Le Tour/L'alpe duez 2013

newbuild100

Im fortunate enough to be able to go to Le tour next year, and im heading to the Alpe to watch stage 18.
I will be camping but i have heard that its not the best stage to actually pitch a tent on (at the roadside)

Can anyone confirm this, or can anyone advise me where the best place to pitch my tent is ? (Bend no for instance)
I will presume there are at least a few spots where one can put a tent.
PS.. .i will be travelling on motorcycle so its a bit easier re space etc.

Thanks all

PPS . .this is the first time ive used "Radar"

greasedscotsman

Problem with next year's stage could be the number of people wanting to go. When are you thinking of arriving? You might get there to find where you want to be already has a tent there. And are you going to be driving there? Parking the car near to the route could be an even bigger problem.

But if it was me, I'd aim to get somewhere between hairpin number 4 and 1. There's a large open area there, plenty of space to put up a tent. Although it's a bit "slanty".

newbuild100

Thanks
I will be there the morning before so hopefully, it should be ok !!
Im stopping in grenoble all week but the Alpe is the main stage i want to see so aim to get on the stage on the morning of the 17th (stage is ion the 18th)

richa

I think I would camp in a campsite at the bottom and cycle up on the day.

emadden

My strong recommendation is pitch your tent in the town of Allemond. This a small town just outside of Bourg d'Oisans. There is a big camp site there that is full of cyclists for the TdF. Instead of the campsite there is a large field across the road. Both of these at the bottom of the "barrage du Verney" - some people will know that as the starting point of the climb up Croix de Fer. (location on Google Maps is 45.129318,6.042094 )

On the day of the stage ride your motorbike up to the ski lift point at Oz-en-Oisans (located here: 45.129318,6.042094). Its a 10 min ride by motorcycle from the Barrage du Verney.

There you will find a ski-lift up to the top of Alpe d'Huez. There will be plenty of parking and lots of official Ski station guides directing you. The ski-lift takes about 15 mins and is in two stages.

Once at the top, you can walk down the course. BTW, the roads have barriers from bend 4 up... at some points it will be squeeze to pass through, but there are lots of short cuts. You can probably get down to bend 7 in 40 mins if you wish to go that far down (recommended). Coming back up it will be crowded and the last ski-lift closes about 9pm. There will be queues.... but it will be worth it!

newbuild100

I really appreciate all the answeres guys.
Thank you.

RoadPainter

emadden wrote:

My strong recommendation is pitch your tent in the town of Allemond. This a small town just outside of Bourg d'Oisans. There is a big camp site there that is full of cyclists for the TdF. Instead of the campsite there is a large field across the road. Both of these at the bottom of the "barrage du Verney" - some people will know that as the starting point of the climb up Croix de Fer. (location on Google Maps is 45.129318,6.042094 )

On the day of the stage ride your motorbike up to the ski lift point at Oz-en-Oisans (located here: 45.129318,6.042094). Its a 10 min ride by motorcycle from the Barrage du Verney.

There you will find a ski-lift up to the top of Alpe d'Huez. There will be plenty of parking and lots of official Ski station guides directing you. The ski-lift takes about 15 mins and is in two stages.

Once at the top, you can walk down the course. BTW, the roads have barriers from bend 4 up... at some points it will be squeeze to pass through, but there are lots of short cuts. You can probably get down to bend 7 in 40 mins if you wish to go that far down (recommended). Coming back up it will be crowded and the last ski-lift closes about 9pm. There will be queues.... but it will be worth it!

Yeah, get yourself down to bocht 7. Schatje mag ik je foto...

MrTapir

RoadPainter wrote:

emadden wrote:

My strong recommendation is pitch your tent in the town of Allemond. This a small town just outside of Bourg d'Oisans. There is a big camp site there that is full of cyclists for the TdF. Instead of the campsite there is a large field across the road. Both of these at the bottom of the "barrage du Verney" - some people will know that as the starting point of the climb up Croix de Fer. (location on Google Maps is 45.129318,6.042094 )

On the day of the stage ride your motorbike up to the ski lift point at Oz-en-Oisans (located here: 45.129318,6.042094). Its a 10 min ride by motorcycle from the Barrage du Verney.

There you will find a ski-lift up to the top of Alpe d'Huez. There will be plenty of parking and lots of official Ski station guides directing you. The ski-lift takes about 15 mins and is in two stages.

Once at the top, you can walk down the course. BTW, the roads have barriers from bend 4 up... at some points it will be squeeze to pass through, but there are lots of short cuts. You can probably get down to bend 7 in 40 mins if you wish to go that far down (recommended). Coming back up it will be crowded and the last ski-lift closes about 9pm. There will be queues.... but it will be worth it!

Yeah, get yourself down to bocht 7. Schatje mag ik je foto...

And take a folding chair.

greasedscotsman

newbuild100 wrote:

Thanks
I will be there the morning before so hopefully, it should be ok !!
Im stopping in grenoble all week but the Alpe is the main stage i want to see so aim to get on the stage on the morning of the 17th (stage is ion the 18th)

If I was trying to get a spot on the route, I'd try and get there a bit earlier.

greasedscotsman

MrTapir wrote:

And take a folding chair.

Folding chair? Lightweight! Take an arm chair!

andyp

In 2006 I rode the Marmotte, then helped out a mate doing the Etape on the Monday. As we left the resort on the Tuesday morning there were already significant numbers of camper vans parked between bends 1-4 a full week before the race was due to arrive.

It gets very, very busy.

newbuild100

Do i presume that the bends on the Alpe are numbered 1 onwards as you ascend ?
ie, on ascending, the first bend is number one ??

thanks again guys

greasedscotsman

newbuild100 wrote:

Do i presume that the bends on the Alpe are numbered 1 onwards as you ascend ?
ie, on ascending, the first bend is number one ??

thanks again guys

21 is at the bottom, 1 is just before you enter the town. There are actually another two hairpins in Alpe d'Huez, if you follow the TdF route.

guinea

newbuild100 wrote:

Thanks
I will be there the morning before so hopefully, it should be ok !!

You've no chance.

All the camping spots went 3-4 days before the stage in 2011.

I was camping in a garden. and arrived 4 days before. Even then, the mountain was almost full.

Considering the size of this year's event, I'd be getting there a lot earlier and basing myself in Bourg.

greasedscotsman

guinea wrote:

newbuild100 wrote:

Thanks
I will be there the morning before so hopefully, it should be ok !!

You've no chance.

All the camping spots went 3-4 days before the stage in 2011.

I was camping in a garden. and arrived 4 days before. Even then, the mountain was almost full.

Considering the size of this year's event, I'd be getting there a lot earlier and basing myself in Bourg.

I don't think that's correct. Friend of mine watched the stage on the Galibier in 2011, drove onto the Alpe overnight and parked up about 3km to go. He slept in the car overnight, but as I said before, there is plenty of space between turns 4 and 1 to pitch a tent. Not sure I would try it like that, especially next year. I would either get there earlier or I'd ride up on the day. You could even ride up from Grenoble, it's not that far. You'll probably also find any campsites in Bourg d'Oisons or on the Alpe will be full as well, I'd book in advance with those if possible.

newbuild100

Has anyone any links to campsites on the alpe then please ??

mrushton

Or you could be soft (like me) and get a hotel on the Alpe. Cool drinks, shower, food etc. You could think of seeing the race at the point they turn right to the Col de Sarenne (nr. heliport I think) and then maybe move around to a different point whilst the race is descending and re-ascending. There is a back way off the mountain nr turn 5 I think

RoadPainter

greasedscotsman wrote:

MrTapir wrote:

And take a folding chair.

Folding chair? Lightweight! Take an arm chair!

'kin hell, can you imagine being sat in an armchair when Schatje comes on?!!

There's a nice field just above Turn 7, I watched the leaders come through 2 years ago and it was a great spot, looking down on the mayhem. Then headed down to get the full experience for most of riders.
Going up to there means you don't need a folding chair or armchair.

This year, I've managed to get an apartment in A d'H for the week - will be staying there on Sat night when going from Lyon to Ventoux, then heading home for a couple of days work before heading out again Tues eve.

greasedscotsman

RoadPainter wrote:

Folding chair? Lightweight! Take an arm chair!

'kin hell, can you imagine being sat in an armchair when Schatje comes on?!![/quote]

Too right! Lets show those lightweight Dutch how it's done and take a sofa!

newbuild100

Too right! Lets show those lightweight Dutch how it's done and take a sofa!

Gonna be difficult getting that on a motorbike !!