Watching the Tour in person...

[benb]

Does anyone have experience visiting France for the Tour?

I have been watching the TdF website and they have filled in some details in the last month or so but it's still a little mysterious to me.

We are going to France next week and are going to be in Paris for a day or two and then stay in Western Germany.

We are hoping to see the finish of Stage 5 in Colmar, I think that's < 1 hour drive from where we are staying.

They have some time estimates of times but they don't even list the addresses of the start/finish/intermediate points.

I can kind of tell from the map I guess where the finish actually is.

For a sprint finish what kind of time window do you need to actually get there and be able to stake out a position to see anything? (We'd actually probably fine not being right at the finish too.)

[dougefresh]

I was at the opening TT in Leige in '12. Honestly it was really hard to see anything; just a single rider zipping by every minute or so. It was a good party though; especially after Fabs won and the boss started popping bottles ;)

Posting up at the finish to catch the sprint may be a good idea as they'll have a jumbo-tron set up to see the race in the lead up to the finish.

I also had the luck to attend the '12 RVV, hanging out at the top of the Kwermont where they also had a jumbo-tron set up to see the whole race.

In my experience watching a bike race on TV is the best place to actually watch the racing. Attending in person is more for the experience than anything in my opinion, YMMV.

[KJMUNC]

Yep, depends on what you want to see:

Start of the stage has the rider sign-in's and all the riders are in one spot so you can see everyone and there tend to be less people there vs. finishes (but there's still a ton of folks). If you can find the team buses before the start that's another great spot to see guys warming up.

If you can post up on a climb somewhere you can experience the Tour caravan rolling through, then watch everyone come by at a relative slower speed. Anywhere else on the course is just a blur.

Feedzone is another good spot if you want to take home some schwag, as riders toss bidons and musettes quickly after they get them....so position yourself a couple hundred meters from where they're grabbing their bags.

Finish line is cool as it's a big party with aforementioned jumbo-trons, music, podium, etc, but there are usually a TON of people, so be prepared. Sometimes there will be pop-up vendors selling TdF stuff there as well, so it's a good spot to see it all.

[m_sasso]

I was just at the Giro D Italia last month, if you want to be up close, see events and the riders go to the start, everything is much more accessible.

For stage intros and sign in, two to three hours before hand would likely get you a front row seat, an hour before and you are in the fifth row back. I spent most of my time near the team busses, just walk right up anytime before the start immediate access.

If you are there to make noise and party go to the finish, if you are truly interested in the results stay home and watch on the tube.

[Bruce K]

The TdF generally publishes time checks for each stage with early, typical, and late arrivals for various checkpoints.

If you are out on the road get there a couple of hours early to be able to park and find a vantage point.

Plus you will be in place to try and score some swag from the sponsor caravan.

BK

[Spaghetti Legs]

I watched the Alpe D’Huez stage (turn 6] in 2011 and the TT in Grenoble. Went with my wife and 2 kids and we had a great time. It’s more about the experience rather than witnessing the actual racing. On the Alpe we followed the race occasionally via a TV in a nearby RV.

We stayed in a village on the other side of the mountain. I rode the climb that morning, paying attention to good spots to watch as I rode. Went back to our apartment, everybody loaded up and we walked over and were at our spot probably by 11 AM. Race came through later afternoon. The waiting time was fun - people watching, drinking beer and wine, the caravan, listening to the helicopters getting closer, then the race.

Grenoble, we saw very little of the actual race. The finish line was jam packed and we only watched Cadel and some of the other top riders finish. Most of the day was spent with my son getting autographs. The buses were all secured inside the local stadium, so that was a huge disappointment but my son accosted riders as they left/returned for warmups or after they finished the race. Chatted with David Millar that way. Also stumbled across Phil and Paul on break and chatted with them. All in all, tons of fun and completely worth the effort.

We did try to drive to the Galibier stage to watch but the road approaching it was closed off well away from the race. If you’re not encumbered with young children, having a bike in the car is handy.

[Elefantino]

Parking and access is always problematic. As Bruce said, get there early because the publicity caravan is a hoot and they throw a lot of mostly worthless but fun things to the crowd.

The finish line will be taken up mostly by hospitality tents and the broadcast/ASO trailers, so don't plan on being close. If you're not there many hours ahead of time and you get to within 100 meters of the finish, that's a good day.

Team bus areas are great but more for the start than finish.

[ibis]

We were in Paris for the final stage a few years back. If you can get a spot on the Champs Elysees I feel like its the best option to see the most action...plus its the last day so the ceremonies are pretty great. Plus, its Paris...so if the wife/GF is coming there is plenty to do all day before and after. That being said...your going to be grabbing your spot pretty early in the day to be up front. Its sort of a pain in the ass but we met some cool people from the UK while standing around for few hours. Get food, water, and relax.

[pdmtong]

While I have never watched the TdF in person, I would think my AToC experience every year since inception would be similar, albeit lesser in magnitude.

The start: plenty of things to see...team buses arrive, sign in, very relaxed. Walk around, lots of stuff to see up close. they arent racing, but yea, this is as close as you can get to the show.

At some point on the road: pick your spot, camp out, wait. whether flat, climb or descent, you are sitting there waiting. then watching for the front and the back to ride through, then join the leaving morass with the hundreds thousands of others.

Art the finish. Unless you are on the rail, you will not see anything. and that means getting your spot and waiting.

if you are waiting on the road or at the finish...just enjoy it with your eyes.

it's a lot of waiting, which is completely boring unless you make friends with people nearby and your partner/spouse/family is into it too.

as mentioned, if you want to see the race, watch it on TV...I purposely picked a spot at 75m from the finish at this years AtoC stage 3 so I could see the monitor and not be bored waiting. maybe more fun at 25m but no monitor...

[echelon_john]

Been several times now. My advice:
- Go for the spectacle and minimize expectations about seeing details of the race, because you won’t. Eat sausages, drink wine, buy souvenirs, get a sunburn.
- Get where you want to be EARLY. Road closing times are unpredictable and it sucks to get stuck, or worse, Miss the race.
- If you’re there around a time trial, try to walk around the busses; areas are roped off but you’ll see lots of guys warming up and general hubbub.
- Seeing the finish on the Champs Elysees itself requires an early arrival and a LOT of waiting. The area around the Westin hotel-Norwegian Corner and the tunnel/left turn are a little more accessible later into the day.
- Be self sufficient in terms of water etc because it won’t always be available

I definitely recommend seeing a mountain stage. The anticipation building as the caravan starts to go by and the helicopters climb up the valley is electric!

[bikinchris]

Trying to watch the Tour can be an exercise in frustration. The starts can be very crowded, the finish can be roped off and access on the road can require many hours of waiting. The exception would be having a room directly on the route. Good luck with that.
Our experience following the Tour was pretty nice. We got on with a company that was an official TdF partner. They placed us in good position to get in and out and see as much as possible. They sell grandstand tickets on the Champs Elysee. But even there, you need to get on site early and once the race gets on the circuit, the crowd inexplicably stands up so no one can see.

[benb]

Thanks for the advice guys.

It is possible we could go to the start of Stage 6 instead, sounds like that might be a little easier to have fun?

I've obviously been in amateur races & watched some pro races on the side of the road here in the US so I know you're not going to see much in the way you see an NFL or MLB game. The issue there is my wife, son, and BIL might not get that and be disappointed.

So maybe it's better to try and hit the start of Stage 6. That might get us a chance to see some of the other stuff mentioned in a way that doesn't disappoint them or make us spend the whole day sitting on the side of the road to see a few minutes of riders whipping by.

Realistically they look the same as any other Pro race I guess, just a little faster with more hoopla.

[ThasFACE]

I did an exchange program as a wee youngin’ in summer ‘96 and the tour happened to finish a stage in the town where I was living (Villeneuve Sur Lot). Sprint finish. We posted up super early in the morning for a spot by the barricade and waited in the super-damned-hot weather for things to happen. Lots of pomp and such preceding the peloton, but when it finally ripped through the town it was just a blur. Whooshwhooshdone. I was disappointed.

That said, I’m curious about checking out a mountain finish at some point.

[Hindmost]

Thanks for the advice guys.

It is possible we could go to the start of Stage 6 instead, sounds like that might be a little easier to have fun?


I think you're onto something here. The race action itself transpires and what seems like less than a heartbeat. The hoopla is really what what one is there for and it's easy for a non dyed-in-the-wool bike fan to enjoy. Watching the race on television at a cafe or hotel TV room with locals can be a lot of fun. The finish time comes after you might have had a full day of doing this and that.

[pdmtong]

Realistically they look the same as any other Pro race I guess, just a little faster with more hoopla.
It's pretty much impossible to expect you would be on the exact part of the course to see a move happen. The only time standing on the side of the road was great for me was when I saw the AToC peloton go 15mph up the hardest section of one of my local climbs (Tunitas Creek) - the section where I am going 6mph. That was cool to see them blast past like it nothing.

so, as others have more succinctly mentioned, just go to the start, and enjoy all the pageantry. I was on the barriers as sagan and cavendish rode past on the way to the sign in. guess what, they look exactly they way they look in magazines and TV. but it was still neat to be a few feet away.

Now that we know your family is there, I wouldn't sit on the side of the road unless they were way into it.

[martl]

Does anyone have experience visiting France for the Tour?

I have been watching the TdF website and they have filled in some details in the last month or so but it's still a little mysterious to me.

We are going to France next week and are going to be in Paris for a day or two and then stay in Western Germany.

We are hoping to see the finish of Stage 5 in Colmar, I think that's < 1 hour drive from where we are staying.

They have some time estimates of times but they don't even list the addresses of the start/finish/intermediate points.

I can kind of tell from the map I guess where the finish actually is.

For a sprint finish what kind of time window do you need to actually get there and be able to stake out a position to see anything? (We'd actually probably fine not being right at the finish too.)

you'll find the finish on race day, no worries.

i've met the tour by accident 2 times in the alps, and there the motto is: run for your life and don't stop until you're at 2-3 valleys away from it; The race in itself is possibly in excess of 1000 cars not to mention the spectators. Makes the area of both the current and the next stage a nightmare to navigate.

To secure a spot where one can actually see anything, be prepared to show up early as in: hours, preferrably a day early, to see more than a 10 second whirl of colours wheezing by, be prepared to fight for your spot teeth and nails every minute. (this may not be as bad on the non-mountain-stages - more room)
Finish area locked down like a G7 summit, too. If the intention is to get close to some of the heroes, every single other pro race is to be preferred, as one can usually just walk in to the parc not-so-ferme, did so on a Tour de Suisse, we just walked in, watched Godevroot talking happily on a cell (possibly to his favourite bloodbank guy), stage-winners wives kissing stage-winners, bikes everywhere, most riders up for a quick exchange of words etc.

To get a whiff of *the* TdF, nothing like attending the real deal, of course :)

[m_sasso]

Do your family and yourself a favour, go to a start, much more enjoyable live.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-tech.com-vbulletin/1420x2000/80-img_0244_copy_b7eaac37d2aedb3d801a871ed57757f2a048 acae.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/honda-tech.com-vbulletin/1700x2000/80-img_0232_d645e5a05f92799833002161c74823ffcd10d221. jpg

[572cv]

We’re going to be a couple of hours away for part of July... and always wanted to go to Laguiole, where the knives are made, in the Aveyron. So, off to see stage 10, St Flour to Albi, about in the middle. We’ve taken a hotel room there, and the Tour goes right by. It will be great to see the tour, the pre-tour stuff, and all, but we’re also seeing the sights there, and taking our bikes and riding. Should be fun.

[pdmtong]

While it's also very cool to see favorite riders, sometimes a memorable experience comes from someone not in the spotlight.

A long time ago while folks were clamoring to talk to jens, fabian, andy I had a chance to talk to a then very young jakob.

the start will be a circus...but you might have a moment like this.

[pdmtong]

We’re going to be a couple of hours away for part of July... and always wanted to go to Laguiole, where the knives are made, in the Aveyron. So, off to see stage 10, St Flour to Albi, about in the middle. We’ve taken a hotel room there, and the Tour goes right by. It will be great to see the tour, the pre-tour stuff, and all, but we’re also seeing the sights there, and taking our bikes and riding. Should be fun.

Laguiole: Contrary to popular thinking, the Laguiole is not a registered trademark for knife but a type of pocket knife named after the eponymous village in the Aveyron.

I have one of these (https://www.dozorme-claude.fr/en/wine-cellar/le-thiers-winer-waiter) and was always a bit confused by the use of the name laguiole

[texbike]

The first time we ever saw a stage of the Tour in person, we made the mistake of picking a flat stage. It took us more than an hour to get to where we could see the race and the riders flew by us in mere minutes. It was quickly over and we were a bit frustrated by the amount of effort it took to see so little. However, the wind that the riders were pushing and the smell of sweat and stench when they went by is still memorable.

We quickly learned that the best place to see a stage is on a decent climb and as close to the top part of a switchback as you can be. It's even better if that spot is close to a pub so that you can go watch the rest of the race in a bar once the peloton has gone by. :banana:

Texbike

[kingpin75s]

To add on to OP's post. Very interested in any Paris specific advice. Will be in Paris with family over my birthday, which is the same day as the final stage.

[tony_mm]

Does anyone have experience visiting France for the Tour?



I have been watching the TdF website and they have filled in some details in the last month or so but it's still a little mysterious to me.



We are going to France next week and are going to be in Paris for a day or two and then stay in Western Germany.



We are hoping to see the finish of Stage 5 in Colmar, I think that's < 1 hour drive from where we are staying.



They have some time estimates of times but they don't even list the addresses of the start/finish/intermediate points.



I can kind of tell from the map I guess where the finish actually is.



For a sprint finish what kind of time window do you need to actually get there and be able to stake out a position to see anything? (We'd actually probably fine not being right at the finish too.)



Colmar is great!
Spend the day there!
I used to make a long bike ride on the stage route and to the top of the climb (usually Ballon d‘Alsace etc...) before they close the roads and then stay there with all people and watch the Pros climbing. Then return and nice dinner there.
BTW check out the region for the restaurants, they have many top restaurants, also with Michelin stars.

[tony_mm]

To add on to OP's post. Very interested in any Paris specific advice. Will be in Paris with family over my birthday, which is the same day as the final stage.



If you want to be on the Champs-Élysées be early there!
Many many tourists on that day!

A nice spot is Rue de Rivoli. Always some brake away there and the whole peloton is stretched.

[bironi]

I was on Alpe d Huez in 2001.
Lance and Jan.
We rode up the day before.
And rode up with small packs the morning of the race.
After watching the sponsor parade past and throw freebies.
A Rabobank cap I still have.
The ride leader thought we would need food, water and shade.
I brought all, the shade provided by an umbrella.
When we made our way thru the 21 turns, our leader changed his mind.
We ended up at a ski resort bar with a deck up top in the village.
We drank beer all day, watched the bar tv, and went out to see the race end.
Took pics.
Headed down the hill on our bikes, some more intoxicated than others.
I sang my way down the descent to warn peds of a drunk on a bike behind.
I lost my newly purchased umbrella on the descent, but hey, I had no clue.
A day I will never forget.

[Elefantino]

I was on Alpe d Huez in 2001.
Lance and Jan.
We rode up the day before.
And rode up with small packs the morning of the race.
After watching the sponsor parade past and throw freebies.
A Rabobank cap I still have.
The ride leader thought we would need food, water and shade.
I brought all, the shade provided by an umbrella.
When we made our way thru the 21 turns, our leader changed his mind.
We ended up at a ski resort bar with a deck up top in the village.
We drank beer all day, watched the bar tv, and went out to see the race end.
Took pics.
Headed down the hill on our bikes, some more intoxicated than others.
I sang my way down the descent to warn peds of a drunk on a bike behind.
I lost my newly purchased umbrella on the descent, but hey, I had no clue.
A day I will never forget.



Rode up the Alpe on race day 2003. Was run off the road near Dutch Corner by a Rabobank van. Lots of assistance and free beers offered. Finished the climb, got my certificate, ended up watching the race from under the 1k banner. Made it onto the DVD highlights as Mayo went by!

[bikinchris]

If you want to be on the Champs-Élysées be early there!
Many many tourists on that day!

A nice spot is Rue de Rivoli. Always some brake away there and the whole peloton is stretched.

The time we went to the Champs without grandstand tickets was interesting. We got there at 8am and were too late. Everywhere was three or four deep along the fence except one spot near the US embassy. So I let my wife stand there and I could see over her pretty easy. But it would be 8 hours before the finish. Move an inch, and you lost that inch never to get it back.

[azrider]

If/when I get the opportunity to watch Tour in person I’ll probably just rent one of these [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji576]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190712/6d73c49b9c80e4a2816a0708b4114f91.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kmac]

my wife is an executive at cisco, and cisco is a dimension data partner. through that relationship, we ended up getting the ultimate hookup for stage 14.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPARna9hXyKAUDrIWr6SXLPPyGnKtumsq6HU3NEQeNieX 6gnNh4awuhAQmOz9gXrQ?key=SFdualFJSS10NjR6R0dvX013M Tcyc1kyME1iZjN3 (be sure to hit the "info" button to see the captions)

i think this may have been the most amazing experience of our lives -- cycling or otherwise!

(as an aside, it's amazing how little americans in general know of the tour. when i told friends/family that we'd be attending, a majority asked me if i was racing :bike:)

[572cv]

my wife is an executive at cisco, and cisco is a dimension data partner. through that relationship, we ended up getting the ultimate hookup for stage 14.



https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPARna9hXyKAUDrIWr6SXLPPyGnKtumsq6HU3NEQeNieX 6gnNh4awuhAQmOz9gXrQ?key=SFdualFJSS10NjR6R0dvX013M Tcyc1kyME1iZjN3 (be sure to hit the "info" button to see the captions)



i think this may have been the most amazing experience of our lives -- cycling or otherwise!



(as an aside, it's amazing how little americans in general know of the tour. when i told friends/family that we'd be attending, a majority asked me if i was racing :bike:)



But, aside from the vip access, the chateau stay, riding with Cadel, the helicopter ride, and the great weather and racing, what has your wife’s company done for you lately? ;-)

Seriously, you win the jackpot tour experience, and thanks for putting that up for us. Just watching Le Tour from pretty much anywhere along the route with all the fans is still a great experience, but your added ‘dimensions’ were really fun.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[pdmtong]

If/when I get the opportunity to watch Tour in person I’ll probably just rent one of these [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji576]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190712/6d73c49b9c80e4a2816a0708b4114f91.jpg
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's been done. See the link below
my wife is an executive at cisco, and cisco is a dimension data partner. through that relationship, we ended up getting the ultimate hookup for stage 14.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPARna9hXyKAUDrIWr6SXLPPyGnKtumsq6HU3NEQeNieX 6gnNh4awuhAQmOz9gXrQ?key=SFdualFJSS10NjR6R0dvX013M Tcyc1kyME1iZjN3 (be sure to hit the "info" button to see the captions)

i think this may have been the most amazing experience of our lives -- cycling or otherwise!

(as an aside, it's amazing how little americans in general know of the tour. when i told friends/family that we'd be attending, a majority asked me if i was racing :bike:)
Thanks for sharing your amazing trip. The captions were great and I enjoyed "being there".

[marciero]

my wife is an executive at cisco, and cisco is a dimension data partner. through that relationship, we ended up getting the ultimate hookup for stage 14.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPARna9hXyKAUDrIWr6SXLPPyGnKtumsq6HU3NEQeNieX 6gnNh4awuhAQmOz9gXrQ?key=SFdualFJSS10NjR6R0dvX013M Tcyc1kyME1iZjN3 (be sure to hit the "info" button to see the captions)

i think this may have been the most amazing experience of our lives -- cycling or otherwise!

(as an aside, it's amazing how little americans in general know of the tour. when i told friends/family that we'd be attending, a majority asked me if i was racing :bike:)

Wow. What an amazing trip. Thanks for sharing.

[martl]

(as an aside, it's amazing how little americans in general know of the tour. when i told friends/family that we'd be attending, a majority asked me if i was racing :bike:)

thanks dor sharing, it must have been a gret experience!

notbing new about knowledge oof the sport - buddies of mine attended the 94 football wc and got asked if they were the geeman team, apparently because they wore team jerseys (they wore beer bellys, too)

[azrider]

my wife is an executive at cisco, and cisco is a dimension data partner. through that relationship, we ended up getting the ultimate hookup for stage 14.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPARna9hXyKAUDrIWr6SXLPPyGnKtumsq6HU3NEQeNieX 6gnNh4awuhAQmOz9gXrQ?key=SFdualFJSS10NjR6R0dvX013M Tcyc1kyME1iZjN3 (be sure to hit the "info" button to see the captions)

i think this may have been the most amazing experience of our lives -- cycling or otherwise!


Oh......my......God. That looks absolutely incredible.

In one simple post you now became the coolest guy on the planet. Thanks for sharing, looks amazing.

[Jeff N.]

The Amgen Tour Of California flowed through my 'hood, several years back, for stage 1. I swear Sagan looked right at me (he won the stage). It was cool to see....MC cops leading the way, support vehicles, helicopter. But man, would love to be in Paris at the TdF finish though...wow.

[pbarry]

Pick some mountain stages, on a good climb or the finish, if you go. Final stage is anti-climactic, but still a show!, if you’ve been following closely. Bucket list for sure.

[zambenini]

I saw one once, when the Tour started in the UK in 2014. We were in Oxford for the summer. I got up at 5, took a bus to London, posted up at the barriers about at the last/1KM marker. Right at the inside, between the final two bends, riders were going to be going left to right in my field of view.

A lovely family from Oz posted up next to me; their kids were cycling mad, we're chit-chatting about the race, whether we're in a good spot to see, etc. Great. A few minutes later when the banter died down, I asked, "What's that building in front of us?" They laughed, before the guy slapped me on the back and goes, "That's Buckingham Palace, mate."