ESSENTIAL
READING FOR THOSE WISHING TO SEE THE FINALE!
All-important
time schedule for those who wish to view the final stage in
Paris.
This page is a must-read for anyone thinking about watching the
final stage on the Champ Elysees. It was written in 2002, but
was 100% relevant in 2003, 2004 & 2005 and, I suspect, will continue to be so for
the years ahead.
COMPANIES
DOING TRIPS TO THE TOUR DE FRANCE
(Information on what
was available in '05, but still useful for planning your trip in
2006!). What could be better than a hassle-free
trip to see the Tour de France? Not much compares! We've been
compiling a list of companies doing trips to the Tour de France.
Fortunately, there are more options (and an easier time getting a
reservation) for '05 than there was for the '04 event, when Lance
set the record for TDF wins.
Do keep in mind that we can't give personal recommendations for
companies we're not directly familiar with (which would be Graham
Baxter and Trek Travel) but we've found some very friendly folk
among many of the others.
We've also put up a page that tells you why it's so
different seeing a mountain stage
in-person than on TV. Something you can show your
significant other (to justify why you've just got to go to France
for the 'tour, no matter how good the OLN coverage is!).
Specific information on how
to not get taken advantage of when you change dollars to euros, as
well as the Eurostar train, London Taxis, best "fast food" in Paris
or London etc.
GENERAL TRAVEL
DIARIES FROM 2000-2006
2007 Tour de France-
Kevin's year.This
was the first year I've done the TdF entirely on my own (no part of
the trip being an organized tour), and the first year I'd brought
someone else along with me, in this case my 14-year-old son, Kevin.
I wasn't sure ahead of time if Kevin
was really ready for the mountains of France, but 2 huge climbs
proved he was!
2006
Tour de France diary-What did we see?The first post-Lance TdF in a long
time, with a thrilling comeback by Floyd Landis... only to become
mired in controversy several days later, when it's announced that he
failed a drug test. Maybe. The jury's literally still out on that
one! But a great year yet again to watch the 'Tour!
2005
Tour de France diary- Lance makes it 7 in a row.(07/19/05-07/24/05) It's almost
anti-climactic; Lance has this winning the TDF thing down so tight.
Still, there were plenty of opportunities for photos, and it's not
as if Lance was the only person at the Tour de France.
Plus this was the year I got to ride in the Discovery Team car
during one of the stages!
My 5th year at the Tour de France, and not quite as nail-biting as
the '03 trip, when Lance crashed on Luz Ardiden, got back up, and
destroyed the competition, going on to win by a very slim margin.
2003 Tour de France
diary
(07/16-07/28) It's all about the people you meet
along the way (which included a lot of our customers, along
with the French-speaking-only guy in the photo below, who bought me
drinks in a blue-collar bar outside Nantes).
This was my first tour with an organized tour group,
Graham Baxter Sporting
Tours out of England. It was also my biggest tour in terms
of the amount of riding... virtually every day was a tough ride of
between 60-100 miles.
My 4th time to the TDF in a row... and, with Lance going for #6 next
year, it seems difficult to believe I'd miss it!
2002 Tour de France
(07/18-07/31) Six
days following the TDF through the Alps with a group of TREK
dealers, followed by another week on my own. This was a
proof-of-concept trip, seeing how easily I could manage France apart
from a group.
2000 Tour de France Trip
(my first trip
to
France, and before I had a formal "diary" structure).
That's George Hincapie & Freddie Rodriguez enjoying the moment with
a good friend in Avignon.
Alpe d'Huez is one of the two
most-famous climbs of the Tour de France (the other being Ventoux),
and will undoubtedly find its way into the '04 event. The 2001
TDF was rather special for me, as I managed to be in exactly the
right place at the right time... as you can see in the photo above
right, it was at just the spot where Lance gave Ullrich "The Look"
and took off. Unfortunately, the guy in the floppy white hat
moved into the photo at exactly the wrong time, even drawing the
camera's focus to it!
We
normally don't do much off-site linking, but the
Paris In
Sites Newsletter is an excellent resource for information about
France in general and Paris specifically. Transportation,
restaurants, hotels, weather... all that and more. Highly
recommended reading.
Another excellent resource is
Ariege Pyrenees, a website that details cycling options and
accomodations in the Pyrenees. They've put up a
page on the '04 Tour
de France that many will find useful, giving detailed
information in English that would normally be available only in
French. The "secrets" as it were!
Chain Reaction sells bicycles & accessories
from Trek, Gary Fisher, BikeFriday,Shimano, Pearl Izumi, Continental, Descente,
Sidi, Giro, Blackburn, Speedplay, Oakley, Saris, NiteRider, Bontrager,
Torelli, Look, DeFeet, Rock N Roll, Hammer, Cytomax,
Powerbar, Fox, Clif
Bar, CamelBak, Chris King, Profile Design, Craft, X-Lab and many more!
PRACTICAL
INFO FOR VISITING FRANCE OR ENGLAND
2005
Tour de France diary- Lance makes it 7 in a row.
2004
Tour de France diary- The year Lance made history!
ought me
drinks in a blue-collar bar outside Nantes).
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