Are you going to Le Tour?

[cycle_chic]

Just curious to see who will be making the trip to France this summer, and which stages you'll be at. I'll most likely be near Bourg-d'Oisans when they go up Alpe-d'Huez (18 July), and then stay there for a few days after (or maybe even before) to ride.

Pretty excited to bring the new addition to my favorite sporting event!

[kramnnim]

My wife was supposed to go to France with her high school French class, but then 9/11 happened. So now we're going this year. Planning to be in Gap for the finish of that stage, staying at Alpe d'Huez from the day before to the day after the stage there, might try to catch the start of the next stage...then on to Paris for the final stage.

Very nervous about all the things that could possibly go wrong.

[Fishbike]

Very nervous about all the things that could possibly go wrong.[/QUOTE]


Once of the first rules of travel (along with "wear comfortable shoes" and "pee when you have the opportunity") is to go with the flow. Yeah, sometimes things go wrong; just make up your mind in advance to adapt, go with it, and not let traveling mishaps make you crazy. When traveling, I always feel bad when tourists let silly things get them in such tizzy. Travelling should be an adventure and with any adventure you will have circumstances that are unexpected. But if your attitude is in the right place and you are nice to people, things will generally work out.

I went to Le Tour in 2010. We saw a stage finish in Bourdeaux and a time trial. The experience was all we hoped it would be. The carnival atmosphere, sponsor caravans and the chance to get up close and personal with the team entourages were really fascinating. And chemicals or not, those guys can ride!

[rwsaunders]

Nice work CC! Babies are awesome and make going to LeTour seem a non-event.

[Black Dog]

I will be riding in France in August but I am going to miss the tour by a week or so. I will no doubt be riding over all the names painted on the roads of the climbs of the alps.

[Ti Designs]

I will be riding in France in August but I am going to miss the tour by a week or so.

How perfect is that?

[sg8357]

Very nervous about all the things that could possibly go wrong.

Get a Lonely Planet and a Michelin Guide, so what ever goes "wrong"
you can take advantage of it. M. Michelin is your friend, he know where all the pretty roads are and places where you can get a passable cheese course.

[Black Dog]

How perfect is that?

Agreed. Same roads, less crowds!

[bontie]

L'Alpe d'huez from 18-21 to watch the queen stage and the start on Friday. Might try and go to the tt too if its close. Friends are staying at the top for the rest of the week (before) hoping to do good rides on Friday/sat and sunday...

[572cv]

We're going to do a way-after-the-fact etape de tour, aka stage 20, and go to Annecy in very late August. Looks like there are a few other rides to do as well :banana:

As to concerns about what could go wrong.... the problem with France for US citizens is that everyone looks like they could be american, and the society seems very familiar, but there are some key differences in social norms and protocols. If you are polite as best you can be, it makes an enormous difference. A few thoughts:
- when you go into a store or restaurant or any place of business, look to make eye contact with the proprietor, and greet him/her (bonjour). It is a necessary gesture for good service.
- If you have a problem or are lost, you can say ' excuse me, but I have a problem' (excuse-moi, mais j'ai une probleme). In almost all cases, even in Paris, the French will leap to your assistance, and do everything they can to help.
- If you have any French, you can try with anyone. If it is too painful for them to listen to you butcher their language, and they have any English, which most do, they will volunteer the speaking of English. And respect your effort. Mine is feeble, but always worth trying, as it gets you on the right foot.

Here are a couple of books on French society which I found helpful and pretty good reads. The first is the better, I thought:

"60 million Frenchmen can't be wrong"

https://www.google.com/search?q=60+million+frenchmen+can%27t+be+wrong&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

and "French or Foe"

https://www.google.com/search?q=60+million+frenchmen+can%27t+be+wrong&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#client=firefox-a&hs=sDg&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=french+or+foe&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDgwYHsxCXfq6-gallsoFBihKYbZaTW1JcosXjlJ-fHZyZklqeWFn8JZR3TSVnTNmUt_trNttOY3bY9pkTAJ0xfxVFA AAA&sa=X&ei=FF6_Uc3jGIes4AP8_YHwDg&ved=0CKgBEMQNMA0&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47883778,d.dmg&fp=413195408aebdc26&biw=1388&bih=838

And finally, for France, Michelin still has really good road maps. If you take your iphone or a tablet, you can download ViaMichelin. Look for the white roads for cycling. And of course the white roads with green on the edge for really scenic cycling roads. The maps themselves are quite lovely.

[eBAUMANN]

i will be in Bourg-d'Oisans from july 13-27, planning to climb a bunch of mountains, lay in some grass, swim in some lakes, maybe go paragliding, watch some pros do their thing up the huez...cant wait :)

[victoryfactory]

....Baby looks skeptical.....
Might be a Giro fan?

[OtayBW]

^ I've seen that look. Might not be skepticism...

[kramnnim]

Okay, looks like several of us will be near Bourg d'Oisans/Alpe d'Huez around the same time, how about attempting a Paceline group ride?

[oldpotatoe]

....Baby looks skeptical.....
Might be a Giro fan?

Esattamente cosa stavo pensando, il bambino è molto intelligente.

[cycle_chic]

Esattamente cosa stavo pensando, il bambino è molto intelligente.

Grazie. Lei e una brava bambina.

[bontie]

Okay, looks like several of us will be near Bourg d'Oisans/Alpe d'Huez around the same time, how about attempting a Paceline group ride?

I arrive on Wednesday eve, planning to ride Friday,Sat and possibly Sunday. Happy to meet up, the more the merrier I say. Me and a few friends, likely to be about 3-4 of us anyway. Long days, lots of climbing, stopping for coffee and baked goodies at the boulangeries etc...

Route planning happens this weekend.

[cycle_chic]

I think it would be fun to meet up. Let's do it.

That said, I know I'll get dropped in a heartbeat once the climbing starts. My fitness has diminished since I haven't been on the bike for a few months due to le bebe.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . but I pretty much blew it out last year with that trip over. But I will be definitely looking for somebody to mooch cable off of this year or doing Steephill or other streaming video.

Hopefully I can watch with some friends so I can make offhand comments such as . . .

"Now when I did the Alpe last year this particular pitch was pretty much a 'gimme." I have no idea why they are seeming to be having a hard time"

OR . . .

"Jens was much friendlier last year when we were chatting."

:) ;)

BBD

[enr1co]

. . . but I pretty much blew it out last year with that trip over.

et moi aussie :(

Tried to convince the wife that we "needed" to hang out on
l'alpe d'huez this year since they would pass it twice but we also blew the travel budget with last years Europe excursion and a Japan visit earlier this year.


Y'all have a great time there!


http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/3577307/view/487918_10151067554238571_1998843171_n.jpg

[br995]

i will be in Bourg-d'Oisans from july 13-27, planning to climb a bunch of mountains, lay in some grass, swim in some lakes, maybe go paragliding, watch some pros do their thing up the huez...cant wait :)
I thought you were afraid of paragliding with us? :p

Baumann, myself, and 5 others will be there dragging our pasty butts up those mountains and trying to connive our way onto TV during a stage.

[sjauch2]

I'll be in the south. Going to catch the Ventoux stage. Super excited for my first time seeing a pro race.

[maunahaole]

- when you go into a store or restaurant or any place of business, look to make eye contact with the proprietor, and greet him/her (bonjour). It is a necessary gesture for good service.
- If you have a problem or are lost, you can say ' excuse me, but I have a problem' (excuse-moi, mais j'ai une probleme). In almost all cases, even in Paris, the French will leap to your assistance, and do everything they can to help.
- If you have any French, you can try with anyone. If it is too painful for them to listen to you butcher their language, and they have any English, which most do, they will volunteer the speaking of English. And respect your effort. Mine is feeble, but always worth trying, as it gets you on the right foot.



^^ this is so true.

France is a piece of cake if you have just some rudimentary French phrases. The stereotype is that the French are rude. I think that people misconstrue their pride in their frenchness as rude. I found most, if not all, folks in France to be very friendly and accommodating, you just need to show a little effort. That place is a gift that keeps on giving, there are multiple layers of texture and culture of all kinds, stay open to the experience and it will be great.

[br995]

I've traveled a lot, but never with a bike or to ride.

Suggestions of things to bring (or not bring) that I might not immediately think of?

[tiretrax]

Suggestions of things to bring (or not bring) that I might not immediately think of?

Get a Lezyne pump. It will easily fit in your pocket and can inflate a tube in 8 -10 strokes.

I wish I were going, but my children are busy through 7/19, then it's off to Maine! I guess I could watch the finale in Paris, then head to the Alps.

[kramnnim]

Get a Lezyne pump. It will easily fit in your pocket and can inflate a tube in 8 -10 strokes.


Which model? I need to get a pump...seems like TSA doesn't like co2 cartridges.

[cycle_chic]

Well, for those going to Alpe d'Huez, holler if you see me around (or give me a push up the mountain). I'll be the one with the Delray Twilight jersey and the celeste Bianchi.

[kramnnim]

I'll be on a frame with this color scheme-

http://ravellobikes.com/blueblackbike1.JPG

I'm sure we will all find each other quite easily since there will only be 500,000 people there. lol.

[br995]

We fly out today!