Paris-Roubaix spectating

marmitecp
marmitecp Posts: 203
edited January 2010 in Pro race
Hi guys,

I'm taking my folks on a tour of the WW1 cemetaries in Northern France and have timed it for just before Paris-Roubaix (Sunday 10th April).

Does anyone habe tips for good spectating locations. Ideally I'd like to watch from the pave (Arenberg Forest?), but think it might be a bit dull for the folks.

I've been to Lille before which would amuse them both for a few hours. Is it worth going there and watching the finish in the velo, or are there better places?

What would people recommend? Thanks

Marmite

Comments

  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    The Carrefour de l'Abre has a bar that's open for the day, serving good local food and beer. You'll get to see the race go by but the place has some atmosphere, or at least as much as you can get in a muddy field in Northern France in April. But it's still very race-specific, if they're not at all interested then dump them for the day in Lille!
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    Kléber wrote:
    The Carrefour de l'Abre has a bar that's open for the day, serving good local food and beer. You'll get to see the race go by but the place has some atmosphere, or at least as much as you can get in a muddy field in Northern France in April. But it's still very race-specific, if they're not at all interested then dump them for the day in Lille!

    Might be full of police, after last year's troubles. I hope they tone it down (the drunkeness) this year, otherwise, number 1 spot might get taken out altogether.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    marmitecp wrote:
    Ideally I'd like to watch from the pave (Arenberg Forest?), but think it might be a bit dull for the folks.
    I would say that Arenberg was a great location. It's an old mining village and the whole place turns out to celebrate the passing the the race - local brass bands, a music stage, beer tents, food stalls, the lot. My wife was with me there a few years ago and she said it was the only cycling related event she had ever seen that she felt was really special - and that's coming from someone who is totally bored by mountain stages of the Tour!
  • Cheesyman99
    Cheesyman99 Posts: 60
    This months issue of Cycle Sport had a guide to watching live. Had a bit about Paris - Roubaix :)
  • marmitecp
    marmitecp Posts: 203
    Thanks for the tips everyone. I think I'll make the decision on the day, dependent on the weather. Arenburg looks like the bset option if its nice.

    Don't think the old folks will fancy either rain or drunkeness!
  • wicked
    wicked Posts: 844
    I too am thinking of doing this and borrowing my parents camper. Keep those tips coming guys!
    It’s the most beautiful sport in the world but it’s governed by ***ts who have turned it into a crock of ****.
  • timbarnes
    timbarnes Posts: 15
    I chased P-R last year, a great day out, sandwiched by a couple of belgian beery nights in gent :-).

    Started in the Arenberg having parked about here http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/mm?hl=en& ... ,0.79,,0,5 an hour or so before the race arrived.

    Then went up to the Carrefour de l'arbre and parked in Camphin. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sourc ... 27595&z=15.

    There's a football club in Camphin with a big screen where we had a beer and caught the finish...

    It was pretty easy to do the two - if we'd pushed it could easily have caught a third spot in between i think.

    Very easy if you've got a good satnav/sense of direction, and parking is fine as anything goes for the few hours around the race...

    cheers,

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