Within hours of completing their heroic London to Paris marathon, members of the Merseyside Morning Star cycle team were back at work — running a stall at Europe’s biggest annual gathering and celebration of the international left, the Fete de l’ Humanite.

The three-day festival takes place in a huge park in a suburb of northern Paris. Hundreds of marquees, tents, stalls and stages make up the festival which was the destination of the Merseyside cyclists and their support team.

The festival is attended by 600,000 people, dwarfing even Britain’s Durham’s Miners’ Gala, which this year had a modern-day record crowd of 130,000.

And it’s not just French activists who join in the annual celebration of politics, debate, music, food and social intercourse. 

There are campaigners and trades unionists from across Europe and beyond, promoting and discussing their causes, beliefs, campaigns and the future of a world increasingly dominated by corporatism, capitalism and exploitation. 

The Fete de l’ Humanite is organised by France’s Communist Party-linked daily newspaper L’Humanite. Dozens of marquees hold hundreds of people for panel-led debates on the political issues of today.

And just in case you picture a gathering of Europe’s ageing lefties, think again. The festival attracted a huge number of young people enjoying a musical lineup headlined by trip-hop legends Massive Attack, German rockers Scorpions and West African reggae star Alpha Blondy.

A vital feature of the festival is its Village du Monde — the world village — which displays the internationalism of the struggle against capitalism and celebrates the diversity and international solidarity of the struggle, and at the same time showcasing the food and music of different cultures.

Causes were represented from around the world including Tamils from Sri Lanka, freedom campaigners from Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Kurdistan and Mali, and supporters of Cuba and Venezuela. 

But let’s get back to the Merseyside cyclists who arrived in Paris on Friday night exhausted but exhilarated to learn that they were in reach of the £10,000 target they set for their sponsored marathon in support of the Morning Star. 

They spoke first of their epic journey and their association with the paper.

Lifelong Liverpool resident John O’Brien, 68 , was the “granddaddy” of the ten-strong cycling team. 

“I’ve been reading the paper since I was about 19,” said the retired construction worker. “It was the Daily Worker then. 

“Me and a comrade, Frank Caroll, sold the paper. We once sold 100 Morning Stars in an hour in a street in Liverpool.”  

He said the cycle ride had been difficult, the road surfaces varied, but the work of the four-strong logistics back-up team had meant excellent accommodation and well-organised breaks and food. “The comradeship was excellent,” he said. “I only wish I was 40 years younger.”

Bernie Wentworth, 46, a trades union lawyer with Thompsons solicitors, started reading the Morning Star as a student in Sheffield. 

“The ride has been good fun. I hope to be able to do it next year. Money is still coming in. What helped a lot was the logistics team behind us. They organised the food and drink breaks and accommodation. They were the unsung heroes.”

Dave Owen, 52, a full-time worker for public service union Unison in Widnes, was one of the logistics team along with Paul Voght, Hazel Roberts and Kevan Nelson.

“There were ups and downs but it was brilliant,” he said. “The cyclists were fantastic. They really worked hard. The thing is it was a socialist enterprise. That is the perspective. That is what got us together.”

Then they arrived at the Fete de l’ Humanite  — and they were overwhelmed by the enormity of the event.

After a night’s rest they were helping staff the Morning Star stall — one of more than a thousand, representing left parties and campaigning organisations.

The stall was a tremendous success. In addition to the weekend edition of the Morning Star, it stocked a bi-lingual French-English edition about the cyclists’ achievement.

They spoke of their impressions of the festival — its size and level of support. John O’ Brien said: “It is absolutely fabulous. There is that much of it and it is that intense.”

Wentworth, staffing the stall with the other riders and team members, said: “It has brought home to me the cultural and political differences of the two countries, and the work that needs to be done by the left in the UK.  There is nothing like this in the UK at all in terms of size, scale and magnitude. There is a huge diversity of ages.”

Cyclist Matthew Tollitt said: “It’s just fantastic being at the Fete de l’Humanite for the first time. The size and the atmosphere is inspirational. 

“I do not speak French but I am able to communicate with people here. There’s a natural international comradeship. The whole event seems to be in the French culture — the French have had a revolution.”

Cyclist Peter Middleman, 41, said: “I am blown away by the size of it. I’ve been to Durham for 10 years but this is on a different scale. It’s a massively different dimension.

“It is reassuring to know that there are so many well-organised comrades from so many nations who are here.  It’s a chance to experience different food and beer as well which is welcome!”

Computer programmer Regi Thomas, 55, one of the cyclists, said: “The cycle marathon was an eye-opener on its own. But we have a lot to learn from the Fete de l’Humanite.  

Owen said: “We have nothing like it at all.  I have been to Tolpuddle and there are certain similarities about bringing people together. But we have nothing like this. 

“The Fete is totally different. You have to experience it to realise how big it is. There are so many young people.”

The marathon team returns to Britain today. Their appeal is still open for final donations.