Spectating at the Tour
I'm going on holidays this year to Chamonix in France. While there I would like to go see part of the Tour de France. I will be in Chamonix around the time of the stages in the Alps and I am wondering where would be the best place to view the race.
The closest stages to Chamonix are stages 8 + 9. I am considering going to Flumet (stage 9 ),near to a feed stop. This is due to travel constraints.
This would be the first year that I've have gone to the Tour and so any advice given on where to go would be much appreciated.
The closest stages to Chamonix are stages 8 + 9. I am considering going to Flumet (stage 9 ),near to a feed stop. This is due to travel constraints.
This would be the first year that I've have gone to the Tour and so any advice given on where to go would be much appreciated.
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I'd only bother with watching on a climb to be honest- they hurtle past on the flat and can be gone in seconds. At least on an alp you may see some action or recognise some riders.0
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On the stage that goes over the col de la madeleine, that's exactly where you want to be. Can't remember the profile, but a steep section a couple of kms from the top would be best. I wouldn't bother going right to the top because riders will have to attack a little earlier than that.
It'll be rammed and road closures might make it difficult to get up there. Never watched the tour in the flesh so not sure exactly what'll you'll have to do to get a spot.0 -
Yes, cougie is right - it's best to watch on a climb. If you go to Flumet itself, the riders will come flying out of the gorge from the col des aravis and launch onto the first ramp up the col des saisies too quick for it to be enjoyable for you. And Abdoujaparov is right that if you can get there, the last climb would be perfect. Hard to get to though - so Flumet is still a good idea. You just need to get some distance up the col des saisies to watch rather than sitting in town (ok, "town"). Options:
The first few ramps are nice: tight, quite steep hairpins. You can see them after the bridge in this picture. You could hang out in Flumet in a bar, and then walk up the hill after the caravan passes and watch the riders come across the pretty bridge and then up the hairpins towards you. These bends are encased in high concrete walls though, so visibility might be restricted:
google street view of flumet
If you want to get further up the climb, then don't drive all the way to Flumet. Take the D218b - turn left at the roundabout, signed Les Saisies, just before you get to Flumet. This meets the tour route about 2km into the climb and from there it's about a mile to the little ski resort of Notre Dame de Bellecombe - park on the open road before the junction, walk up the closed tour route, and sit in a bar to see the riders climb through the village.
This is all a bit subject to the vagaries of road closures, and depends on what you mean by travel constraints!0 -
Thanks for the replies
The travel restraints are that the area we travel to can only be a 30 - 40min drive away from Les Houches.
Would it be better to go to the end of stage 8 at Morzine where there is a summit finish or the Col des Saisies on stage 9.
I have noticed that there is a feeding stop half way up Col des Saisies, does a food stop mean that the riders take it easy for a while, is there less chance of attacking racing around a feed stop.0 -
Definitely go for the end of stage 8 - think it finishes in avoriaz near morzine. Should be a good atmos near a mountain top finish.
I'm actually just a couple of miles down the valley from les houches at the moment. Cycled from flumet today up the saisies - nice climb, but not that significant in terms of this year's tour stage.
Enjoy!0 -
I was about to post a similar question. My limiting factor is slightly different. We will have 2 small children in tow so won't be able to get too far away from the car. I expect this might be an issue in getting to a good spot on the climbs. We will be able to go to any of the Alpine stages though as we are staying near Annecy. Any tips for suitable family spots? Ta0
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How small and what is their boredom threshold ? You'll have to be in position hours before the race to get a decent spec ?0
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2 1/2 and nearly 4. Can be occupied for a while with picnic etc and will be with another family so should be able to find amusement for a few hours, if there is a bit of space to play in. Appreciate we may not be looking for most ideal spot from a specating point of view with these limitations.0
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Watching the decisive sections of mountain stages can be a hassle, but if you just want the spectacle and a day out in nice surroundings you actually have loads of options.
So krisw, if I were you, I'd go to La Clusaz to watch stage 9. It's usually 30 mins drive. The road between St Jean de Sixt and La Clusaz will be closed, so you'll have to do a detour over the Col de la Croix Fry (follow Manigod signs in Thones). This will bring you out bang on the course at La Praise, half way up the Col des Aravis, caravan due 11:42 and riders 13:19 to 13:34 - in other words perfect picnic timing. It's a stunning spot - it's where the houses get a bit more densely packed (ish!) in the background of this photo: http://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,27401, ... l#photo=12
Stage 8 does present another couple of options for a family trip from Annecy (Cote de Gresin and Les Gets) but they will, respectively, be "too fast" and "too much hassle" in my opinion. Anything earlier on stage 9 will be too much hassle (col de la colombiere) or too far away (col des saisies and later). You could go to St Jean de Sixt, which is what would happen if you just follow La Clusaz signs from Annecy and don't detour over the croix fry, but it'll be nowhere near as good as La Praise.0 -
Thanks for that, sounds like a good plan.0
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Hi ive just booked flights to go and watch the Col du Tourmalet for the first time. Im flying in from Carcassone and arriving on the rest day before the stage. Has anyone been before I am driving and wondered how easy it is to get near the finish also if you can camp there. Im worried i wont get anywhere near the top.
any info would be great!0 -
Peter, I did the morzine to avoriaz climb today and reckon you can find a decent spot if you walk for 30 mins or so up the mountain from morzine. The climb is steepest at this point so it should make good viewing and the crowd/atmos will be great.
Incredibly, the road was in a shocking state today, just two weeks before the tour goes through. The tarmac had melted in the sun and it was impossible not to get it all over your tyres and then have stones sticking to it. Eventually I punctured and if the roads are like that in two weeks' time, there's a risk that one of the favourites will puncture and lose loads of time.
Could make for a pretty interesting stage.0 -
Abdoujaparov wrote:Peter, I did the morzine to avoriaz climb today and reckon you can find a decent spot if you walk for 30 mins or so up the mountain from morzine. The climb is steepest at this point so it should make good viewing and the crowd/atmos will be great.
Incredibly, the road was in a shocking state today, just two weeks before the tour goes through. The tarmac had melted in the sun and it was impossible not to get it all over your tyres and then have stones sticking to it. Eventually I punctured and if the roads are like that in two weeks' time, there's a risk that one of the favourites will puncture and lose loads of time.
Could make for a pretty interesting stage.
I am in morzine for that weekend and SO looking forward to it - where abouts do you reckon is the best bet to go on the road upto Avoriaz ? will the large gondala be running so you can park in car park at the bottom of the cliffs and go up that way ? what do you guys think will be best ?
cheers
Neil0 -
Pownie wrote:Hi ive just booked flights to go and watch the Col du Tourmalet for the first time. Im flying in from Carcassone and arriving on the rest day before the stage. Has anyone been before I am driving and wondered how easy it is to get near the finish also if you can camp there. Im worried i wont get anywhere near the top.
any info would be great!
We're camping in Bagnes-de-Bigorres (not sure on the spelling!). Booked it a few weeks ago. I think its around 17km from the C de T. Never been before so can't tell you if its any good. There seems to be quite a few campsites around there though. Try Google.
We were thinking of riding up to get a good spot on the mountain. Is it likely to be a hassle with the bikes? How long before the race comes do you need to get in situ?0 -
Myself and my buddy are driving down on the friday before the Tourmalet stages. No plan of action, just a van, tents and our bikes. Fingers crossed we can get on the mountain
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has anyone got any hints/ tips for watching the prologue/ stage 1? will it be so busy i need to pack a whole weekend worth of food if i don't want to queue for 4 hours for a sandwich? is it worth taking a fold up tripod chair?"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0
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Neil, one of my mates said that the avoriaz stage will finish one or two km before avoriaz, which is a good thing for the action as the top of the climb flattens off quite a bit and may discourage attacks.
I've got a book on the great climbs of the tour and it reckons the steepest part is between 3 to 6km. It says most this section is just under ten per cent, but I think that's generous - felt more like eight or possibly nine per cent going up it. Still, it's tough going at the end of long stage so there could be a couple of big attacks here and maybe a successful one on about 5km. Just speculation though - anything could happen (including punctures!).
Ideally, I reckon the best place to be is at one of the last hairpins, which stop after about 6km. After that point, the gradient drops to something more manageable.
By the way, the climb officially begins in morzine when the gradient is quite shallow.
Anyway, pretty much any spot will be great I'm sure!
Don't know about the cable car, but would have thought it won't be running because otherwise the mountain would be bursting at the seams.0 -
Abdoujaparov wrote:Neil, one of my mates said that the avoriaz stage will finish one or two km before avoriaz, which is a good thing for the action as the top of the climb flattens off quite a bit and may discourage attacks.
I've got a book on the great climbs of the tour and it reckons the steepest part is between 3 to 6km. It says most this section is just under ten per cent, but I think that's generous - felt more like eight or possibly nine per cent going up it. Still, it's tough going at the end of long stage so there could be a couple of big attacks here and maybe a successful one on about 5km. Just speculation though - anything could happen (including punctures!).
Ideally, I reckon the best place to be is at one of the last hairpins, which stop after about 6km. After that point, the gradient drops to something more manageable.
By the way, the climb officially begins in morzine when the gradient is quite shallow.
Anyway, pretty much any spot will be great I'm sure!
Don't know about the cable car, but would have thought it won't be running because otherwise the mountain would be bursting at the seams.
cheers for that - thats similar advice I got yesterday, forget the finish and arrive early and just walk up the hill to one of the hair pins. Cheers for the advice0 -
Especially given that just a few km earlier they go up the Col de la Ramaz. I went up there a few days ago and it is pretty spectacular climb, with a huge rockface opposite and a waterfall, although they have created a new tunnel near to the top which replaces the old 'edge of the precipice' road and which detracts from the experience somewhat. Apart from a few brief downhills, most of the last hour and a half is uphill...Abdoujaparov wrote:I've got a book on the great climbs of the tour and it reckons the steepest part is between 3 to 6km. It says most this section is just under ten per cent, but I think that's generous - felt more like eight or possibly nine per cent going up it. Still, it's tough going at the end of long stage..0 -
Moomaloid wrote:Myself and my buddy are driving down on the friday before the Tourmalet stages. No plan of action, just a van, tents and our bikes. Fingers crossed we can get on the mountain)
I've got a similar plan but getting there on the rest day. Any Idea if theres plenty of space for the tent? I mean its not all steep cliffs, there are places to pitch the tent??
Now you've got me worried! worst comes to the worst I'll just sleep in the car!0 -
sunburntknees wrote:Pownie wrote:Hi ive just booked flights to go and watch the Col du Tourmalet for the first time. Im flying in from Carcassone and arriving on the rest day before the stage. Has anyone been before I am driving and wondered how easy it is to get near the finish also if you can camp there. Im worried i wont get anywhere near the top.
any info would be great!
We're camping in Bagnes-de-Bigorres (not sure on the spelling!). Booked it a few weeks ago. I think its around 17km from the C de T. Never been before so can't tell you if its any good. There seems to be quite a few campsites around there though. Try Google.
We were thinking of riding up to get a good spot on the mountain. Is it likely to be a hassle with the bikes? How long before the race comes do you need to get in situ?
I know the leaders will get there just before 4pm but i think being in a good spot by 2pm is a good idea!0 -
Two pm will probably be far too late. For peace of mind you need to be a couple of hours in front of the first Tour vehicle and publicity caravan to have a chance of riding up before the gendarmes shut the road down, and they are getting far more insistent on making 'latecomers' get off and walk than they used to be.Pownie wrote:
I know the leaders will get there just before 4pm but i think being in a good spot by 2pm is a good idea!sunburntknees wrote:We're camping in Bagnes-de-Bigorres (not sure on the spelling!). Booked it a few weeks ago. I think its around 17km from the C de T. Never been before so can't tell you if its any good. There seems to be quite a few campsites around there though. Try Google.
We were thinking of riding up to get a good spot on the mountain. Is it likely to be a hassle with the bikes? How long before the race comes do you need to get in situ?0 -
Go to the TT or the final summit hill on the hardest day as that will let you see riders passing for longer, spread out over the course &
Blag It
dress like you're official, have some ID round your neck-make it at home-and you'll be able to squeeze in through the barriers and get up super close to riders, just recon the shape of the depart and where there's a fence to get over /under. I did this, in 1986 and nobody hassled me...I did it twice infact.
If you have a team car, all the better...I drove my team's car to the top of Alpe D'Huez for the 1991 TDF stage and post stage I got priority, drove back down Alpe D'huez on the wrong side of the road following race officials/pro team cars down while the public were trapped in massive jams for hours...way through Bourg d'oissans and toward Vizille too. The poilice didn't seem to realise.0 -
Peter_K wrote:I'm going on holidays this year to Chamonix in France. While there I would like to go see part of the Tour de France. I will be in Chamonix around the time of the stages in the Alps and I am wondering where would be the best place to view the race.
The closest stages to Chamonix are stages 8 + 9. I am considering going to Flumet (stage 9 ),near to a feed stop. This is due to travel constraints.
This would be the first year that I've have gone to the Tour and so any advice given on where to go would be much appreciated.
You could watch it with the rest of your Sky team mates, even if Geraint did beat you to championships
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edit of last post- perhaps best not to get fake press ID, but just jump over the fence behind some massive truck. I held a jacket over my mid section as if carrying it, covering where ID hangs... at the time the Panasonic guys didn't even notice or care. chatting to vanderarden, Millar, Van Lanker, Anderson, inches a way from Hinault and Lemond facing me and me taking pics. If I went back the TDF that would be immediately how I would try to get best pics, hanging on huge crowds no fun ...and use the over eager fan excuse if collared, or act dumb, say you got let in.0
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Some info on the Avioriaz finish.
Road from Morzine closes at 1 pm. (Race is due between 17.17 and 17.46, caravan due 15.57).
The race uses the D338, approaching from the south on the D902. Those approaching from the north will still be able to turn off the D902 at Montriond and take the road to les Lindarets. This continues on to the Col de la Joux Vert which brings you out on the climb itself at 1760m, just a couple of km from the finish. HOWEVER, after les Lindarets this a narrow road with very few parking and turning places and I fully expect that it will be closed off to motor vehicles. Could be handy for 'late arriving' cyclists though.
For those in cars all is not lost as it will be possible to park in one of the big car parks used for the skiing season (for example, at les Lindarets) and take the cable car, then taking a short hike down into the resort. In fact the resort is opening most of the cable cars and is encouraging people to use these in order to access Avioriaz. They will be staying open until 7 or 7.30 pm.
More info here:
http://www.avoriaz.com/vacances-montagn ... -etape.php0
