Anyone Heading Over To The Alps To Follow The Tdf?

[$immo]

Just wondering if anyone is heading over in their vans to follow the Tour De France. I've just booked a crossing on Sat and going to see if I can follow as much of it as I can next week.
Aiming to park on any given verge or use my bike to get close to the action, has anyone done this? Any tips?
I'm also going to stay on a couple of sites for showers etc.

Any advice around following or watching the Tour.

 

[Ed Webb]

This might be on the list for next year so please post back with your personal findings, right down to any restrictions you found when getting around and camping. Im basically after the info you're after now

 

[$immo]

This might be on the list for next year so please post back with your personal findings, right down to any restrictions you found when getting around and camping. Im basically after the info you're after now

Will do @Ed Webb it's a bit last minute but looking at stages I'm aiming for Roubaix on Sunday then head down to Alps for the next three stages finishing with Alpe D'Huez then work my way back up for a return to UK the following Sat.

 

[Pete C]

Yes, we will be near Bourg d’Oisans for 4 nights to see stage 12 pass through and up to Alpe d’Huez, and see Stage 13 depart the following day.
Having seen the TdF before, you need to be very careful with road closures. We don’t expect to be able to move the van from the campsite for those 2 days, but we have bikes.
I am going to cycle up Alpe d’Huez too.

We will also see the Tour on the Pau stage.

Pete

 

[Pete C]

Oh, and definitely download the TdF Road Book,and stick it on an iPad or something. It shows in great detail all the stage routes, starts, finishes, timings etc.

I will try and recall where I downloaded my copy from.

Pete

 

[$immo]

Yes, we will be near Bourg d’Oisans for 4 nights to see stage 12 pass through and up to Alpe d’Huez, and see Stage 13 depart the following day.
Having seen the TdF before, you need to be very careful with road closures. We don’t expect to be able to move the van from the campsite for those 2 days, but we have bikes.
I am going to cycle up Alpe d’Huez too.

We will also see the Tour on the Pau stage.

Pete

Sounds perfect and very similar to what I have just booked, site would only let me book minimum of 4nights so may leave camper there and cycle to vantage points, as you describe.

Enjoy cycling up Huez, don't count the corners on the way up as you loose all will to keep pedaling past hairpin number 15! When you know you have another 6 to go...

Good shout re the road closures, I'll chat to a few locals in o-level French to get the lowdown on the closed roads.

Enjoy

 

[$immo]

Oh, and definitely download the TdF Road Book,and stick it on an iPad or something. It shows in great detail all the stage routes, starts, finishes, timings etc.

I will try and recall where I downloaded my copy from.

Pete

Probably a better idea than relying on my French

 

[Pete C]

Road book here: TDF18_LR_UK_NEW_BD.pdf

200MB and 125 pages, so don't print it !

You can't rely on the locals. Last time I asked a gendarme what time the road would re-open, and he said 6pm (the bikes were due to go through about 1pm). It opened about 30 mins after they went through.

Pete

 

[$immo]

Road book here: TDF18_LR_UK_NEW_BD.pdf

200MB and 125 pages, so don't print it !

You can't rely on the locals. Last time I asked a gendarme what time the road would re-open, and he said 6pm (the bikes were due to go through about 1pm). It opened about 30 mins after they went through.

Pete

That's magic Pete, thanks for that, much appreciated, I will download it when I get home on my iPad. Can't wait now, if nothing else I can soak up the atmosphere, red wine and eat cheese not feeling guilty as I will be riding my bike. Awesome

 

[Tony&Dawn]

Le Grand Bornand, getting ready for tomorrow’s stage finish, busying up motor homes everywhere

 

[Tony&Dawn]

@$immo which stage/area are you heading off for today mate.

 

[$immo]

View attachment 25540
Le Grand Bornand, getting ready for tomorrow’s stage finish, busying up motor homes everywhere

Awesome... I'm down in Annecy and last night it went crazy with the football everyone jumping in the river/lake. All the staging is up for the start of the stage ending in Grand Bournard. Enjoy.

 

[$immo]

@$immo which stage/area are you heading off for today mate.

@Tony&Dawn Going to chill today in Annecy then try to head somewhere on route between here and Bournard, thinking of finding somewhere outside of Le Cluzac, then I could go for a ride also up and around Col de Arras (not on the tour this year) weather is stunning.

 

[Tony&Dawn]

Awesome... I'm down in Annecy and last night it went crazy with the football everyone jumping in the river/lake. All the staging is up for the start of the stage ending in Grand Bournard. Enjoy.
View attachment 25542

Crazy Frenchies

 

[$immo]

@Tony&Dawn my son (now 19yrs) just reminded me, do they still have that awesome merry go round in Bournard? He said it was the best one in the world, a rocket used to punch it's way out the roof of the ride as it went round.
He used to love it, not sure he would fit in it now though??

 

[Tony&Dawn]

@Tony&Dawn my son (now 19yrs) just reminded me, do they still have that awesome merry go round in Bournard? He said it was the best one in the world, a rocket used to punch it's way out the roof of the ride as it went round.
He used to love it, not sure he would fit in it now though??

Lol, yes it’s still here, my Mrs said it was the best she’s seen too, I had all on stopping her getting on it at 48

 

[Tony&Dawn]

 

[Tony&Dawn]

@$immo

 

[Surfrdan]

Clubmate just signed for Bahrain-Merida and may get a ride in the tour next season so I'm well up for going over to support him for a few days. Watching with interest

 

[$immo]

View attachment 25624 @$immo

OMG that's the one, best kids ride in the world.
Hope you enjoyed it today in Bournard. We never got to see any of the stage live today, decided to ride our own bikes and chill. Down outside Bourg d'oisen now ready to find an inch of space on Alpe D'Huez for Thursday.