You’re reading about a past BikeStyle Tours trip to the Tour de France. You can also view photos from this trip, see preliminary details of our 2008 trips, and register to receive full details of the 2008 Tour de France when they are released.
Trip Details:
Duration: 10 days (9 Nights)
Dates: Saturday 21 July 2007 to Monday 30 July 2007
Start-Finish: Paris
Accommodation: 3 and 4 Star Premium Hotels
Group Size: Maximum 40 people (5 Staff)
Cost: USD* $4172
Who Is This Trip For?
Anyone with an interest in Cycling who want to see the biggest of the Grand Tours, the Tour de France. This is our main focus for the trip. We cater for cyclists of all abilities by providing riding options each day. On most days we offer two rides. All our rides are escorted and they vary from “serious” to “relaxed”. We ride on quiet scenic roads and where possible we ride on the race course ahead of the race. This trip does involve some days in the mountains so there will be the opportunity to challenge yourself on the most famous climbs including the Tourmalet as a side trip.
We also cater for people who do not ride bikes with visits to the race and other attractions but an interest in seeing the Tour de France is important as it is the main focus of the trip.
Our trip will take in 7 days of the race including stages in the Pyrenees and the Final Time Trial. We will have a blend of riding on rolling roads and also in the rugged and spectacular Pyrenees. We will test ourselves on many of the major climbs of this year’s tour including the Côte de Sarraille, Port de Pailhères, Port de Balès, Col de Peyresourde, Col de Marie-Blanque and Col d’Aubisque.
Saturday, 21 July 2007
Stage 13 - Albi - Albi, 54 km
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 and Bikestyle staff will be available to assist if you have any problems.
As a result of tighter luggage restrictions and the difficulties of travelling with a bicycle, Bikestyle Tours has a range of hire bikes available for rental. They are equipped with both Shimano and Campagnolo and we have a variety of sizes on hand. For more info see our Bicycle Hire Page.
There will be the option of a ride in the afternoon (we will provide a ride map and suggestions) and there should be time to rest up 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 9 days.
Sunday, 22 July 2007
Stage 14 - Mazamet - Plateau-de-Beille, 197 km
We will have an early 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.
If you would want to miss the long bus transfer there is the possibility to take a TGV train directly to Toulouse. Please email us for details.
Toulouse is ideally located for tomorrow’s stage as it is only an hour away from the start of our ride.
Dinner tonight will be provided at the Hotel.
Monday, 23 July 2007
Stage 15 - Foix - Loudenvielle - Le Louron, 196 km
We will leave the hotel on the bus and head to our drop off point for the cyclists just past St. Gaudens. From here you will be able to ride either one or both of the final two climbs of today’s stage. They are the new and already feared Port de Balès with an ascent of 19.2 km at a 6.2% gradient and the regular but also difficult Col de Peyresourde with an ascent of 9.7 km at a 7.8% gradient.
After dropping off the cyclists the bus will continue to Bagneres de Luchon where we will meet the cyclists after they have watched the race and descended to meet the bus.
After the race we will leave for our 4 star hotel in Lourdes where we will base ourselves for the next 3 nights.
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 at the hotel.
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
Rest Day – Pau
Today is a rest day on the Tour but not for us. We will offer a range of options today.
The first two options are to ride one or two of the classic climbs of the Tour, the Col D’Áspin and the Col du Tourmalet. Whilst neither are included in this year’s Tour they are have been featured many times in past years. It is a “lumpy” 35km to the village of St Marie de Campan which is at the base of the two climbs. From here you have the choice of climbing the Col d’ Aspin and returning to the village before climbing the Col du Tourmalet or going directly to the Tourmalet. From the top of the Tourmalet it is 50km back to the hotel in Lourdes. Whilst this is mostly downhill there is often a headwind up the final valley. It will be 130km if you do both climbs or 100km for the Tourmalet.
Details of the two climbs are:
Col d’Aspin, 12.6km, Average gradient 6.2%
Col du Tourmalet, 17.2km, average gradient 7.4%.
A third option will be to visit the Cauterets National Park. Cauterets is a ski resort and is located in a narrow valley deep in the Pyrenees, a short distance south of Lourdes. One of the best snow locations during the winter months and during the warmer parts of the year visitors can enjoy walking and cycling amongst the magnificent scenery of the Parc National des Pyrenees. There are several spectacular waterfalls between Cauterets and Pont d’Espagne, notably the ones at Cascades de Lutour.
The village of Cauterets is 30km from Lourdes and it’s a further 10km to the entrance to the National Park at Pont d’Espagne. The first 20km are a pleasant ride down the bike track which follows the river valley. Once we leave the valley it is all climbing, the next 10km to Cauterets is good climbing but fairly steady. The last 8km to Pont d’Espagne is serious climbing with some parts with a gradient of more than 10%.
The bus will be travelling the same route so it should be possible to pick up riders at Cauterets or at a spot at the end of the bike path for those who want a leisurely ride.
The Parc National des Pyrenees is a magnificent spot to discover the forests, meadows, lakes and streams of the National Park. Upon arrival we will board a cable car and chair lift before enjoying a short walk to reach Lake Gaube.
After the visit to the National Park you can either ride back to Lourdes or travel on the bus. It’s mostly downhill. We will be back in Lourdes in time for an afternoon Tour of this famous town which will include the famous Massabielle Cave and the Healing Pools.
After dinner it should be possible to catch the famous torchlight procession from the Massabielle Grotto.
Dinner will be provided tonight at the hotel.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Stage 16 - Orthez - Gourette - Col d’Aubisque, 218 km
After a day off the battle for the Maillot Jaune will continue today.
It’s also the last day in the mountains for this edition of the Tour de France and it’s not going out with a whimper with four climbs culminating with a mountain top finish on the Col d’Aubisque.
We have two options today with the long option being a 110km round trip including the climb of the Aubisque where we will see the race near the finish at Gourette. After the race finish we will continue over the summit of the Aubisque before the short (3km) climb to the Col du Soulor. From here it is a welcome 20km downhill to the village of Argeles Gazost. From Argeles Gazost back to Lourdes is an easy ride on a well surfaced bike track built over an old railway line.
The second option is a ride of 85km. It leaves the hotel and travels 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 from the opposite side to the race route. 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. We continue to the finish at Gourette and after the race we retrace our route back to Lourdes.
Dinner will be provided tonight at the hotel.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Stage 17 - Pau - Castelsarrasin, 188 km
This morning the race starts in Pau about 50km from Lourdes.
We will ride across to Pau in the morning to see the start around midday.
Starts are 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.
Immediately after the start it is back to the buses for the journey to our hotel near Cognac where we spend the next two nights.
Cognac is the centre of the French brandy trade with more than 20 million bottles exported each year. It is an ancient town and on the river banks there is a 13th century chateau which is now the headquarters of one of the famous Cognac producers.
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants.
Friday, 27 July 2007
Stage 18 - Cahors - Angoulême, 210 km
From our hotel we will either ride or go by bus to Cognac where we will be able to ride tomorrow’s Time Trial course to Angouleme. It will be a good insight into how the race will go tomorrow. When you are watching the race you will be able to understand what the riders will be going through.
We will arrive in Angouleme in time to see the finish of the stage from Cahors. A sprint finish will be on the cards so long as the teams of the sprinters have enough riders left to control the race!
The evening is free to sample the delights of the local restaurants.
Saturday, 28 July 2007
Stage 19 - Cognac - Angoulême, 55 km
This morning we will head across to Cognac by bike or bus to see the race at the start. The start of a Time Trial is probably the best place to see the race. You can walk past riders warming up and see them as they head off on the penultimate stage of the 2007 Tour de France.
After the race we will begin our journey back to Paris by travelling part way up the road before stopping for the night.
Dinner will be provided tonight at the hotel.
Sunday, 29 July 2007
Stage 20 - Marcoussis - Paris Champs-Élysées, 130 km
This morning we will complete our journey to Paris arriving around midday and in plenty of time to see the race.
It’s a great day when the race finishes in Paris and we are able to help you make the best of it.
As an Official Tour Operator to the Tour de France we have access to the various VIP areas on the Champs Elysees. So you will have the option of purchasing VIP tickets to the finish on the Champs Elysees if you wish. Details will be available soon. Otherwise you can find a vantage point along the route where you can see the finish.
All the riders who complete the race take part in a lap of honour at the conclusion of the race so it’s well worth staying around to see this highlight. The buses will shuttle you back to the hotel after hotel after the festivities are over.
There will be a farewell dinner tonight where you can say goodbye to your new friends.
Monday, 30 July 2007
All good things come to an end….
Bikestyle staff will be on hand to help you with your transfer to the Airport.
You’re reading about a past BikeStyle Tours trip to the Tour de France. You can also view photos from this trip, see preliminary details of our 2008 trips, and register to receive full details of the 2008 Tour de France when they are released.
