I'll be in Paris on the 24 July 04 when the tour de france is completed.
Where is the best vantage point (iyho) on the Champs elysee to see the finish.
What exciting things can we expect to see???fireworks etc???

Our son watched it from the Marriott last year.

any cafe's that we can sit at for hours??? only half joking. Would be nice though

Actually, the tour ends on 25 July 04, not the 24th. Go to www.letour.fr which is the official website to check out the route.

many thanks, re the date...typo error on my part

anyone with any suggestions? I did request a booking at La Fouquet (? spelling) for 12 midday.
Where is the actual finishing line on the Champs Elysees???

I am going for the first time this year so I can't answer with confidence but they circle around the Champs 10 times and probably finish just in front of the Arc (but that is a guess).

People start lining up in the morning and will be 10 deep by midday. I have heard that they don't actually make it into Paris until late afternoon. So it is an all day affair to actually get a glimpse of the riders on the Champs. Some people go to other roads and watch them as they enter Paris. I think they will be on the rud de Rivoli before they get to the Champs.

Hi,
I was walking around Champs Elysée one morning and started to see people lining uop along the lenght of it...not knowing what was gling on, I lined up too, figuring it must be something big and interesting...and it was the TdF. I stood in line for a good 5-6 hours, near Place Concorde. I don't think you would see anything from a café, since the people are standing up along the Champs.
It was neat and something different to do.
Mike

I've been there for that and I think it does end up at the Arc. It goes around Paris in various places and is on the rue de Rivoli at some point (or was).

What is fun and easy to see is the little parade they do in the morning of the tour which is for advertising (publicite), various "floats" which are quite clever and fun, sometimes. I remember a coffee company throwing little spoons and samples of coffee into the crowd (which was pretty good, actually). There is no trouble seeing the publicite parade.

I don't think you could see anything from a cafe like Fouquet's, either. You really don't want to spend 4-6 hours at Fouquet's IMO. It ends late in the afternoon.

Viva la Lance!!

I have done the tour 3 times now and have some advice. The tour does several (10?) 4.5KM laps of the roads around Paris once they get into the heart of Paris. The riders travel up the Champs towards the Arc and then do a 180 turn and go back down. The finish line is near the ferris wheel.
It is virtually impossible to see anything seated at a Cafe. You will need to scope out a spot on the fencing by at least noon, and wait for them to get into the city at about 3:00PM. They usually finish at around 4:30PM. I prefer to be about 200 meters below the Arc near the Marriott so you can see them come up the road and then come back down on the other side. Of course if you just want to be there for a quick glimpse there will be room at various spots along the road as people come and go.

thanks for your replies. I'll stand near the Marriott....