Traffic around TDF stage

marcmarc

Hi,

I am going to my 1st TDF this July, and will be making the mountain stages on the Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th July, I will be driving by car, hopefully with my bike attached on the back.

Arriving in France on Monday Morning at 4AM, so getting to the Wednesday stage is going to be easy, and driving to the Thursday stage is not far, so not too worried about traffic jams.

However, it is absolutley imperative that I have to be in Geneva first thing on Friday morning, so I was thinking that if I got myself to the Col du Madeline for Thursday morning, then because this is an early part of the stage, then it should all pass relatively quickly.

But I really need to know, how long it takes between the stage passing and the opening of the road to traffic so that I can make my way to Geneva. I dont mind taking a detour around switzerland or slow moving traffic, but I really, really just cant be stuck on the mountain after it finishes because the road is closed for a long time.

As I may have my bike, I may be able to park on an 'escape' road, and cycle up the Madeleine myself, but I am not sure I can do that yet.

Maybe someone who has been to the tour before can help me out here? What problems may I enounter?
Thankyou

Anonymous

It opens pretty much straight away but lots of people leaving so it can be a bit of a jam. I often fly back the night if the stage and leave car on side road and (if necessary) leave before the grupetto arrives to beat the traffic.

marcmarc

Thanks,

Is it possible to park a car on the side of the road on the stage say half way up the madeleine?, I know it is often seen on TV, with plenty of motorhomes, but can you get there on the day, or have those people been there a while?
How long before the stage starts will the road be closed to traffic. Im imagining that I will leave the Wednesday stage and arrive in the area on Wednesday evening? Is that enough time to find a spot for the next day?
Thanks

Anonymous

I don't know tha Madeleine, sorry. Road normally closes the evening before, with some access early am a possibility.

On the Ventoux a few years ago, it closed at lunchtime the day before, but that was a huge focus of entire tour so a very different situation.
Not sure of route, but you say Madeleine is early in stage. In which case, you should find parking & access ok.
Enjoy!

greasedscotsman

I think you'll be fine with your plan. It's the first climb of the day, the crowds and traffic won't be too large. You should be away about 5-10 minutes after the last rider has come past and you should obviously head away from the race and you'll be OK. I don't know the Madeleine, so I don't know what parking would be like, but if your aiming to be about halway, you should be OK. Don't think that climb will be closed overnight, just sometime very early in the morning.

A bike might help though. It can be easier to park away from the climb, ride up it, watch race and then ride back to where you have parked. You shouldn't get stuck in any traffic then. If you can ride it, it's a great way to see a bike race, having ridden the climb yourself. Think you might struggle to park at the top though, that's where most of the camper vans will be.

The whole thing can be a bit hit and miss. One year I went the plan was to watch the stage on the Glandon, which was the first climb of the day. We had been on Alpe d'Huez for the previous stage, so the idea was to drive via Villard Reculas along what became known as the "scary mountain road" onto the climb, just by the dam first thing in the morning. The first junction onto the climb we tried the Gendarme said no, so we backtracked a bit and tried another junction further up and were waved straight onto the climb.

DavidCr

We will be cycling up the Madeleine, we did the same thing 2 years ago. The road will be closed to traffic very early but bikes are allowed up in the morning. Once the stage passes through you can descend shortly afterwards but as FlipFlopper says it will be busy.
If you do plan riding your bike I would suggest driving along the dual carriageway past the start of the climb, eg La Lechere, Aigueblanche or Moutiers. You can then ride back to the foot of the climb without having to deal with road closures.

The drive from here to Geneva is around 2 hours so you will have plenty of time to get back.

greasedscotsman

DavidCr wrote:

We will be cycling up the Madeleine, we did the same thing 2 years ago. The road will be closed to traffic very early but bikes are allowed up in the morning. Once the stage passes through you can descend shortly afterwards but as FlipFlopper says it will be busy.
If you do plan riding your bike I would suggest driving along the dual carriageway past the start of the climb, eg La Lechere, Aigueblanche or Moutiers. You can then ride back to the foot of the climb without having to deal with road closures.

The drive from here to Geneva is around 2 hours so you will have plenty of time to get back.

The Madeleine was the final climb of the stage 2 years ago. I don't think that traffic will be anywhere near the problem is might have been then.

marcmarc

DavidCr wrote:

We will be cycling up the Madeleine, we did the same thing 2 years ago. The road will be closed to traffic very early but bikes are allowed up in the morning. Once the stage passes through you can descend shortly afterwards but as FlipFlopper says it will be busy.
If you do plan riding your bike I would suggest driving along the dual carriageway past the start of the climb, eg La Lechere, Aigueblanche or Moutiers. You can then ride back to the foot of the climb without having to deal with road closures.

The drive from here to Geneva is around 2 hours so you will have plenty of time to get back.

This is what I am planning at the moment, cycle in from La Lechere. You say you are also cycling up the Madeleine, what time do you plan on leaving in the morning, and how long do you think it will take you to get to the top?

DavidCr

We will be aiming to be at the foot of the climb around 9-9.30 am. It usually takes around 1.5 - 2.5 hours depending on the group/people I am riding with. It is a bit of a beast at 26km long, there are a couple of flat spots but the last 3kms always seem to get you. At the same time it is a great climb with excellent views, on a nice day you come around an hairpin at 9km to go and there is a fantastic view of Mont Blanc.
As this is the first climb of the day the gendarmes will stop riders from descending very early so if it looks like it may be cold make sure you have something warm to wear. I got caught out on the Galibier last year.

marcmarc

Wow, I did not expect to be leaving that late, I thought I would probably be starting off about 6am or something.!
Please excuse my ignorance - I have been looking around the net, but I cant seem to find any ideas about what time stages start - I was thinking about 9am or thereabouts, but it seems from your info that it may be much later.?

Having not watched one before, except on TV, from a spectators POV, is it better to be watching as they go up, or down?

Tell the truth, I have been on Youtube most of the day watching TDF videos, and I did drive the entire length of the Alps in 2010, and its bringing back some good memories. Cant wait to be back.!

greasedscotsman

marcmarc wrote:

Having not watched one before, except on TV, from a spectators POV, is it better to be watching as they go up, or down?

Up!