Going to the Tour?

gregster04

So I'm heading to the Tour for the first time (unless you count Le Grand Depart in London) in a month or so and was wondering if anybody had any tips for getting around etc

I'm planning on getting to the Montpellier stage and the Alpe D'Huez stage from the family holiday base near Avignon. I'll be driving towards Alpe D'Huez, how near am I likely to get and how early is it advisable to try and get there for?

Any tips are more than welcome

suspectdevice

On the way there too for the Alpe stage and the Grenoble TT, we will be based in Venosc on a camp site there.

This site has some good information and ther is a small forum section with a few posts in it.

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/ run by a guy called Russell who sometimes posts on here.

Not long now

Le Commentateur

IIRC the main roads towards Alpe d'Huez (e.g. D1091) are closed the day before the stage several kms before the climb. This is because many fans follow the race in camper vans and the AdH stage is one everybody wants to be at. Some people will have arrived days beforehand to grab a roadside spot. It's OK to ride a bike though – in fact it may be preferable, as the last day the road is open expect there to be a traffic jam all the way from Bourg d'Oisans to Vizille.

P_Tucker

For Alpe d'Huez, unless you enjoy sitting in your stationary car sweating profusely, don't even THINK about going within 20km of the base of the climb. Best to park up miles away, then cycle up the climb to your chosen vantage point. Might not be possible with a family in tow - in which case I'd advise giving it a miss. Watching the Tour involves HOURS sat by the side of the road, in the July sun (hopefully) which isn't great for kids.

Tusher

gregster, I'm going for the first time as well, but to the Vendee.

Well, I will be if I can find my passport.........

suspectdevice

P_Tucker wrote:

For Alpe d'Huez, unless you enjoy sitting in your stationary car sweating profusely, don't even THINK about going within 20km of the base of the climb. Best to park up miles away, then cycle up the climb to your chosen vantage point. Might not be possible with a family in tow - in which case I'd advise giving it a miss. Watching the Tour involves HOURS sat by the side of the road, in the July sun (hopefully) which isn't great for kids.

Did that in 2009 on the Ventoux, went the day before, slept in the car and spent all day in a lazy chair drinking and chating. Cracking vantage point at Chalet Reynard though so considered it worth the wait.

Luckily just about 20k from Alpe this year so we are going to take an easy ride in to the alpe on the day and park about turn 5 or so.

Moomaloid

I'm there again this year year. After our crazy Tourmalet experience last year, were off to the Alpe this year. Getting there about 4 days ahead of the race and doing some riding

ALaPlage

Third time this year but only get to see a small bit each time. A couple of years ago had a great day at Murviel-les-Montpeliers where the team time trial came through.

Got there early and had a coffee in the local bar before pitching up on the corner as they came up into the village.

All the teams rode through on a practise ride during the morning. Followed by some celebrity teams of French TV etc before the main caravan came through and then the teams raced through for real.

It was a full day sat in the sunshine with my lovely wife happily running off to the local shop and bar to get refreshments as and when!

Next day went to Beziers to see them ride though. All over in a couple of hours from getting a spot, caravan coming through and then the peleton.


Last year went to see the final day in Paris and got a great spot on the corner of the Tuilleries to see them race up under the Flamme Rouge and past on the 8x circuit. Had to pitch up early and had a 6 hr wait for them to arrive. Great atmosphere and could see the large video screen too so saw Cav accelerate through to take the win. Fabulous.

This year going to the Montpelier stage and then driving up to Paris for the Final day to replicate last year hopefully. Have booked a hotel on the Tuilleries so hopefully should be able to get a good spot nice and early.

It is a great experience and the atmosphere and comraderie between all the different nations is great. Enjoy.

Recommend getting to wherever you want to pitch up nice and early and come prepared with "picnic/drink" to get you through the day.

Anonymous

Hiring a motorhome and heading down for the final 4 stages. I expect the Alpe will be full by Tuesday when we'll arrive) so hoping to get onto the Galibier.

My 4th Tour in a row, and 5th successive GT. Absolutely love it :-)


Anyone ever done a mountian stage in a motorhome? What's the best plan with water etc?

roadiesean

4th time on the trot here. I'm doing Ventoux (no, I know the Tour isn't going through) for 2 days and then off to Bourg d;Oisan to do AdH, Galibier, Telegraphe and then the Grenoble TT, have a mate whos an ASO driver, so usually can get Depart Village tickets and a space at the finale. But the trick is to ride up, after all thats what we all do isn't it ? You need to arrive at the mountain top at least 3 hours before the riders are due to arrive as they shut the roads to everyone at that time, get up there early, buy some beers and a burger and have a ball. Its brilliant !

Have fun !

mattybeck

Got a place in a campsite in La Garde, arriving on the Wednesday. Camping at Switchback 16. Anybody got an idea as to when we might actually be able to drive off of the mountain and hit the motorway 7-8pm? Later?

Any

suspectdevice

mattybeck wrote:

Got a place in a campsite in La Garde, arriving on the Wednesday. Camping at Switchback 16. Anybody got an idea as to when we might actually be able to drive off of the mountain and hit the motorway 7-8pm? Later?

Any

If it's anything like Ventoux, they were still there at midnight, and if i heard it right they were even coming off the day after, there was however a lot of parties going on and i would imagine that most motorhomes would stay put till it's quieter and then leave.

Never been to ADH but i should image it will be well into the evening.

We will be biking there and back so we should be ok. i'd hate to do all those switch backs in a car.

Is it right that you have to wait till all the team cars and busses are down or did i misunderstand that???

greasedscotsman

suspectdevice wrote:

Is it right that you have to wait till all the team cars and busses are down or did i misunderstand that???

Depends where the teams are staying. I would guess plenty of them will stay on the Alpe and then head to Grenoble in the morning, creating a huge traffic jam in Bourg d'Oisans

I've only ever tried to drive off the Alpe the evening of the race once, back in '94, so not sure how relevent that would be, but managed it then. Last time I was there, in '08 I'd ridden up on a bike and it was easy getting back down through the traffic. The Gendarmes were stopping cars up the climb at various points for some reason. Utter chaos, car, people and bikes everywhere. One of the best descents I've ever done!

And also depending where people are on the climb, there is also the road going via Villard Reculas which could be used if you want to get around Bourg d'Oisans?

alan_a

Choppered wrote:

Hiring a motorhome and heading down for the final 4 stages. I expect the Alpe will be full by Tuesday when we'll arrive) so hoping to get onto the Galibier.

My 4th Tour in a row, and 5th successive GT. Absolutely love it :-)


Anyone ever done a mountian stage in a motorhome? What's the best plan with water etc?

Last year we (me, wife & 3month old baby) followed the entire TdF in a motorhome.

Find out where the nearest Aire de Service is to where you want to go and fill everything up there. The water at the AdS is potable. AdS are all over the place. You can purchase a book called All the Aires alternatively try google or motorhomefacts.com

As well as filling up your on board tanks, purchase a couple of 25ltr plastic jerry cans. We had a 150ltr on board tank, 4 jerry cans and 2 solar showers. The longest we spent at the side of the road on one spot was 4 nights at Avoriaz... we never ran out of water. however we mainly drank wine ;-)

For washing yourself purchase a couple of solar showers and also fill them up at the AdS. Leave them on the roof for 2 hours and the mid summer french sun will heat the water to scorchio.

Finding non AdS water points becomes relatively easy. Camping sites will let you use their
facilities for a small fee, as will most petrol stations.

As previously mentioned get where you want to be a day or 2 in advance. Last year at Avoriaz the climb was full by 4pm the day before. Some cars found small spaces overnight. We were kept awake all night by TdF trucks etc.

We never made it onto Tourmalet. I was doing the Etape on the Sunday and the van was in Pau. Descending Tourmalet at the end of Etape we cycled downhill past a 20mile traffic jam of campers trying to get onto the mountain and said feck it no point in trying to find a space since the mountain was already choca.

Yorkman

we parked our van in the parking area at Bareges ski station, there were hundreds of them there.

showers, portable food vans, the works.

is there anything similar on the Galibier, around Valloire?