TDF 2010 trip - Tourmalet

Chris_90

Hello everyone

Myself and a friend are thinking of camping out at the top of the Tourmalet this year for the tour. I was just wondering if anyone had any tips about doing this, or anybody who has any local knowledge. What is the best way to get up there (we don't want to cycle, and won't have access to cars). I assume the nearest airport would be Toulouse?

Thanks in advance
Chris

v718

Chris

You will need to be on the Tourmalet by 0900 for both days of the Tour as the road will be closed. You will be able to camp but don't get too close to the road as the boys in blue will ask you to move yor tent further back. This year there was a party at the Cafe on top of the Tourmalet until 0630 from the previous night with a band provided as well as good night was had by all.

Nearest Airport Lourdes BMI will be flying from Manchester or Ryanair from Stansted to Pau about 2hrs30mins hours away on public transport to Bareges and Lourdes about 2hrs, from Bareges you will have to walk. There is a small camp site in the village or a camping naturel with no amenities what so ever apart from a stream!!!

Chris_90

Thanks very much for that.

So they go up the tourmalet on the 20th and 22nd? The only thing I am afraid of is getting up there, especially if there are bad conditions. Would any buses be running up the pass the day or a few days before?

Thanks

Chris_90

Sorry to be a pain, but also how would one get from Lourdes to Barages? It states that the nearest rail station to Barages is Lourdes itself

v718

The bus service is part of SNCF the train service you normally have 15 - 20 mins when you get outside Lourdes Station to catch the bus. You can sometimes buy an integrated return ticket for the train journey(if your traveling by train) that will get you to Bareges on the bus also otherwise its about 16.00€ return.

Buses will run the day before, the day in between and the day after, normal service is 6 times per day in peak summer starting at 0630 and finishing 2115. The buses run what ever the weather even in winter when there is a 1metre of snow!!!! Bareges is a village and has some amenities, supermaket, bars and restaurants situated 11kms from the summit.

Remember these are the mountains and the weather can be pretty foul or absolutely fantastic make sure you are prepared, warm and waterproof clothing and or sunscreen. Make sure you check the weather forecast a couple of days before you are due to leave and if it says it will be hot and sunny then expect this meteo france is quite good for this...

I hope you have a good trip this will be one of the best Tours in a long time!!!!!

Chris_90

Thanks for that

Do you know where I can book the bus ticket taking us from Lourdes train station to Bareges? The SNCF website doesn't seem to have Bareges as an option

v718

Just walk onto the bus and ask the driver for a aller retour a Bareges the return leg being on the day that you need it that should see you get up there. You may also need to change at pierrefitte nestalas the driver will tell you otherwise you will end up in Cauterets. Its a interchange with other buses you will know once you are there.

Champy79

Hi

Just adding to this question. I have booked accommodation in Tarbes and was hoping to cyle part way up the Tourmalet to watch it. Does anyone have an idea about either cycling from Tarbes or parking a car near to the climb and then climbing part of it? Someone posted above that you have to be on the mountain by 9am as the roads will be closed. Do you think this is the same if you want to cycle up it?

v718

No you should be OK until about midday to cycle up best thing is either park in Lourdes and cycle up the Voie Vert the tarmac cycle route from Lourdes to Pierrefitte then cycle up the gorge to Luz St Sauveur link below.

http://www.voiesvertes.com/htm_partenai ... part65.htm it says it just goes to Cauterets it does, but you have to go to Pierrefitte 1st.

Probably about 100kms round trip from Lourdes max that is to the summit of course. If you wanted you could always park in Argeles Gazost which would make it 20-30kms shorter.

Garrigou

v718 is spot on with all of that advice. Bear in mind that there's always the alternative of riding up the East side of the Tourmalet via La Mongie on either of the days that the race will be on the mountain. For someone aiming to walk/camp, getting the bus from Bagneres de Bigorre to La Mongie puts you a lot closer to the summit (within 4 km) than if you get transport to Bareges on the other side (still 10.5km to the top).
Wear a Euskatel shirt and Basque fans will probably carry you shoulder-high to the summit without you even asking!

Chief Domestique

Someone suggested going up from la Mongie to the summit finish on Tourmalet. My experience has been on these summit finishes that you can't get through the backside. You definitely couldn't on Ventoux. And a few years ago the same was true for the Aubisque.

JeremyintheCzechRepublic

There is a great cycletrack from Lourdes on the route of an old railway line. It is a very pleasant ride up to Luz St Saveur and from there up to Tourmalet. I don't think Tourmalet is a particularly difficult climb. It is steady and long and a beautiful area.
I have some pictures if you'd like to see them:

http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/gavarnie.htm

http://www.jeremytaylor.eu/cycling_to_Tourmalet_1.htm

shawman

Chief Domestique wrote:

Someone suggested going up from la Mongie to the summit finish on Tourmalet. My experience has been on these summit finishes that you can't get through the backside. You definitely couldn't on Ventoux. And a few years ago the same was true for the Aubisque.

I have heard this also. There will be no access to the summit from La Mongie on the 22th and that the mountain may be closed the day before depending on the number of people up there. Believe this happened on Alpe d'Huez in 2003.

v718

They may run the ski lifts (the RICT the ski lift company) http://www.n-py.com/accueil/les-station ... malet.aspx there will be more information nearer the time on what will be open, as there will be no access up to la Mongie to camper vans 24-48hrs before the race, on both days and a 48hr advance ban on campers from the Bareges side. Cyclists and cars may get through very early morning the day of the event dependent on numbers, cyclists up to 4 hrs before again depending on the Tour caravan and other traffic volume.