Tour de France

7264 Views 23 Replies 12 Participants Last post by peej, Feb 9, 2010

peej

Discussion Starter · Jun 10, 2009

I have just realised that we are going to France the day after the Tour de France starts.

I would love to see one of the stages. Does anyone have any tips (eg avoid it like the plague)?

Peter

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

clodhopper2006

· #2 · Jun 10, 2009

peej said:
I have just realised that we are going to France the day after the Tour de France starts.

I would love to see one of the stages. Does anyone have any tips (eg avoid it like the plague)?

Peter

It's fantastic. If you want to see them really shifting (80kph +) then get to one of the sprints. For really close views get into the mountains on a climb.
The secret is though, get there early. By that I don't mean early by a few hours I mean get there the previous day. Also don't be in a hurry to leave after the riders have gone as you won't be going anywhere for a while.
It's one of lifes must see events

Bob

115430

· #3 · Jun 11, 2009

Make the effort to see it, the buzz is fantastic and the publicity caravan that precedes the race is great fun (and lots of freebies!!!).

The road stages are so long there's always room to park up just off the (closed) race route. Brother and I went in 07 and are going again this year. If you have bikes then park away from the race route and cycle in and you'll be able to ride over the actual route to get where you want (corners or road junctions in villages are good place to wait and enjoy the spectacle).

If you can, try to see a "depart", you'll be amazed how approachable the riders are.

roll on 17th july

Sadsack

billym

· #4 · Jun 11, 2009

We stayed in a tent at the top of the Col de Tourmalot three years ago. We
had gone up three days prior to the race and all the prime parking places
were already taken. You could however park up a bit off the road and walk down to the road.

It was a great sporting experience ! Unmissable.

If you click the link below then click tour de france on the side there are a
few pictures.

peej

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 17, 2009

We are thinking of either the Tourmalet or possible the previous day's stage (eg Col d'Agnes). Just how late can one arrive and still be able to park up for one of the mountain stages?

I don't mind parking off the route and walking (or cycling!) in but I am worried that we won't be able to find anywhere where we can stop. We have a modest 5.5m Panel Van Motorhome so don't need too much space but if we are staying several nights it will need to be reasonably level.

I really am not sure what to expect so am looking for advice

Peter

GEMMY

· #6 · Jun 17, 2009

How late? what a question,if its one of the biggies and you want a prime spot then at least a week before,otherwise the Dutch will have taken over.Made the mistake two years ago on one of the good mountain stages,and I decided there and then That I was getting a scooter, then it did not matter how late I was ,I could always get to a good spot :lol:

Good luck in your quest.

tony

Grizzly

· #7 · Jun 17, 2009

if you can get hold of the latest ( August) Practical Motorhome magazine they have an interesting article on How to Follow the Tour de France.

PM on way....

G

GEMMY

· #8 · Jun 17, 2009

Get the official magazine,'2009 Tour de France...'from all good booksellers' gives approx time at all parts of each stage,it's the bible of Le Tour.

tony

peej

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 17, 2009

How late? what a question,if its one of the biggies and you want a prime spot then at least a week before,otherwise the Dutch will have taken over.

Thats my dilemma. I cannot afford a week parked up and waiting (The water wouldnt last that long anyway!)

So I was thinking about going for a slightly lower profile spot which won't be so popular. Trouble is I won't know till I get there :?

Peter

peej

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 17, 2009

Get the official magazine,'2009 Tour de France...'from all good booksellers'

Got it already - thanks.

Thats whats got me really fired up but it doesnt give the sort of practical advice I need. The time that the riders will arrive is fairly irrelevant if you have to park for 3 days beforehand.

Peter

GEMMY

· #11 · Jun 17, 2009

Peej,as just stated, get the magazine(out now)then look at each stage, then choose a stage, and check with Autoroute or Google Earth which would be best.Also http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/100/etape_par_etape.html#ici

Hope this helps :lol:

tony

edit sorry peej I was writing when you posted

peej

Discussion Starter · #12 · Aug 1, 2009

3 weeks ago today we were watching Le Tour in the Pyrenees and thanks to the advice I received in this thread it worked out really well.

We decided to go for Stage 8 (Andorra - St Girons) rather than the more popular Tourmalet one. This was a good choice.

The race was coming through on Saturday so we stayed at St Girons on Thursday night and headed up towards the Col d'Agnes on Friday. Although it was already filling up by mid-day on Friday we found a fantastic spot on a series on hairpins 5km from the top. Our 5.6m Symbol meant we could squeeze into a space that was too small for a larger motorhome. However cars and motorhomes continued to come up right into the night and by Saturday morning every possible spot was taken along the route and the side roads.

As mentioned by other posters the atmosphere was amazing and we collected a little party of British spectators round our motorhome with me doling out tea to everyone at regular intervals. (How very British!) Sadly, none of us had remembered to bring flags.

We were able to watch the race on satellite TV before and after the riders came through and had quite an audience watching the finish on the TV through our side door.

As soon as the race had come through the roads were absolutely grid-locked so we made the decision to stay for another night and moved up to a level area on the pass when the rush had died down.

On the Saturday evening the collection of Brits pooled our food resources and had a barbecue.

This was an amazing experience and I hope this short report may be of help and inspiration to others who may want to do the same in future.

There are some pictures here

Peter

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clodhopper2006

· #13 · Aug 1, 2009

absolutely brilliant Peter. I love the Tour. Watched it avidly on the box this year. Sounds like you had a great time. Thanks for posting the pics.
You should watch the Tour of Britain you'd enjoy that too.

sweetie

· #14 · Aug 1, 2009

Thankyou Peter for making up my mind with those lovely photos, been talking of going over to see the tour for years and next year will be the year. It looks as if you had a great time

Steve

Grizzly

· #15 · Aug 1, 2009

Wow ! You've made even me want to go and do this next year !

You've really captured the atmosphere in your photos. Thanks for posting.

G

peej

Discussion Starter · #16 · Aug 1, 2009

The weather did help!

dannimac

· #17 · Aug 1, 2009

Thanks for the photos, peej

We're intending to go next year. Was a bit worried with our 7.3m van but seeing the size of some of the ones around you, I'm less worried now.

Not sure what wee Misty girl will make of all the noise!

D

durhamwasp

· #18 · Feb 7, 2010

peej said:
We were able to watch the race on satellite TV before and after the riders came through and had quite an audience watching the finish on the TV through our side door.

Peter

What satellite system do you have, and what channel were you tuned in to?

Im hoping to do a similar thing this coming summer, catching a stage of the Tour in France.

pneumatician

· #19 · Feb 7, 2010

The Tour

Absulutely a must see if only once.

We were accidentally in it one year on our Motorbike couldn't understand why all of the people were waving at us till we got to the town where our Hotel was. Happened to be a stage finish.
The spectators thought we were one of the bikes selling T shirts we assume.
The bike being a big BMW was also similar to that used by the cameramen.
I had friends who were Cameraman drivers in both the TDF and the Milk race etc. Loads of funny and scary stories, including a famous shot were our club chairman was deliberately elbowed into the ditch by a cyclist.
You just see the camera doing a 180 then stop.

Steve

baldlygo

· #20 · Feb 7, 2010

3

>> This site << should give you all the details you might need to know.

We used it last year and watched the race go through Gueret - All very exciting but you don't get much time to see the cyclists since they go passed so quickly 8O To get a better view of the riders it might pay to choose a location outside of a town.

Paul

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