TRIP DETAILS:
Duration: 18 days (17 nights)
Dates: Friday 11 July to Monday 28 July
Start-Finish: Paris
Accommodation: 3 and 4 Star Premium Hotels
Group Size: Maximum 40 people (5 Staff)
Cost: USD* $5736.48
Deposit: USD* $912* – Secure your spot now.
Trip Inclusions
Extras: Champs Elysees VIP Seating: {oneninetyfive}
Pyrenees Exclusive Access Trip: {vip_addon}
*Approximate. We charge for our trips in Australian dollars, so the figure above is a conversion from the $AU price.
Who are our trips for?
This 18 day trip will be our longest ever trip and each year we see it as our signature trip. Our reasons for starting early are to allow you to see all the mountains stages including the two in the Pyrenees (and we like the Pyrenees!).
We will see 12 (possibly 13) stages as well as climbing some of the other classic climbs that are not included in this year’s race. Our climbs will include the Tourmalet, Hautacam, Galibier, Croix de Fer and Alpe D’ Huez which are included in this years race and the Aubisque, Pic du Nore and the infamous Mont Ventoux which are not included in this years race but have been the scene of many battles in previous races. We will also be there for the final time trial and the last day on the Champs d’Elysees.
We will visit the Pyrenees and the religious centre of Lourdes, the Tarn region and the ancient walled city of Carcassonne, Provence famous for its links back to the Roman times and more recently with Van Gogh and Monet, the Alpes, the volcanic regions of Central France before our finale in Paris.
NOTE: We do realize that this is a long trip for some people to squeeze into their holidays so if you are interested in this trip but would like to start a few days later please email us to discuss possible options. tours@bikestyletours.com
Day 1 Friday, 11 July 2008
Pick up Paris
There will be someone to meet you at the Airport and assist you to your transport which will transfer you to our 4 star hotel close to the Airport. We recommend a mid morning to early afternoon arrival to prevent the possibility of having to wait for your room to be made ready.
We have found from experience that the first thing most cyclists want to do is to have a short ride to shake out the cobwebs after the plane trip. The area around the airport provides a good base for this.
The first job will be to assemble your bike. Our Bikestyle staff will be available to assist if you have any problems. There will be the option of a ride early in the afternoon and there should be time to rest up and possibly watch the stage finish on TV before the welcome dinner in the evening. Should you prefer to see the sights of Paris the hotel shuttle runs frequently to the terminals from where it is an easy trip by RER train or bus into the city centre.
Tonight there is a welcome dinner where you can meet the staff who will be looking after you on the trip and of course your fellow travellers with whom you will be spending the next 17 days.
Overnight in Paris
Day 2 Saturday 12 July
Rendezvous with the Tour
Stage 9, 174 km Figeac to Toulouse
We will have an early(ish) start for our transfer to our 3 star hotel near Toulouse. The journey will take around nine hours and we will have frequent stops on the road to stretch the legs. Our bus is equipped with a modern audio/video system and we will have a choice of watching some movies or DVD’s of previous Tours and other bike races. This will also be a good opportunity to catch up on some sleep after the long plane journey.
Toulouse is the location of today’s stage finish and it is possible with an early start and good traffic that we will see the finish however we can’t be sure of that. Our intention is really to be in a good location to have a good ride and see tomorrow’s first Pyrenees stage to Bagneres de Bigorre.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants that Toulouse is famous for. We suggest the area around the Capitol as a good destination. It will be full of life tonight.
You may wonder why we don’t provide all the evening meals. We used to do this but we found that people preferred to be adventurous and try the local product! While hotel food is quite good, it can become a bit much every night. It is great to take a walk and find a restaurant to your liking and sample some of the local food that the area is renowned for.
Overnight in Toulouse.
Day 3 Sunday 13 July
A hilly start
Stage 10, 220km Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre
We will start on the bus from Toulouse this morning and head to the town of La Barthe where we will begin our 2 rides for today. We don’t want to ‘destroy’ you on the first ride of the trip so we will be offering a 60-70km ride taking in the final climb of the day along the race course or a flatter 50km ride to the finish via an alternate route.
Located at the foot of the legendary Tourmalet and Aspin cols, Bagnères-de-Bigorre harbours memories of the road-racing Giants. Col d’Aspin is a 12.1 km climb with an average gradient of 6.6%.
After we see the race finish we will head for our 4 star hotel in Lourdes where we will spend the next 3 nights. A 4 course dinner is provided each evening.
It’s less than 25km so you may choose to ride it as it may be quicker than the bus which will need to clear the traffic.
Lourdes is well situated at the base of all the legendary climbs of the Pyrenees. If you have studied Christianity you will know that Lourdes is famous as the place where the Virgin Mary appeared to a young Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Since then the sick and the lame have come to visit and take the healing waters. Lourdes is a very busy tourist centre for both religious visitors and for cyclists. There are many cafes and restaurants catering for the multitude of visitors.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Lourdes
Day 4 Monday 14 July
Tourmalet and Hautacam
Stage 11, 154km Pau to Hautacam.
Today we are in an ideal position to see the race as it passes by close to Lourdes. If you want a real test it will be possible to leave the hotel early and follow the last 100km of today’s stage which will include the two climbs the Col du Tourmalet and the Hautacam. Alternatively for those wanting an easier day we are only 20km away from the start of the final climb. There will be time for a look around Lourdes before we leave around lunch time to see the race on the Hautacam. Non cyclists will be taken down to the base of the Hautacam to see the race on the lower slopes of the final climb.
Today’s stage will be short but brutal. Two of the biggest climbs in the Pyrenees one after the other in such a short stage is sure to bring surprises.
Mountain Passes
Col du Tourmalet – 17.7 km climb to 7.5%
Hautacam – 14.2 km climb to 7.2%
After seeing the race we will return to Lourdes by bike along the path that runs from near the base of the Hautacam to Lourdes just 12km away.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Lourdes.
Day 5 Tuesday 15 July
Col d’Aubisque, the classic climb in the Pyrenees
Today is a rest day on the race but not for us. We take the opportunity to ride the Col d’Aubisque which to us is “the” classic climb in the Pyrenees. You will recognize the road from many of the photographs taken during previous Tours de France.
We will leave the hotel and travel back down the bike track to Argeles Gazost which is a pretty tourist village at the centre of many of the climbs in the Pyrenees. Leaving Argeles it’s straight into the climb of the Col du Soulor and the Col d’Aubisque. The first 12km are relatively easy but the last 7.5km average more than 8%. From the top of the Soulor there is a short drop (3km) and then it’s a further 8km and a further 310 metres of climbing to the top of the Col d’Aubisque. From the top of the Aubisque there are the options of retracing the route back through Argeles, a total ride of around 80km or continuing in a loop through Laruns back to Lourdes and a ride of around 110km.
For anyone wanting an easy day it is a short ride down the bike path to Argeles where there are a few cafes for a leisurely lunch.
We will aim to be back in Lourdes in time for you to watch the religious procession late in the afternoon.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Lourdes.
Day 6 Wednesday 16 July
Stage Start
Stage 11, 166km Lannemezan-Foix
Today we leave the Pyrenees and head to the Languedoc-Roussillon area. We will leave the hotel and ride the 50km to Lannemezan arriving well in time to see the start of today’s stage. The start is a great place to see the riders up close. Each rider is required to sign on each day and this provides a good opportunity to see the riders up close. The Team buses and support vehicles are usually close by and you should the able to compare the latest bikes as the Teams prepare for the start.
After the riders depart it is about 3 hours on the bus to the ancient walled city of Carcassonne where we spend the next 2 nights. There should be time for a visit to the walled Cite. Our hotel is situated in the centre of town next to the Canal du Midi and will provide a nice stop for a few days.
The walled city of Carcassonne has featured in many movies and was also the location for the filming of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves staring Kevin Costner. Our hotel tonight was built in 1913 and was used as the headquarters of the local Nazi regiments during the war.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants.
Overnight in Carcassonne
Day 7 Thursday 17 July
The Land of the Cathars
Stage 12, 168km Lavelanet-Narbonne
We don’t know the exact route for today’s stage but we expect it passes close by the hotel and we will take the opportunity to see a little of the local area before watching the race.
We will leave the hotel by bike and ride up to the Pic de Nore, a beautiful steady 1211m climb through stunning gorges littered by Cathar ruins and mountains behind Carcassonne. The Pic du Nore has been used in many races including the Criterium International and the Tour de l’Aude. Depending on the race course we will then either head to Narbonne to see the finish or return to Carcassonne to see the race near our hotel.
For those wanting a shorter ride there are some beautiful roads through lush vineyards near Carcassonne or if we go to Narbonne a ride following the Canal du Midi would be a treat.
Non cyclists will have a morning in Carcassonne followed by the afternoon at the race.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants.
Overnight in Carcassonne
Day 8 Friday 18 July
Finish in the old Roman City
Stage 13, 182km Narbonne-Nîmes
Today we will ride the final kilometers of the stage. We are not far from the route of today’s stage so we will leave the hotel on the bus and drop off riders at points around 100km and 50km from the finish. Our aim will to be in Nimes early in the afternoon to prepare ourselves for the race finish. Once we have seen the race and the jerseys presented we will make the short journey to L’Isle sur la Sourge where our hotel for the next three nights is situated. It is just five minutes from Isle sur la Sorgue, in its own quiet gardens of two hectares at edge of river.
L’Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue is a thriving market town, renowned throughout France for its lively antique and second-hand markets held every Sunday. Indeed, it has the largest concentration of antique dealers outside of Paris! Two branches of the Sorgue River converge here, creating a network of canals and water channels in and around the town centre that give L’Isle its unique and attractive character. L’Isle is jam-packed with boutiques and antique shops that are sure to delight even the most jaded shopper! During the 19th century there were over 70 mills at work in the town. Although the waterwheels still gently turn, they no longer work to support the weaving, olive oil, paper or any other types of milling industries which thrived here until quite recently.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Day 9 Saturday 19 July
On to Provence
Stage 14, 182km Nimes to Dignes les Bains
Our intention today is to see the race at an intermediate sprint or the feed station. After the race passes by we will continue back to L’Isle sur la Sourge.
Again we don’t know the exact route however there are so many beautiful villages to visit and roads to ride it won’t be hard for us to offer you a memorable ride in Provence.
Bikestyle Tours sister company Getawaybybike.com operates cycling holidays in this region and we know the area well.
We will offer a longer option of around 80 to 100km and a shorter ride of 40 to 50km. Hopefully in the afternoon you will go into the town centre to have a look at this pretty village.
Non cyclists will be able to visit the race again today at a point on the road and afterwards explore L’Isle sur la Sourge.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants.
Overnight in L’Isle sur la Sourge
Day 10 Sunday 20 July
Stage 15, 216km Digne-les-Bains-Pratonevoso
Today’s stage is a long stage as the race heads off towards Italy. There may be time to see the local markets before we depart on the bus for the start of today’s stage or you may choose to stay in town and enjoy the festivities that surround the Sunday markets.
After the riders have departed there will be the choice of riding the 125km back to the hotel or riding only part of the way. However if you scroll down to tomorrow you may decide to choose the lesser option!
It will be likely that we will back track on some of the roads covered by the race the previous day.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants.
Overnight in L’Isle sur la Sourge
Day 11 Monday 21 July
The Giant of Provence
It may be the second rest day for the riders but again not for us. Today our focus is the infamous Mont Ventoux.
As you may know this mountain is one of the few where Lance has not won a stage and today you will see what makes it so daunting! Situated as the last Alpine mountain ridge before the Rhône plain, Mont Ventoux can be seen almost from everywhere in Provence. Although it is not an extraordinary high mountain in comparison to the high Alpes further north and east, its isolated position gives it a dominating feature. In all directions you’ll have no higher peaks in the neighbourhood. In all aspects Mont Ventoux is a ‘giant’, whether you refer to its extraordinary climactic differences, its strange looks, or last but not least in cycling terms.
It is 30km through pretty villages, rolling countryside and vineyards from the hotel to Bedoin where we start the climb. You have the choice of riding out or taking the bus to the bottom of the climb. From Bedoin it is only 21km to the summit but it is hard going just about all the way.
After we have returned to Bedoin and enjoyed a well earned beer and late lunch we will leave Provence for the transfer to our hotel at Les 2 Alpes.
It’s a 12km climb with a lot of history in the Tour, most famously where Marco Pantani took the Tour de France from Jan Ullrich on a rainy day in 1998. I know because I was freezing on the slopes watching it unfold.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Les 2 Alpes
Day 12, Tuesday 22 July
Our ‘Grand Stage’
Stage 16, 157km Cuneo to Jausiers
We will not see the race live today but instead we will provide the opportunity to see what a stage in the mountains really looks and feels like. We will depart from the hotel on the bus which will give us a lift to the top of the Col de Lautaret where we join the route of tomorrow’s stage back to Alpe d’Huez. From here it is 140km back to Alpe d’Huez and 3200 metres of climbing over the Col du Galibier, Col du Telegraphe and Col de la Croix-de-Fer before the final climb up Alpe d’Huez to the finish. Afterwards you can descend the same way you came up back to the waiting bus. We will then transport you from Bourg d’Oisans back to the hotel.
For those wanting an easier day we will provide the opportunity to ride the famous Alpe d’Huez before it is overrun by people tomorrow. We will leave the hotel by bike and ride down to Bourg d’Oisans where we will turn right and head up the 21 switch backs that have made this climb famous. Each corner is numbered and has the name of a cyclist on it to recall an incident that has happened there in a past Tour de France. You can time yourself and then stand triumphantly on top of a podium in Alpe d’Huez. After we have looked around we can descend the mountain one of two ways. There is a beautiful little back road which involves a little more climbing via the Col de Sarenne. This brings up back to the corner at the beginning of the climb to 2 Alpes which we will climb by bike to the hotel.
Alternately you can descend the same way you came up back to the waiting bus. We will then transport you from Bourg d’Oisans back to the hotel. We will also arrange transport from Bourg D’Oisans for those who want to miss the final climb.
Afterwards you can watch the race on TV followed by a relaxing drink on the terrace of the hotel enjoying the cool mountain air and the views.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Les 2 Alpes
Day 13, Wednesday 23 July
Finish on Alpe D’Huez
Stage 17, 210km Embrun to Alpe D’Huez
Today’s stage features two major climbs before finishing on Alpe d’Huez. Whilst Alpe d’Huez is not the longest or hardest climb faced by tour riders, it usually features at the end of a long hard day. This has increased its mystique. The 21 virages (switchbacks) have been the scene of many battles over the years and this year will not be any different.
The crowds on Alpe d’Huez are usually the largest of any stage and we are in perfect position to witness all the action. This morning we will again leave the hotel by bike or bus. There is the possibility of riding the climb on race day or just part of it to see the race on one of the corners. The atmosphere on the corners is amazing. Each has its own party happening and it get louder and louder until the crescendo when the race finally arrives.
After the race we will descend the climb to either ride home or meet the bus for a lift back to the hotel.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Les 2 Alpes
Day 14, Thursday 24 July
Heading towards the finish
Stage 18, 197km Bourg d’Oisans-Saint-Etienne
The mountain stages are over and if the winner has not emerged it will be all down to the final time trial on Saturday. We will have an easier day today. The start of the stage is in Bourg D’Oisans but we will be well away before the riders leave. We will leave the hotel on the bikes and ride through the start and follow part of today’s stage to the feed point. The first 55km of the race route are mainly downhill so with the early start we should be there well before the caravan arrives. For those wanting a shorter ride, the bus will pick you up on the outskirts of Grenoble. We will see the race pass by then transfer to our Hotel in Clermont-Ferrand where we spend the next two nights.
This city in south-central France was the ancient capital of the Auvergne. Clermont-Ferrand has seen a long parade of history. It was created in 1731 by a merger of two towns, Clermont and Montferrand. The city is surrounded by hills, and in the distance stands one of the great attractions of the Auvergne, the volcanic mountain Puy-de-Dôme.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Clermont-Ferrand.
Day 15, Friday 25 July
Out on the course
Stage 19, 163km Roanne-Montluçon
Today we will ride out to see the stage as it passes near Clermont-Ferrand and ride part of the course.
We don’t know the exact route for today’s stage but we expect it passes close by Clermont-Ferrand and we will take the opportunity to see a little of the local area before watching the race.
We will offer a choice of a long ride or a short ride out to see the race pass nearby, hopefully at a feed or a sprint and then return to Clermont-Ferrand. This should allow time to have a look around town or watch the race finish on TV. The race may pass near the mythical Puy-de-Dôme however cyclists are not allowed to ride up it anymore but it will be great to have a close up look. The Puy-de-Dôme is quite a visible landmark in the area.
It is known that the new Director of Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme was very keen to reintroduce this mythical climb this year but the race has outgrown it unfortunately.
Overnight in Clermont-Ferrand.
Day 16, Saturday 26 July
The Final Time Trial
Stage 20, 57km Cerilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond
Will this year be a repeat of 2007 when the winner was not decided until the final time trial? We will be there to see all the action.
There will be riding options to Saint-Amand-Montrond of around 100km and 50km and we should arrive in plenty of time to see the early riders leave. We can grab a bite to eat before the riders begin to cross the line. The riders start in the opposite order to the GC, so the “stars” leave last and arrive last.
When the last rider finishes and the yellow jersey is placed on the shoulders of the 2008 winner we will return to the bus for the short journey to our hotel for tonight.
Tomorrow will be a tight day for time so we will arrange for the bike boxes to be brought to our hotel. There should be time to pack the bikes which will save time tomorrow.
Dinner will be provided tonight.
Overnight in Orleans
Day 17 Sunday 27 July
Back to Paris
Stage 21, 15km Etampes-Paris/Champs-Élysées
The final stage into Paris is traditionally a procession until the entrance onto the Champs-Elysees where the racing really starts. Riders traditionally chat, celebrate the final stage, pose for photographs, drink Champagne… sometimes they even dress-up, swap bikes and generally horse around. Once the race gets into Paris, the Yellow jersey and his team traditionally lead the peloton onto the Champs-Elysees for what is a basically a big criterium in the centre of the French Capital.
We will have an early start today and head directly for our hotel in Paris. The bus trip should be less than 4 hours so we should be in time to check in and head off to see the race finish. We will use the bus to take you close to the course. If you have VIP tickets for the final day we will assist you to get to the right area. As you can imagine the centre of Paris will be busy today. After the race there is a lap of honour for all riders who complete the Tour. The atmosphere is one of relief and festivity. We will arrange a couple of pick up points for the bus to get you back to the hotel.
There will be a farewell dinner tonight where you say goodbye to your new found friends
Overnight in Paris
Day 18 Monday 28 July
Au Revoir
Time to say au revoir. Bikestyle staff will be on hand to help you with your transfer to the Airport.
Optional Extras:
Pyrenees Exclusive Access Trip
