Amazing Race (France)

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. During the race, the teams travelled to seven countries for 24 days, spanning over 50,000 km (31,000 miles) 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 street 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 race is 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 upon arriving 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.

Cast

Applications for the race 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 airs each Mondays at 8:30pm, with three rebroadcasts on weekends: two on Saturdays at 1:45pm and 10:45pm, and one on Sundays at 5:35pm. These rebroadcasts were later cancelled due to declining ratings. D17 also offers a rebroadcast of the show on Tuesdays starting 23 October 2012 at 8:50pm.

On Friday before the premiere date, D8 posted the first hour of the premiere episode via Dailymotion.

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, with their relationships at the time of filming. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television due to inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

A red team placement means the team was eliminated.

An underlined leg number indicates that there was no mandatory rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were ordered to continue racing. An underlined team placement indicates that the team came in last on a "continue racing" leg was not eliminated.

An underlined blue team's placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg.

A brown ⊃ means the team chose to use a U-Turn; ⊂ indicates the team who received it.

Leg 1 (France → United Arab Emirates)

Airdate: 22 October 2012

Paris, France (Parc de Saint-Cloud – Rond-point de la Balustrade) (Starting Line)

Paris (Pont des Arts)

Paris (Travel Agency – 1, Rue des Mauvais-Garçons (French))

Paris (Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport) to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Dubai International Airport)

Rub' al Khali desert

Dubai (Skydive Dubai (The Desert Campus))

Dubai (Burj Khalifa – Observation Deck)

Dubai (Mall of the Emirates – Ski Dubai)

Dubai (Atlantis, The Palm)

This Leg's Detour was a choice between Perles (Pearls) or Chameaux (Camels). In Perles, 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 Chameaux, teams, with the help of a camel, had to retrieve two bags of hay and deliver them to the cameleer. While one teammate must ride the camel, the other one need 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 the Leg's Roadblock, teams had to travel to a nearby aerodrome to sign up for one of three flights. The designated teammate for the task must then board the chosen aeroplane and perform a 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) tandem skydive. If they jump within a 10-minute time limit, they received their next clue from an instructor once on the ground. Otherwise, they must wait out a 4-hour penalty.

Additional tasks

At the Pont des Arts, teams were required to search among thousands of locks for one of the hundred padlocks with the Amazing Race flag that the key given them in the clue envelope would open. Once they found the correct lock, the teams would exchange it for their next clue from a couple of young lovers.

At Ski Dubai, teams had to take snow with the help of buoys and shovels and carry it outside, where the temperature was approximately 50 °C (122 °F). They then had to build a 1m40 snowman before the snow melted to receive their next clue.

Additional notes

Teams had to travel to a travel agency located at 1, Rue des Mauvais-Garçons to book one of two flights to Dubai.

Once in Dubai, teams needed to find an assigned taxi driver with their picture in one of the airport's car parks, who would drive them to the desert.

The last three teams were not told of their placings upon arriving at the pit stop. Instead, they were told together of their positions after all the teams arrived after dark.

Leg 2 (United Arab Emirates → Thailand)

Airdate: 29 October 2012

Dubai (Dubai International Airport) to Bangkok, Thailand (Suvarnabhumi Airport)

Bangkok (Klong Toey 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)

This Leg's Detour was a choice between Degustation (Taste) or Provisions (Supplies). In Degustation, 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 Provisions, teams were given a shopping list completely written in thai and 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 it with their next clue. This Leg's Roadblock required one team member to climb the stairs of Wat Arun to the top section and count the statues. Once the correct number (100) told to a thai dancer on the ground, they would receive their next clue. But if they tell the wrong number, they would have to climb again and re-count all the statues before they could give a new answer to the dancer.

Additional tasks

At Davis Bangkok Hotel, teams had to sign up for two different departure times for the next morning, 7:30 and 8:00.

At the Wat Pho, teams 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.

At the Elephant Stay Reserve, teams had to ride an elephant into the river, where they would have to wash off the traditional markings painted on it to receive their next clue.

Leg 3 (Thailand → Japan)

Airdate: 5 November 2012

Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) to Tokyo, Japan (Narita International Airport)

Shibuya (Shibuya Crossing)

Shibuya (Hachikō Statue)

Shinjuku (Capsule Land Hotel) (Overnight rest)

Taitō (Kaminarimon)

Taitō (Raichukaikan Temple)

Shibuya (Jingu Bashi Bridge)

Shibuya (Hikawa Jinga-Shibuya Temple)

Minato (Odaiba Park)

In this Leg's Roadblock, team members had to grab their next clue from a young sumotori while wrestling against him. If the team member steps outside the red circle or fall on the ground before grabbing their clue, they would have to wait five minutes, or more if there's others teams, to restart the combat. The Detour was a choice between Nouilles (Noodles) or Poissons (Fishes). In Nouilles, teams had to deliver six bowls of noodles to the restaurant's customers, located at a distance of 150 meters from the starting point, while wearing a traditional dress and a pair of geta to receive their next clue. When delivered, the soup contained in the bowls must be filled up to the red pattern, if not, teams would have to restart everything. In Poissons, teams had to catch fifteen goldfishes with the help of a rice paper landing net to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

At the Shibuya Crossing, teams had to spot the Amazing Race logo on one of the giant screens, that would after show them a keyword written in Japanese, appearing for ten seconds at each 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.

At the Capsule Land Hotel, teams had to sign up for seven different departure times for the next morning, where they would receive their next clue, the first one at 8:00 and the last at 9:00, each one separated by ten minutes.

At the Jingu Bashi Bridge, teams had to find, with the help of a drawing of the character given them in the clue envelope, a person dressed as Son Goku, the main protagonist of Dragon Ball. Teams would have to give them a gift of pink colour in exchange of their next clue.

Leg 4 (Japan → United States)

Airdate: 12 November 2012

Tokyo (Narita International Airport) to Honolulu, Hawaii, United States (Honolulu International Airport)

Pearl City (Pearl Harbor – USS Missouri)

Kawela Bay (Overnight rest)

Honolulu (Magic Island)

Kualoa Valley (Secret Island, Kualoa Ranch)

In this Roadblock, one team member had to decipher their next destination (Kawela Bay), which would be presented to them through the use of flag semaphore. Teams were given a list of flag positions representing each letter, but they would have to memorize it before a naval officer would present them with their destination. In the Detour, teams had to choose between Glace Pilée (Crushed Ice) or Pierre Cassée (Broken Stone). In Glace Pilée, teams needed to fill a bucket with crushed ice using a traditional saw on a block of ice. In Pierre Cassée, teams had to take a surfboard out to a buoy in the water (using the traditional Hawaiian standard of standing upright on top of it), retrieve a 2kg stone from beneath it, and return it to shore. They would then have to use a chisel to break the stone and retrieve their clue from inside.

Additional tasks

At Kawela Bay, teams signed up for departure times the following morning. The first four teams would depart at 8:45am, and the last three would depart at 9:00am. During the rest, teams got to enjoy a private beach and a Luau.

Leg 5 (United States)

Air date: 19 November 2012

Honolulu (Honolulu International Airport) to Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International Airport)

Los Angeles (Venice Beach)

Los Angeles (Hotel) (Overnight Rest)

Los Angeles (Walt Disney Concert Hall)

Los Angeles (Hollywood Boulevard – Hollywood Walk of Fame)

Santa Clarita (Golden Oak Ranch)

Los Angeles (Venice Beach)

This leg's Detour was a choice between Pic à Glace (Ice Pick) or Picasso. In Pic à Glace, teams had to take control of an ice-cream vendor and sell ice cream cones to locals. They had to make US$30, and had to sell each cone for at least US$2. In Picasso, teams had to convince locals to let them paint caricatures of them. They had to sell these and make US$30. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to successfully perform a burnout in a car on a movie set.

Additional tasks

After the Detour, teams would receive a CD containing nine French versions of classic Disney songs. ("Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo", "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat", "Colors of the Wind", "Bella Notte", "The Bare Necessities", "Hakuna Matata", "Following the Leader", "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", "I Wan'na Be Like You") They would have to memorise the names of these songs while listening to the CD on the way to the hotel.

At the Walt Disney Concert Hall, teams had to locate a saxophonist, who would be playing one of the nine songs from the CD ("The Bare Necessities"). Teams would have to correctly identify this song to receive their next clue.

On Hollywood Boulevard, teams had to locate four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame using a photograph of four peoples' heads edited onto Mount Rushmore: Sylvester Stallone, Michael Jackson, Steven Spielberg, and Meryl Streep. Once they had located all four and taken a picture of each, they would give them to a woman dressed as Marilyn Monroe in exchange for their next clue.

Leg 6 (United States → Brazil)

Air date: 26 November 2012

Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) to Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil (Foz do Iguaçu International Airport)

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Jungle Camp) (Overnight Rest)

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Mirante Garganta do Diabo)

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Bike parking lot)

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Iguaçu River)

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Cânion Iguaçu)

Parque Nacional do Iguaçu (Puerto Macuco)

In this Detour, teams chose between Connaissance (Knowledge) and Patience. In Connaissance, teams needed to choose from a variety of items representing Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, and correctly give five of each to the correct representatives of each country. However, a bank note from Panama and a map from Chile are included to trick teams. In Patience, teams needed to untangle a large knot of ropes to release their next clue from within. For the Roadblock, one team member had to rappel 55 metres (180 ft) down Cânion Iguaçu.

Additional notes

Throughout this leg, teams followed coloured flags to guide them around the national park. Orange flags led to the camp, red led to the Detour clue, pink led to the knowledge Detour, green led to the patience Detour and the bike parking lot, light blue led to the end of the bike course, and yellow led to the Roadblock clue.

Additional tasks

At the Jungle Camp, teams signed up for departure times the following morning. During the rest stop, teams received video messages from their loved ones at home.

After the Detour, teams had to repair and inflate the tires of bikes, which they would use to ride to their next destination.

At the Iguaçu River, teams had to ride kayaks 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) down the river to get their next clue.

After the Roadblock, teams needed to raft 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) down the river to the Pit Stop.

Leg 7 (Brazil)

Air date: 3 December 2012

Foz do Iguaçu (Foz do Iguaçu International Airport) to Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport)

Rio de Janeiro (Cantagalo slums)

Rio de Janeiro (Christ the Redeemer)

Rio de Janeiro (Copacabana Beach outside Othon Hotel)

Rio de Janeiro (Largo da Carioca)

Rio de Janeiro (Botafogo Beach)

In this Roadblock, one team member had to kick a soccer ball through a small metal grate representing their goal, but could not let the ball knock away the piece of wood at the bottom of the opening, meaning teams needed to kick the ball through the air. They would have to accomplish this task twice in five attempts, or they would have to go to the back of the line. In the Detour, teams had to choose between Jeu de Jambes (Leg Game) or Jeu de Plage (Beach Game). In Jeu de Jambes, teams must learn how to properly perform a Samba dance for a judge to receive their next clue. In Jeu de Plage, teams must create the word "Race" on a pre-existing sand sculpture of Corcovado with "Amazing" written on it. They would then have to cover a small Christ the Redeemer statue with wet sand to complete the sculpture. Once a judge approves, they'll receive their clue.

Additional tasks

Teams had to follow race flags and arrows around the Cantagalo slums, searching for a young boy named João with their next clue.

At Largo da Carioca, teams had to conduct a survey with the people of Rio de Janeiro. They had to find eight people from eight different states of Brazil and bring them to the judge, who would verify their place of birth and stamp the survey.

Leg 8 (Brazil → South Africa)

Air date: 10 December 2012

Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport) to Cape Town, South Africa (Cape Town International Airport)

Cape Town (Victoria & Alfred Waterfront)

Cape Town (Protea Hotel Fire & Ice!) (Overnight Rest)

Cape Town (District Six Museum)

Cape Town (Castle of Good Hope)

Khayelitsha, Cape Town (Intyatyambo Orphanage)

Cape Town (Cape of Good Hope - Cape Point)

Cape Town (Rhodes Memorial)

In this Detour, teams chose between Radio and Disco. In Radio, teams had to travel to the Waterfront's Market, where they had to put together two radios with the material provided. In Disco, teams had to learn to perform the Gumboot dance with a troupe of African dancers. Once they have successfully performed the dance for the band leader, they would receive their clue.

Additional tasks

At the District Six Museum, teams had to complete a wood block puzzle, which would reveal two street names. Teams had to use the large map of District 6 on the ground to find the written name of someone who used to live at the intersection of these two before being removed during Apartheid. They would then have to find this person inside the museum to receive their next clue.

After the task in the District Six Museum, teams needed to procure a copy of the Cape Times and had to find their next clue printed inside, indicating where they would find their cars and their next clue envelope.

At the Intyatyambo Orphanage, teams participated in the Mandela Day activities and helped out at the orphanage, delivering gifts provided in their vehicles, doing chores and repairing the site, for 67 minutes (in reference to the Mandela Day slogan) before receiving their next clue.

Leg 9 (South Africa)

Air date: 17 December 2012

Cape Town (Protea Hotel Fire and Ice)

Touws River (Aquila Private Game Reserve)

Aquila Private Game Reserve (Stone Cottage)

Aquila Private Game Reserve (Boma Area)

Aquila Private Game Reserve (U-turn board area)

Paarl (Nelson Creek Vineyard)

Franschhoek, Stellenbosch (Huguenot Monument)

Teams started the Leg at the Protea Hotel Fire and Ice. In this Detour, teams chose between Jeu de la Terre (Dry Game) and Jeu de l'eau (Wet Game). In Jeu de la Terre, teams were faced with a series of pots suspended from an arch. The pot in the middle was painted black, and had to be avoided. Teams had to use a traditional tribal club from a distance to hit the pots. If the black pot was hit, teams incurred a ten-minute penalty. In Jeu de l'eau, teams had to open an ostrich egg and empty its contents. They then had to use the egg shells to transport water and fill a jar to receive their next clue. In this Roadblock, teams travelled on a set path around the vineyard with a 120kg barrel, which had a hole in it, and was leaking wine. Once they travelled the 200m with the barrel, it had to be refilled.

Additional tasks

At the Aquila Game Reserve, teams first participated in a safari, and while using binoculars, teams had to look for numbers scattered throughout the safari which would be used to answer the eight questions about wildlife upon arriving at Stone Cottage. These questions are: The maximum speed of lion (50 km/h), days hippo can go without drinking (5 days), Elephant gestation period (22 months), amount of a giraffe's spines (7), average weight of cheetah (60 kg), amount of time the lion can sleep per day (20 hours), amount of time a hippo can stay underwater (6 minutes) and white rhino's life expectancy (45). Upon getting all answers correctly, teams could proceed to the detour.

Leg 10 (South Africa → France)

Air date: 24 December 2012

Cape Town (Protea Hotel Fire and Ice)

Cape Town (Port of Cape Town)

Cape Town (Cape Town International Airport) to Paris, France (Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport)

Ermenonville (La Mer de Sable (French))

Chantilly (Château de Chantilly)

Fontaine-Chaalis (Chaalis Abbey)

Saint-Denis, Paris (Stade de France)

In the final Roadblock of the race, teams took a boat out to the ocean, where one team member had to descend down in a shark cage. They then had to take a photograph of a shark, fitting its entire body into the image. After grabbing their clue from the shark cage, they could return to the boat. If they took a good photograph of the shark, they would receive a 15-minute headstart at the Paris airport. In the final Detour, teams chose between Crème Fouettée (Whipped Cream) and Cible Visée (Target Sight). In Crème Fouettée, teams needed to use the provided ingredients to make a batch of Crème Chantilly to a chef's satisfaction. In Cible Visée, teams needed to shoot arrows at a target using a bow, and needed to get two in the outer blue part, two in the middle red part, and two in the centre yellow part.

Additional tasks

At La Mer de Sable, teams had to dig in the sand to find their next clue. However, some holes contained clues saying "Try again"

In the final challenge at the Chaalis Abbey, teams needed to place markers containing distances in kilometres next to each destination they visited on the race, indicating how far away the location is from Paris.

Upon arrival at the Stade de France, teams needed to find the commemorative star for Zinedine Zidane, where they would find a clue box containing tickets that would grant them entrance to the Stadium, and to the Final Pit Stop.

Additional note

Teams opened their clue for this leg's Roadblock upon arriving at the previous leg's pit stop. They had to decide who would perform it before checking in there.

Like the first leg, teams were not told of their placing upon arriving at the pit stop. Instead, they were all told together after all teams had checked in.

Ratings

The following information was taken from Médiamétrie