Anyone know anything about how to go about travelling to France and seeing the Tour? Where to stay? How to do it?

They don't normally announce the schedule/itinerary for the Tour de France until late October, so it's premature to be considering where to stay. Once they do announce it, check the route, figure out where you'd like to see it, make reservations, and go. I'd advise you not to try to follow the Tour - the traffic congestion is amazing - but rather to be in residence somewhere at or near where it comes through and plan to get out early to see it (even in a small village, it's astonishing the number of people who arrive at the last minute to crowd the streets).

The 2003 tour is going to follow as closely as possible the 1903 original tour route. Velonews (or Cycle Sport - can't remember, I get both) had a guess at what the route will be in a recent issue.<BR><BR>The announcement should be made in the next couple of weeks.<BR><BR>There are some tours that followq part of the Tour. Do a search on this forum

I agree with the other recommendations. Just pick out your favorite location, make reservations, and watch the Tour come through.<BR>We did that two years ago when the Tour came through western Switzerland. We drove over for the day (from Niederried) and watched it near Gruyeres. Had a great time.<BR><BR>Regards, <BR><BR>Jinx Hoover

The slower the riders are moving, the better the chance that your Tour viewing will last more than a few seconds. In other words: You get more Tour for your effort in the mountains. Once I saw the entire group whizz by in about 4 seconds. The riders were all packed together. Then it was over.