Viewing TDF final stage

[Irishgirl]

I will be in London next weekend and working out a plan to go to Paris to view the final stage of the TDF. Looking for specific advice on where to stand and what time I need to arrive to secure my spot.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Jodi

[Walter]

Originally Posted by Irishgirl

I will be in London next weekend and working out a plan to go to Paris to view the final stage of the TDF. Looking for specific advice on where to stand and what time I need to arrive to secure my spot.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Jodi

I always preferred to be at the finish line. Very crowded and you need to be there very early.
The corners at the Arch or the Tower are neat because you have a larger field of view than on a straight, but the finish for the sprint is pretty neat.

[echelon_john]

I'll probably be at Norwegian corner; it's about 2k from the finish line, and packed with norse folks standing on kegs that they have presumably emptied during the day. Good natured crowd, not quite as nutty as the Champs Elysees, meaning it's a little easier to get out once it's over. Great vantage point as the riders come up from the tunnel and make a sweeping turn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCeOP6vI5UY

Advice? Get there early and plan to be there late. 2 years ago they didn't finish until after 7pm local time. I would assume that security will be very tight given recent events so moving around might take longer if they're searching bags, running folks through metal detectors, etc. I would stress that this is NOT a reason not to go, but simply to allow more time and go with the flow. If you want to be on the Champs itself I would plan to be there by 1pm.

My only other advice would be to make friends with folks where you want to stand so you can hold each other's spots during bathroom/food runs. : )

Hope this helps! Bonne chance!

[bikinchris]

What time to get there? Try maybe 5am. If you move on single inch, you will lose it and never get it back. No bathroom, no food.
The alternative? Plan ahead and get a ticket at the finish line. Sports Tours International had some to sell last week. It's not incredibly awesome, but a whole lot better than a fence you can't let go of, or a bathroom you can't go to.

[rustychisel]

Having done this, I would suggest you freelance, unless [as pointed out], you're prepared to be there very early to stake out your spot - and defend it - all day.

Far better to turn up about lunchtime, wander around a bit, check out some corners, understand that the whole course is far larger than you think and moving through the crowds is difficult anyway, and find a nice cafe where you might be able to get lunch. There are a couple quite near Norge corner, and the TV is - of course - tuned to the race.

Have some drinks, swap friendly insults with drunken Belgians or Norwegians, get some good photos - generally of the back of fans heads as they sway into your shot - and have a great day.

[RobJ]

The turn down by the Arch has a lot more space (depth) than the parallel portions of the circuit. Those are bound by the shops and sidewalks. And you have a great view looking down as they approach and then ride away down the finish straight. You can catch the finish on the Jumbotron. I thought the area by the finish was blocked for several hundred meters for VIPs etc?

Buy something to stand on. A plastic bucket or small step ladder etc. And just plan to leave it behind. They you don't worry about the five deep rows in front of you.

[kramnnim]

Here- https://binged.it/2vsniTf

It's the area across the road from the SE corner of the Tuileries. Shady, not very crowded since it is somewhat hard to access. Should be able to get a place right at the barrier without waiting for hours in advance. Long way from the finish line and podium stuff, though.

Example of a cell phone photo from this area- http://imgur.com/a/Klko7

[bicycletricycle]

When I did it I had a bike and waited on the route a few k away from the start of the lap section, saw them coming in and then road over to a spot by the grand/petit palace. It was ok, but I think waiting to be around the arc de triumphe or some other corner would be better.

I did like seeing them come in to the city with no one else around,it was nice, the crowds are a real hassle.

[Veloo]

I was there in 2013 when they had the twilight finish.
While walking on the Champs Elysee for dinner, I saw a bunch of bleachers and decided no to bother with the Champs.
After breakfast the morning of, I rented a Velib bike and rode down to scope out the area around the Place de la Concorde. I saw people already claiming their spots so I rushed back to the hotel and got packed and ready.
I ended up on the end of Place de la Concorde just before the water fountain. There's a subway station right around that area.

I think I got there around 3:00 pm and the peloton ETA was around 7:30 or 7:45. It was hot and sunny so I had water and an umbrella to keep from burning.

I lucked out and met a couple of guys from the UK and they helped with any washroom breaks. I am friends with one on Facebook now. We even went to dinner with them afterward and they treated.

The view was pretty good from that spot.
Crowds were not too bad and people were polite enough that no shoving or arguing ever erupted. Some pics below to give you an idea. The start of the caravan in the afternoon included a massive group of civilian cyclists. Also some local club racers. Had I known, I would have signed up for that if possible.

My wife was off on the Champs shopping and told me she did see the pack while she was over there but it was behind the spectators.

Couple of other things I remember. If you like steak tartare, I had a great dish at Flottes in that same area. Also, Le Souffle is a novelty treat of savory souffles that is also in that area.

[Irishgirl]

Thanks all for the input and suggestions!

I was coming from London to Paris on the train and found other cyclists; some just going to watch the event and several others that were kicking off a European ride the next day...I can only imagine what an amazing experience to be getting on the bike after watching the TDF!

I ended up joining a bunch of Brits and we enjoyed the afternoon trading cycling stories of rides we have done and rides we want to do over pints waiting for the action to roll in. I had several "pinch me" moments experiencing the TDF in Paris. What an amazing day of memories and making new friends across the pond!

[73Bronco]

Very cool, I'm jealous!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk