Going to France - Tour de France Stage??

Cornish-J
Cornish-J Posts: 978
edited February 2010 in Road beginners
Hi all,

Thinking about going to France late summer for a long weekend to do some riding, and thought about going with a couple mates and trying a couple tour stages.

Just wondering if anyone has done this before, any tips or advice you may have?

Many Thanks
J

Comments

  • Garrigou
    Garrigou Posts: 145
    Tour stages are a great challenge & make watching the race on TV that much more memorable, but if you choose stages which start/finish a long way apart, then you either need to organise baggage transfers and separate accommodation at either end or accpet that you're going to be lugging your gear with you.
    Plenty of holiday firms in the Pyrenees & Alps & around Ventoux will offer options where you're either riding loops from one fixed base (with or without a support vehicle) or they'll pre-book accommodation & provide baggage transfers for you if you want to ride 'point-to-point'. Either of those can give you the option to ride 'the best bits' of some Tour stages without having to do the town centre starts & finishes.
    Between me & Eddy Merckx we've won pretty much everything worth winning on a bike.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Do the mountain stages - don't bother with anything else.
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 21,860
    cougie wrote:
    Do the mountain stages - don't bother with anything else.

    Thats the plan for my 40th & a bit of downhill mountain biking!
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    Well of course the caravan starts coming through three hours before the riders but they could be gone in a flash if they are all together. A TT stage will give you a full afternoon viewing and yoi could probably see the start too so you got the best part of a days entertainment. Starts are great if you want to soak up the atmosphere and oggle the bikes/riders at close quarters. Traffic will be horredous around a mountain so a bikes a good idea but you'll still need to get there early.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • Cornish-J
    Cornish-J Posts: 978
    Garrigou wrote:
    Tour stages are a great challenge & make watching the race on TV that much more memorable, but if you choose stages which start/finish a long way apart, then you either need to organise baggage transfers and separate accommodation at either end or accpet that you're going to be lugging your gear with you.
    Plenty of holiday firms in the Pyrenees & Alps & around Ventoux will offer options where you're either riding loops from one fixed base (with or without a support vehicle) or they'll pre-book accommodation & provide baggage transfers for you if you want to ride 'point-to-point'. Either of those can give you the option to ride 'the best bits' of some Tour stages without having to do the town centre starts & finishes.

    Thanks for the reply Garrigou - don't spose you have any links to places that provide these services?
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Witnessed a tour stage a few times, including a stage finish, and worthwhile every time imo. Go for it.
  • Cornish-J
    Cornish-J Posts: 978
    sorry, i think i may have given the wrong impression.

    I mean go to france to cycle some tour de france routes, not watch it live.
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 21,860
    depending on when you go, you can do both!

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