Over the years, many in France harbored doubts that the cancer survivor raced clean, when so many other riders were caught doping. During his final Tour in 2005, many fans booed Armstrong as he raced by, and he subsequently stopped any visible effort to seduce the French.

During his absence, things have eased and Armstrong is not the same dominant rider anymore. He won only one race this season — the Nevada City Classic in June — and finished 12th in the Giro d'Italia. He also crashed and broke his collarbone in the Vuelta of Castilla and Leon stage race in March.

Armstrong will be on the starting line in Monaco in a situation he has never experienced. The man once feared as "the Boss" of the peloton now has to battle Astana teammate Alberto Contador, the overwhelming pre-race favorite, for the role of team leader.

But in his more mellow state, even some competitors are warming to the veteran.

"They (the riders) know I'm older, they see that I'm more relaxed," Armstrong said. "Before, I never had riders asking for pictures or signatures. Now that happens. It's pretty interesting."

"They see that I'm not as intense as I was before. In the last couple of years, no rider even tried to talk to me and the team," he said. "They were afraid to talk to us. Now we can have a conversation — it's more open."

French sports fans traditionally pull for the underdog or have affection for "the magnificent loser," as the term goes in French — and Armstrong has never fit either label.

Take perennial runner-up Raymond Poulidor of France, who finished on the Tour podium eight times but never won, and never wore the race leader's yellow jersey. Decades after his career ended, he is still worshipped by French fans.

For Armstrong, who wore the yellow jersey 83 days, he may not be as the golden years may be over, but time for reconciliation with the French may be close.

"The reactions that I have in hotels, the reactions that I have in training, the reactions that I have in restaurants, or anything, it's a comfortable relationship," he said. "I'm not worried about it."