swagman

How do I get information regarding viewing from road side the various stages of this year's Tour including road closures etc?

Would the local Tourism office provide such info so that locals can participate?

If anyone can please advise.

s

Celticharper

You can buy the newspaper L'Equipe. Every day it has the exact schedule not only of the precise tour route, but also the estimated time of arrival of first the caravan Publicité, then the tour riders themselves. L'Equipe will also have the times of the road closing so you can plan your day accordingly.

You can also find in many local Tabac's a free map handout of the stage coming to that area, that will give you the turn by turn route so you can decide where you want to view the race.

The prefered spots of course are on the uphills, because obviously the peleton slows down a bit for those, otherwise be careful don't blink or you will miss it.

Make sure you plan to be at your chosen viewing spot hours early so you don't get stuck in the traffic and miss the stage entirely. I know this sounds like obvious advice but you'd be surprised how many people misjudge the traffic and the time it will take to find a parking spot then to walk the distance to the stage. I've met many people who were sitting in traffic on the wrong road and missed the stage entirely.

We've followed the tour and camped on the side of the road, and had wonderful parties with new friends from all over the world. My DH was absolutely brilliant in finding back roads and routes that helped us avoid traffic and made it possible for us to see a lot more of the tour.

My DH and I followed the tour for 6 years and missed only last and this year. we've already decided come he!! or high water we are returning to chase the tour next year.

Have a great time, there is nothing in the world like it.

GeoffHamer

The Tour website has details of the route with links to local tourist offices, etc
www.letour.fr

analogue

Starts in Brest tomorrow.

swagman

Thank you all and especially to Celticharper, great advice.

This is the 1st time we are doing this, normally we watch it from the comfort of our own lounge!! Hope we can it right!

s

Celticharper

Well swagman, the only thing I didn't warn you about is how addicting Letour can be. Every year since 2000, we planned our vacations in October as soon as the tour route was announced. we are now going through serious withdrawal and regretting dreadfully our decision to forego the tour this year.

I found a great site that might be of help to you. It's not only geared towards Americans really, just an english language site for info to make your tour experience the best.

http://home.ptd.net/~dcholly/

It has a some info that will be of help, it hasn't been updated competely, but you might still find some usefull info there.



Don't forget to pack a picnic for the wait, a bottle of wine, a chunk of cheese and a friendly attitude will have you sharing lunch with those around you laughing and enjoying the convivality that is the crowd at the tour. I've tasted homemade wine, the cheese that the farmer only sells to his neighbors, and the cake mamon is famous for. The fans from all over the world become your friends for the day, when you just smile and break the ice with a comment about the race.

So many little things can make the tour an unforgetable vacation.

Have a great time, and if I can help further please let me know.

swagman

Thanks again Celticharper.

Go Cadel Evans, a fellow Aussie, tipped to win this year's Le Tour!

s

tower

swag:


Aurillac to Figeac (in the Lot) is one of the stages this year...both interesting towns with beautiful surrounding countryside. Pau is another one...it's a rest stop this year, and a mighty fine flower-filled, Pyrenee-scenic city. We drove the route through three passes a few years ago when the roads were still full of the painted "cheering" signs along the way. Into the Pyrenee stages would be the most scenic, and maybe the least crowded...I see in today's paper that Bagneres de Bigorre is the end of Stage 11, and very picturesque, remote Hautacam is the end of Stage 10 (south of Lourdes).

Just decide where you want to be when you see the stage routes....and follow all of the detailed advice you've had from posters who've been there, done that!

stu t.

libssmfamily

I was fortunate to participate in the hoopla that surrounded Tour de France in 1988. Being a teenager at the time and from America, I did not appreciate the history and importance behind this race. Driving to a stage area (not sure where exactly - we were based out of Strasbourg, but were not in town... we drove out to the country side) we set up camp (hours before) and ate our picnic lunches on a hot day. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind for my vacation in Europe - I wanted to go swimming! That all changed quickly as I heard, not saw, but heard the participants approaching. Cycling could not have been more exciting! They were going so fast! The spectators around me were yelling and jumping up and down. It was incredible! My whole outlook changed... I realized from that moment alone that for me to honestly love a sport or the game, I have to be up close and personal - I have to experience it. Either by playing the game or getting a first hand account of it - seeing the event in person. Forget the television or newspapers. Furthermore, I recommend doing some research. The Tour de France has a long history behind it. It's been around longer than half of the buildings in my country. How cool is that? It was interrupted twice due to World Wars. Being there in 1988 was a great experience and I'm so thankful that my French relatives dragged me to watch! I hope you enjoy your experience as well! Have fun!

mpprh

An interactive image of the route has been produced by google. Faces have been blurred.


http://maps.google.fr/maps?ie=UTF8&l...893737424,,0,5

Link to Google Street View of Tour de France route .


Peter

kerouac

Watching the Tour de France on TV on France 2 and France 3 for three weeks every year is a joy for those of us who can't wait along the road.

This year they have changed a number of the rules to make it all more human and not a drugged superman event. However, the doping years of Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis will take awhile to be wiped away. Luckily, the French still have Greg LeMond as an American hero to admire.

Underhill

So, kerouac, you now have proof that Lance Armstrong doped? Please cite someone other than Greg Lemond.

Jean

"... the doping years of Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis..."

The overwhelming number of teams and riders accused of, admitted to or proven to have used doping practices in the Tour de France in the past 10 years have not been Americans.

1998 TVM (Dutch) [1998, before Lance Armstrong returned, was the "Tour of Shame"]
2000 Festina (French)
2004 Cofidis (French)
2004 Kelme (Spanish)
2007 Cofidis (French)

Jan Ullrich (German)
Ivan Basso (Spanish)
Erik Zabel (German)
Bjarne Riis (Danish)
Bernard Thevenet (French)
Alexander Vinokourov (Russian)
Cristian Moreni (Italian)
Michael Rasmussen (Danish)
Floyd Landis (American)

... just to name the ones who come to mind.

analogue

Lance is as innocent as O.J. Simpson, true.

Jean

Well, analogue, you can accuse 'til the cows come home, but it was never proved during many years of random off-season and race-required testing. Time to let it go.

kerouac

I don't think anybody wants Lance to go to jail for what he did. He will always have his conscience with him. Many of the witnesses have not retired from cycling yet, so they cannot say anything. So all is well in the best of all possible worlds.

Jean

"Many of the witnesses have not retired from cycling yet, so they cannot say anything."

The atmosphere around/in the tour is very different this year. I think if someone had something to say, he/she would say it.

I also think if non-tour people had an understanding of Armstrong's training regimen, which was like no other pro cyclist before him, there wouldn't be these unproven accusations. Read Chris Carmichael's books "Seven Weeks to the Perfect Ride," and "The Ultimate Ride."

swagman

Hi Everyone

We made it to Stage 7, between Figeac and Toulouse. We saw the Tour just outside Villefranche-de-Rouergue. Although the section we were at was flat, it was just after a category 3 climb, so all the riders slowed down to catch their breath!!

All in all, it was an amazing experience!

2 more stages to go before Paris. Go Cadel!!

s

annhig

hi swagman,

was that one of the stages won by Cav?

how long did it take for the riders to come past?

I'm favouring Castre - his ride the other day to take the lead was awesome if you'll excuse the expression. i loved the way that cadel and the others were so busy watching Fank and andy that they forgot to chase the leader.

my family think I'm mad watching [we have a highlights programme every night on ITV 4 that i record religiously] but I'm hooked.

role on Paris.

regards, ann

historytraveler

Greg Lemond...A great cyclist but a whiner. He has never been able to get over the fact that Lance is by far the better cyclist and champion. And, the French people( not the press) have a far more favorable opinion of Lance than of Lemond.

They've proven doping charges for a number of riders, but NEVER has it been proven against Lance. Naysayers...get over it.

And, yes, doping has been a big problem in cycling. It was one of the reasons my son left the sport (while racing in Europe, on a French team) about 20 years ago. However, I strongly believe that the cycling world is making progress towards eliminating the dopers from the sport.

The crowds are bigger than ever and cycling is far from suffering any demise.

This year's tour has been excellent. Vive Le Tour!!