Tour Finish Paris - advice, please

salsiccia1

I've finally given in to my wife's pleading and agreed for us to be in Paris for the Tour finish . Obviously, with it being an evening finish, timing is going be a bit different to normal, but can anyone advise on when (and where) I should take my spot on the Champs Elysees to ensure a front-row spot?

mr_poll

The last two years I have been at the top of Champs with a load of Brits in the Team Sky Fanzone - decent lot and some good ppl to chat to, as you will have a lot of time to pass. I was there at 7:45am last year and bagged a front row place. Good spot as the riders slow on the turn, and also the teams have photo's afterwards so if you want close up shots and signatures a lot of the riders come over.

I am not going this year. If you are on facebook or twitter search for them and they will be happy to help the lap is going round the Arc this year I believe so I think they will move slightly. Not sure about time as the riders will be there later this year, but it is the 100th.

twotyred

Last year we were next the barriers about 300 meters past the finish line. Got there about 11:00am so about 4 hours before the finish. Make sure you have sharp elbows as people will try to push in and take your spot if you are next to the barriers

Frankly in hindsight if I was doing it again I'd cough up for a hospitality package and turn up when I wanted and sit in the stands in comfort without having knobs trying to push their way in. But I won't be doing it again because it won't ever get any better than being there in perfect weather seeing the first ever British winner.

yourpaceormine

Tips - get there very early, the Police start closing the Metro stations when it starts getting busy. Take lots of supplies. Once in place you'll struggle to go away and then get back in position.

Note - the route has changed this year. As they enter Paris they are passing the pyramid at le Louvre before joining Rue de Rivoli. The turn has moved too I believe. They are going around the Arc, as opposed to making the turn on the Champs. If that is correct - traffic in central Paris will be gridlock!

salsiccia1

Cheers, all - best get there very early then...

pottssteve

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Cheers, all - best get there very early then...

Yes. Other tips:
1. View from the Rue de Rivoli is pretty good. If you stand on the side of the gardens you are nearer to the toilets and will get shade from the afternoon sun.
2. Take a camp stool to save standing all day.
3. Take food, drink, a sun hat, and something to occupy you.
4. Don't try to take photos on every pass the riders make - you don't see anything when fiddling with the camera.

Steve

lucan2

Take an i-pad or similar device. We had one with us last year and passed the time watching the stage live before it got to the Champs. We had loads of people crowding around behind us to watch it, too. We picked up a good wifi signal so it was free.

theicebun

mr_poll wrote:

The last two years I have been at the top of Champs with a load of Brits in the Team Sky Fanzone - .

How do you get into the fanzone ? Is it open to all ? Where is it located exactly ?

takethehighroad

It tells you how on the back of your fanboi membership card

Richmond Racer

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

It tells you how on the back of your fanboi membership card

Sigh. Helpful

Icebun: find Team Sky Fanzone as a group on FB. Or search for @TeamSkyFanzone on Twitter.

greasedscotsman

Richmond Racer wrote:

Sigh. Helpful

Do you not just turn up with your Team Sky flag?

http://www.rapha.cc/team-sky-supporters ... orizontal/

Richmond Racer

greasedscotsman wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Sigh. Helpful

Do you not just turn up with your Team Sky flag?

http://www.rapha.cc/team-sky-supporters ... orizontal/

Sweet Jesus...

greasedscotsman

I know! I can't decide if to go horizontal or vertical either!

salsiccia1

greasedscotsman wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Sigh. Helpful

Do you not just turn up with your Team Sky flag?

http://www.rapha.cc/team-sky-supporters ... orizontal/

I will NOT be sporting one of those

mr_poll

theicebun wrote:

mr_poll wrote:

The last two years I have been at the top of Champs with a load of Brits in the Team Sky Fanzone - .

How do you get into the fanzone ? Is it open to all ? Where is it located exactly ?

It is more of a Brit corner than a fan zone, think the norwegians have a similar area further down the Champs. It's a public street so it is totally open to all and the guys who organise it are very welcoming, there was some confusion last year as they moved a barrier to cordon things off, usually the Police or Stewards move it, last year they didnt which meant less of a crush - however it's more the merrier.

Facebook page here http://www.facebook.com/groups/139830856157977/?fref=ts

Last two years it has been in front of L'Arc de Triumphe in line with the turn on the side where the riders go down incline of the Champs. This year they are going round the Arc so not sure what plans the fanzone guys have got but if you contact them they will be happy to keep you posted.

goonz

So sounds like you need to not take any drinks because if you dare go for a leak you will lose your spot!

How much is a hospitality package btw?

mr_poll

goonz wrote:

So sounds like you need to not take any drinks because if you dare go for a leak you will lose your spot!

How much is a hospitality package btw?

If you want a decent spot you will be there for a while - as I was with other Brits a sense of fairplay was upheld - so was able to nip to the loo, stretch my legs and grab a fresh sandwich and my place was kept for me.

greasedscotsman

goonz wrote:

How much is a hospitality package btw?

http://www.sportstoursinternational.co. ... d-packages

mr_poll

A pic I took last year.

lucan2

I was directly opposite Mr_Poll - just behind Sir Brad's head on the photo. I got there at 9.30 am, with chairs, coldbox, camera, etc. There were two of us, so we took turns to wander off for a natural break. Feckwits didn't start pushing to get to the barrier until the peleton arrived but sharp elbows and a bit of Anglo-Saxon worked a treat.

Crankbrother

greasedscotsman wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Sigh. Helpful

Do you not just turn up with your Team Sky flag?

http://www.rapha.cc/team-sky-supporters ... orizontal/

I feel bad buying the San Remo T-Shirt now ... or any Rapha stuff ... Ever ...

Bo Duke

Le Mini Palais
•In the heart of the Grand Palais buildings, the Mini Palais offers sophisticated gastronomy by 3* Bristol chef Eric Fréchon.
•Welcome by Tour de France hostesses
•Apéritif champagne
•Sophisticated gourmet dinner prepared by 3* chef Eric Fréchon
•Celebratory champagne cocktail
•Reserved Seats on the Grand-Palais grandstand
•Tour de France gift given to each guest
•ONLY £599 per person

600 Smackers! Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-ite for that I'd expect a seater on the back of Cav's bike!

rc856

Excuse the hijack.....but is there anywhere I can find out a zoomed in map of the streets the Tour will go down on each stage?
I'll be near Tours for the finish/start on consecutive days so would like to see exactly where it'll be or is it a case of being in Tours beforehand?

Thanks

greasedscotsman

RC856 wrote:

Excuse the hijack.....but is there anywhere I can find out a zoomed in map of the streets the Tour will go down on each stage?
I'll be near Tours for the finish/start on consecutive days so would like to see exactly where it'll be or is it a case of being in Tours beforehand?

Thanks

http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-12.html
http://www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/us/stage-13.html

takethehighroad

Bo Duke wrote:

Le Mini Palais
•In the heart of the Grand Palais buildings, the Mini Palais offers sophisticated gastronomy by 3* Bristol chef Eric Fréchon.
•Welcome by Tour de France hostesses
•Apéritif champagne
•Sophisticated gourmet dinner prepared by 3* chef Eric Fréchon
•Celebratory champagne cocktail
•Reserved Seats on the Grand-Palais grandstand
•Tour de France gift given to each guest
•ONLY £599 per person

600 Smackers! Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-ite for that I'd expect a seater on the back of Cav's bike!

I'd say it's worth it for that. You could do a Hincapie, bag yourself a wife over there

Paul 8v

Crankbrother wrote:

greasedscotsman wrote:

Richmond Racer wrote:

Sigh. Helpful

Do you not just turn up with your Team Sky flag?

http://www.rapha.cc/team-sky-supporters ... orizontal/

I feel bad buying the San Remo T-Shirt now ... or any Rapha stuff ... Ever ...

I do get a bit fed up with all the sky hate sometimes, typically British that we have to hate people because they are successful. It's the same as buying an Arsenal scarf or an England rugby top and wearing it to a match. Just be grateful people are finally taking an interest in cycling in this country, rather helped along a bit by what team sky did last year in the tour de France...

RichN95.

The best advice I can give is - if you are travelling in a multi-people carrier measure the height of it. You may come across some low structures and we wouldn't want any embarrasment

Paul 8v

RichN95 wrote:

The best advice I can give is - if you are travelling in a multi-people carrier measure the height of it. You may come across some low structures and we wouldn't want any embarrasment

Nah, it'll definitely fit under whatever you want, no-one would be that stupid....

greasedscotsman

Paul 8v wrote:

I do get a bit fed up with all the sky hate sometimes, typically British that we have to hate people because they are successful. It's the same as buying an Arsenal scarf or an England rugby top and wearing it to a match. Just be grateful people are finally taking an interest in cycling in this country, rather helped along a bit by what team sky did last year in the tour de France...

Where is the hate? Just because I think their flag looks stupid and is overpriced I hate Team Sky? Is there nothing between fanboi and hater? OK, I'm off to burn my Sky jersey in the garden...

RichN95.

Paul 8v wrote:

I do get a bit fed up with all the sky hate sometimes, typically British that we have to hate people because they are successful. It's the same as buying an Arsenal scarf or an England rugby top and wearing it to a match. Just be grateful people are finally taking an interest in cycling in this country, rather helped along a bit by what team sky did last year in the tour de France...

Paul, I'm a Sky fan as well. But some people will have differing views. They shouldn't be expected to support a team just because they are from the same country.

However, it goes the other as well. There needs to be an understanding that if it is in a team's tactical interests to ride in a defensive manner to take it to TTs that's not wrong. Similarly, when they win 10 stages in MTFs acknowledge it.

If people don't like Sky that should be enough. No justification - that's what you think fair enough, but if you go overboard it's trolling.

All these things are OK. Now, for example, if we had some idiot who where bashing Sky for not turning EBH into a Tour GC favourite then maybe we might think we had a moron in our midst.

Paul 8v

To be fair that is a bit of a lame flag, didn't mean you guys in particular just seems like every time I look on here someone is bashing sky/wiggo/Cavendish, seems to be a lot of hate for the Brits, just a bit annoying as I grew up when the only cyclist anyone had heard of was possibly Boardman and "That guy that built his bike out of a washing machine" It's so nice that we've got so many good male and female riders now and people are starting to take notice of the sport.

But yeah as you say people shouldn't have to like sky just because your British, just seems to always bring up some hate somewhere, a bit like Contador and steak! I can fully understand a hatred of Murdoch actually but you have to remember he is no more of a ***** (Don't want to get sued) than any other CEOs out there he's just better known!