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“Dominate!” we yell as we form a circle with our bikes. Round and round we ride, all twenty of us. Tyre to tyre, each following the person in front. “Palm of Power!” yells our leader. “Palm of Power!” we chorus. What are we? A new cycling army, attempting a pedal-powered revolution? Well, not quite. We are in the courtyard of the world famous Louvre Museum. After two hours navigating the streets of Paris on a Fat Tire Bike Tour we've been let loose in the open courtyard, which is surprisingly quiet and un-crowded as the sun is setting. In the distance the rest of Paris is still alive, monuments light up the darkening sky, traffic horns sound and a ferris wheel gleams in the distance with sounds of a carnival echoing out into the night. But in the courtyard it feels like the museum is resting, exhausted after tourists have streamed through its doors from open to close. As our tyres whir over the pavement, our voices echo off the centuries-old walls that enclose some of the world’s finest artwork. The crowded streets of Paris may seem like territory best left to the locals to navigate, but we’ve heeded the challenge and joined the nightly tour of the city on two wheels. Pedaling from Fat Tire Headquarters into the battleground, we are well prepared and well guided by our tour leader Ben, who heads up the battalion. Having given us the full briefing before we left, Ben armed us with "Dominate" as our catch cry; a promise to stick together and own the streets, and the Palm of Power as our armory; a hand signal to help us navigate the traffic. Over four hours our army of twenty riders – tourists from Australian, New Zealand, Canada and the US – take a night discovery tour of the city’s historic landmarks and monuments. Between bursts of pedaling we gaze at the glittering lights of the city, taste the fruity flavours of the renowned Berthillon Ice Cream and kick back with some cheap French wine on a river cruise. The only thing missing is a sprint down the Champs-Elysées for a yellow guernsey. Fat Tire have been running bike tours in Paris for 21 years and they manage to cover a lot of ground in the four hours. While there is a fair amount of pedaling to be done, you don’t need to be at an elite level to ride. Some basic competence in riding a bike and a sense of adventure is all you need to join the ranks. The bikes have wide handlebars, fat tyres and reasonably cushy seats which are easy on the ‘derrière’. It’s only a few creaks and groans that show they are earning their keep on their daily circles of Paris. In addition to the night tour Fat Tire also offers a fact-filled day tour for those wanting a more comprehensive lesson on all things Parisian. “The day tour is good if you want to really learn the history of the city, the night tour is a bit more relaxed and just a fun ride,” says Ben. A French art history student, with a good grip on the English language from his time spent in Australia, Ben is a charismatic guide who offers us some great insights into the city’s history as well as a few local tips which come in handy. His recommendation of Sainte-Chapelle has me bypassing the queues at Notre Dame the next day and instead, walking into the colourful, light-filled chapel with an incredible stain-glass window collection – an absolute highlight of my three days in Paris. It’s this local knowledge and insight that really makes the tour worthwhile. As well as the chance to ‘dominate’ the streets of Paris with fellow travellers.