlpes-MaritimesEliminated 6th(in Stellenbosch, South Africa) 54 29SurfersPauThird Place 31 24Childhood FriendsMaubeugeSecond Place 25 29Cyber-FriendsParisWinners 33
Results The following teams are listed with their placements in each leg. Placements are listed in finishing order. A placement with a dagger () indicates that the team was eliminated. An placement with a double-dagger () indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop in a non-elimination leg. An italicized and underlined placement indicates that the team was the last to arrive at a Pit Stop, but there was no rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were instructed to continue racing. A indicates that the team used the U-Turn and a indicates the team on the receiving end of the U-Turn.
+Team placement (by leg) Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Anthony & Sonja2nd5th2nd1st2nd3rd2nd1st Hadj & Yacim3rd3rd6th6th4th5th1st3rd1st2nd Stéphanie & Alice5th2nd4th3rd5th3rd4th1st3rd3rd Heïdi & Michel1st6th3rd1st3rd4th2nd2nd Francis & Benjamin7th4th2nd5th2nd1st Oucéni & Lassana8th1st1st4th Mathilde & Séverine4th7th5th Fabien & Aurélien6th Antoine & Héléna Notes
Race summary
Leg 1 (France → United Arab Emirates)
Episode 1 (22 October 2012) Eliminated: Antoine & Héléna
Locations Paris, France (Parc de Saint-Cloud – Rond-point de la Balustrade) (Starting Line) Paris (Pont des Arts) Paris (1 Rue des Mauvais-Garçons – Travel Agency) Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) → Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Dubai International Airport) Emirate of Dubai (Rub' al Khali Desert) Margham (Skydive Dubai) Dubai (Burj Khalifa – Observation Deck) Dubai (Mall of the Emirates – Ski Dubai) Dubai (Atlantis, The Palm)
Episode summary Teams set off from Rond-point de la Balustrade at Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris, where they had to get their next clue and instructed them to travel to Pont des Arts. Once there, teams had to use the key in their first clue to find the one Amazing Race colored love lock out of one hundred placed on the bridge it unlocked and give it to the couple of young lovers in exchange for their next clue. The clue instructed teams to travel to Travel Agency at 1 Rue des Mauvais-Garçons to book one of two flights to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Four teams were booked on the first flight, while the remaining teams on the second flight. Once there, teams had to search the airport's parking for a taxi with the assigned driver who have their picture on it, would direct them to Rub' al Khali Desert where they would get their next clue. This series' first Detour was a choice between Pearls (Perles) or Camels (Chameaux). In Pearls, teams had to find and count, with the help of a sieve, the exact number of pearls in an earthenware jar filled with sand. Once the exact number of pearls was given to the pearler, accompanied by all the pearls contained in the jar, teams could receive their next clue. In Camels, teams had to choose a camel and with a help, they had to retrieve two bags of hay and deliver them to the cameleer. While one team member rode the camel, their partner had to guide the animal along the path. Both team members must hang the bags of hay on the camel by the themselves. Once the hay had been brought back, teams would receive their next clue from the cameleer. In this series' first Roadblock, teams had to travel to a nearby aerodrome to sign up for one of three flights. The chosen team member then had to board an aeroplane and perform a tandem skydive. If they jumped within a 10-minute time limit, they received their next clue from an instructor once on the ground. Otherwise, they had to wait out a four-hour penalty. After completing the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Burj Khalifa and climb up to the highest panoramic view of the world to get their next clue, directing them to Ski Dubai where they must have to take snow with the help of buoys and shovels and carry it outside, where the temperature was approximately . They then had to build a snowman before the snow melted to receive their next clue, directing them to the Pit Stop at Atlantis, The Palm.
Additional note The last three teams were not told their placings after arriving at the Pit Stop and were told together of their positions after all the teams arrived after dark.
Leg 2 (United Arab Emirates → Thailand)
Episode 2 (29 October 2012) Eliminated: Fabien & Aurélien
Locations Dubai (Gloria Hotel) Dubai (Dubai International Airport) → Bangkok, Thailand (Suvarnabhumi Airport) Bangkok (Khlong Toei Market) Bangkok (Davis Bangkok Hotel) (Overnight Rest) Bangkok (Wat Pho – Phra Chedi Moo Ha) Bangkok (Wat Arun) Ayutthaya (Elephant Stay Reserve) Ayutthaya (Ayutthaya Historical Park – Wat Phra Mahathat)
Episode summary Teams received their clues from Alexandre at the previous Pit Stop and were instructed to travel to Bangkok, Thailand. Once there, they would travel to Khlong Toei Market for their next clue. This leg's Detour was a choice between Taste (Degustation) or Supplies (Provisions). In Taste, teams had to share and eat two bowls of traditional Thai dishes; the first one containing two scorpions, and the second one, three cockroaches. Once they've eaten all of the insects contained in their plates, teams could receive their next clue from the chef. In Supplies, teams were given a shopping list completely written in Thai and had to buy, with their own money, all of the ten ingredients on the list. Once they brought back all the food to an old lady, they could exchange them for their next clue. After completed the Detour, teams had to travel to Davis Bangkok Hotel where they had to sign up for one of two departure times for the next morning, 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. That would lead them to Wat Pho where they had to find a young student near the Phra Chedi Moo Ha. They were left to figure out that there were four Chedi, and the student was located beside one of them who would give them their next clue, directing them to Wat Arun. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb the stairs of Wat Arun to the top section and count the statues. Once they gave the correct number (100) to a Thai dancer on the ground, they would receive their next clue. But if they gave a wrong number, they would have to climb again and re-count all the statues before they could give a new answer to the dancer. After completed the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Elephant Stay Reserve in Ayutthaya where they had to ride an elephant into the river, and then have to wash off the traditional markings painted on it to receive their next clue, directing them to the Pit Stop at Wat Phra Mahathat.
Leg 3 (Thailand → Japan)
Episode 3 (5 November 2012)
Locations Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) → Tokyo, Japan (Narita International Airport) Tokyo (Shibuya Scramble Crossing) Tokyo (Hachikō Statue) Tokyo (Capsule Land Hotel) (Overnight Rest) Tokyo (Kaminarimon) Tokyo (Raichukaikan Temple) Tokyo (Jingu Bashi Bridge) Tokyo (Hikawa Jinja-Shibuya Temple) Tokyo (Odaiba Marine Park)
Episode summary Teams received their clues from Alexandre at the previous Pit Stop and were instructed to travel to Tokyo, Japan. Once there, they had to travel to the Shibuya Scramble Crossing and spot the Amazing Race logo on one of the giant screens, which then displayed a Gojūon sign (ハチ公) for ten seconds every two minutes. Teams were left to figure out that this word meant Hachikō and that they were directed to go to the Hachikō statue. A young Tokyoite located beside the statue would then exchange the word Hachikō for their next clue. The clues directed teams to Capsule Land Hotel, where they had to sign up for seven different departure times for the next morning, the first one at 8:00 a.m. and the last at 9:00 a.m., each one separated by ten minutes and they would receive their next clue, instructed them to Kaminarimon and then directed them to Raichukaikan Temple where they would get their next clue.