Watching TdF in the Pyrenees
Not sure I'm posting this in the right place, if not let me know where is best!
So it seems I've upset the OH by not suggesting we spend a few days of this half term in Italy watching the Giro. She suggested we head to France to catch some of the Tour. We have to stick to school hols, so are planning to try and see some of the Pyrennean stages.
Accommodation seems more prevalent in Lourdes/Tarbes with Lourdes being a perfect base for the Hautacam stage. We'll have bikes with us so the other stages the plan is to get as close as we can in the van, leave it road side then head up a climb on the bikes. How does this plan sound? Is this likely to be possible or is the traffic carnage on race day (according to Google we can drive to the other stages in around an hour)?
So it seems I've upset the OH by not suggesting we spend a few days of this half term in Italy watching the Giro. She suggested we head to France to catch some of the Tour. We have to stick to school hols, so are planning to try and see some of the Pyrennean stages.
Accommodation seems more prevalent in Lourdes/Tarbes with Lourdes being a perfect base for the Hautacam stage. We'll have bikes with us so the other stages the plan is to get as close as we can in the van, leave it road side then head up a climb on the bikes. How does this plan sound? Is this likely to be possible or is the traffic carnage on race day (according to Google we can drive to the other stages in around an hour)?
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don't go to Lourdes it is horrible. Like Blackpool with a weird vibe.0
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Your idea sounds fine, but I also wouldn’t choose Lourdes, partly for the above reason, partly as its hotels are overpriced compared to same quality elsewhere, and partly as being located more to the east would be closer the other stage routes in the Pyrenees.
Then for just a few extra kms on the bike, you might be able to skip using the van at all on those three days, or at least have the choice.0 -
Luchon would be an obvious place to stay. No idea if it is booked up by now...0
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SpecialGuestStar wrote:don't go to Lourdes it is horrible. Like Blackpool with a weird vibe.
That strange mix of godliness and eroticism?0 -
hammerite wrote:Not sure I'm posting this in the right place, if not let me know where is best!
So it seems I've upset the OH by not suggesting we spend a few days of this half term in Italy watching the Giro. She suggested we head to France to catch some of the Tour. We have to stick to school hols, so are planning to try and see some of the Pyrennean stages.
Accommodation seems more prevalent in Lourdes/Tarbes with Lourdes being a perfect base for the Hautacam stage. We'll have bikes with us so the other stages the plan is to get as close as we can in the van, leave it road side then head up a climb on the bikes. How does this plan sound? Is this likely to be possible or is the traffic carnage on race day (according to Google we can drive to the other stages in around an hour)?
Hi,
We stayed in Pau during the 2012 tour and found it really easy to get to good places to see key stages. We saw both stages on the peyresourde that year. The first was with the kids and we came up from luchon and had to walk the last three miles. We had both kids (6&8 at the time) with us and although we waited four hours before the riders it was a fantastic experience. The next day, when bradley broke nibali I came up from the otherside on my own on my bike, that was great too, just cycled as far as I could up and then hung about with a load of pi$$ed up basques.
The motorways are pretty quick and if you are out early it's normally ok to get to stages. I would try and stay where a stage finishes though as it's fun to hang around where the teams are.0 -
Maybe Tarbes then! Based on my not so wonderful research of only looking at Booking.com there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of options elsewhere, like Bagneres de Bigorre.
If we stayed in Lourdes it would pretty much only be to sleep as we'd be out during the day watching the races.0
