Bikestyle 16 Day Tour de France Trip 2002
Cyclingnews.com and Bikestyle Promotions will again offer you the chance to see all the action of the world's greatest bicycle race, the Tour de France. This 16 day trip will give you the chance to see up to 12 stages of the Tour de France. This will be together with rides and sightseeing in some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world from the beautiful countryside and coastline of Britanny we will do a lap of France taking in the Pyrenees, Provence, the Alpes and Paris. You will be able to follow all the critical stages of the race, with or without your bike, as well as having ample opportunities to sightsee and experience the rich culture of France. Non -cycling partners are welcome and catered for. Once again we will have the services of Neil Stephens, former pro cyclist and 7 times TDF competitor and Stage Winner. Stevo is a legendary super-domestique and will accompany the trip to provide a unique insight into the world's greatest sporting event. Stevo also accompanies the rides and can still turn the pedals pretty well as many found out in 2001! Saturday, 13th July Stage 7 - July 13: Bagnoles-de-l'Orne - Avranches, 173 km
We start our trip in Paris where we collect you from the airport. You will be met at the terminal and taken to your hotel. To allow you time to recover and to take in some of the sights of Paris we stay overnight in the center of Paris at the 4 star Hilton Paris on the fashionable avenue de Suffren. The Hilton Paris is located only a step from the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero Gardens, a block from the River Seine, and close to the Palais de Chaillot and the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre. Located in a refined and quiet area, this elegant property is an ideal location for a quick look around Paris. Hotel website: http://www.hilton-paris.com/suffren/ Sunday, 14th July Stage 8 - July 14: St Martin de Landelles - Plouay, 214 km
Today we begin our lap of France with approximately a 4 hour drive west toward beautiful Brittany. Along the way we will go via the race route for our first taste of the Tour de France, most likely at one of the designated PMU Sprints so we can cheer on Stuart O'Grady. We should be able to ride from the Tour to our hotel depending on distance. Our hotel tonight will be the 2 star Hotel Myriam in Sainte-Anne D'Auray a small parish in Morbihan, near Vannes in Brittany. Sainte-Anne D'Auray is a world-renowned place of pilgrimage and the principal holy place of Breton faith where Bretons affirm their devotion to Anne, the mother of Mary. This area will offer some good sightseeing as well as scenery with historic Vannes just 15 klm away and the Gulf of Morbihan, dotted by it's many islands and is reported to have unforgettable sunsets. Today's riding options: Monday, 15th July Stage 9 - July 15: Lanester - Lorient Ind. TT, 55 km
Today we will be able to see the first of two Individual Time Trials in this year's Tour. It will go a long way in helping decide the final yellow jersey in Paris and Lance will no doubt be hot favourite to win. We will go with the coach to the finish in Lorient to enable those who want to watch the race to do so while others may go off to do a spot of sightseeing. Those with bikes will ride from the hotel to either the finish or a vantage point on the road and return by bike or coach after the race (with guide). We will organize 2 groups one riding a shorter route while another group will take a longer route via the Gulf of Morbihan. You can choose to take the coach back to the hotel or ride. Our hotel again will be the Hotel Myriam in Sainte-Anne D'Auray. Today's riding options Tuesday, 16th July Rest Day Today we hit the road again traveling down the East of France from North to South saying goodbye to Brittany and passing through the Loire near Nantes then onto the Vendee region followed by the Gironde and the edge of the wine growing areas of Bordeaux and finally turning west near Biarritz and into the majestic Pyrenees via Pau to the 3 star Hotel BeauSejour for the next three nights in Lourdes. Hotel Website: http://www.hotel-beausejour.com/hten/Page1.html Wednesday, 17th July Stage 10 - July 19: Bazas - Pau, 147 km Those cyclists wanting to catch up on the race can ride across to Pau (with guide via the Col d'Aubisque or the flat way) to see the finish while others may wish to explore some of the surrounding mountains. Be assured there are enough of them to keep you busy for a lifetime! Or ride the bikeway between Lourdes and Argeles Gazost that starts near the hotel door. For non cyclists the morning can be spent taking in the sights of this religious city. After lunch the coach will go to Pau to see the stage finish and return after the race to the BeauSejour in Lourdes. Today's riding options Thursday, 18th July Stage 11 - July 18: Pau-La Mongie, 158 km
Col d'Aubisque (1709 m): 16.7 km at 7.1 % Today is the day most of you have waited for: The first day in the mountains. This is the first chance the climbers will get to come out and play. For cyclists it will be a big day. We will ride firstly to Bagneres de Bigorre (where those not wanting to do the climb can stop at the village) and then follow the route in the same direction as the riders toward the Tourmalet and ride up to the ski village of La Mongie where the stage finishes. We'll need to leave early to get up there before they close the road so be prepared for a big day out! After the stage we will ride over the top for a photo opportunity and down the long descent to Argeles Gazost and along an old railway line that is now a bikeway back to Lourdes. If you don't want to ride the mountains you can go to Bagneres de Bigorre or Argeles Gazost to see the Tour pass while sitting in a café. All rides with a guide. For non cyclists the coach will travel down to the pretty village of Argeles Gazost to see the race go by before it goes up toward the Tourmalet. If you don't wish to see the stage there are more things to do and see in Lourdes. Overnight at the Hotel BeauSejour. Today's riding Options: Friday, 19th July Stage 12 - July 19: Lannenezan-Plateau de Beille, 198 km We go to see the start of the stage at Lannemezan today. Starts are great as they are a bit more relaxed and you can do some shopping at the boutiques too. This will be a good opportunity to see the riders up close before they tackle the last stage in the Pyrenees. You should bring your autograph books! Those who wish to ride to the start can do so. As usual there are two ways to get there. The hard way or the easy way! Those wanting one more Pyrenees col to conquer can go via the Col d'Aspin on the way making the ride about 90klm (55 miles) while those who have no need to hurt their legs anymore can go directly there, a ride of about 50 klm (30 miles). After we see the riders off we will pack our bikes, change clothes and head for Montpellier about four hours away by coach. Tonight we will stay at the 3 star Mecure Montpellier in the center of the city. Capital of Languedoc-Roussillon, Montpellier has been at the crossroads of various Mediterranean cultures since its foundation. Continuing a rich tradition oriented towards arts and science and technology, Montpellier retains a good and relaxed lifestyle and is one of the most important university cities of France. We're only here for a short while and there is no shortage of things to do and see. Today's riding Options: Saturday, 20th July Stage 13 - July 20: Lavelanet - Béziers, 166 km The stage today is a flat one and should be a sprint finish so if we get an early start we'll make the hotel for the finish. The distance is approx 110 klm (70 miles). We will ride from Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon region to Orange in Provence, my favourite part of France. Great riding, great scenery, great food, just great!!! This promises to be a nice day's riding passing beautiful villages and if you wish you can do some sightseeing at places such as Pont du Gard with it ancient Roman aqua duct (still virtually intact) and Chateauneuf du Pape, a magnificent village made almost entirely of stone and probably the third most important wine region in France behind Bordeaux and Burgundy. Non-cyclists will leave Montpellier and head first to Pont du Gard to visit the Aqua duct, followed by Chateauneuf du Pape for a look around the village and an opportunity to try and buy a bottle of wine or two!
Our destination for the day is Orange and the Hotel St. Jean our base for the next two days. The hotel is only 150 metres from the Roman amphitheatre for which Orange is famous. This historic town contains two of the finest Roman monuments in Europe. The Amphitheatre and the Arc de Triomphe which celebrates Julius Caesar's conquest over the Gauls and victory over the Greek fleet. Besides the culture and history Orange has a beautiful ancient city center with café terraces and shady squares. It would be very easy to spend more time here. Today's riding Options: Sunday, 21st July Stage 14 - July 21: Lodève-Mont Ventoux, 220.5 km
Today is one of the big ones in Tour folklore. Mont Ventoux, known as the Giant of Provence this will be a fantastic day. Cyclists can ride through the beautiful countryside to the mountain (with guide) and climb to the top (so long as you're early). The best place to watch it last time was Chalet Reynard approx 5 klm from the summit where a big screen was located with food, drink, music and lots of viewing spots. I had one of my best days ever at the Tour watching this stage two years ago when Pantani won. Other options for cyclists wanting a shorter ride is to ride to Bedoin where the coach will be and watch the race from there and return by bike or coach to Orange after. The ride is about 70 klm (45 miles) each way if you go to the top. Bedoin is approximately 55 klm (35 miles). Non cyclists who want to watch the race can go to the pretty little village of Bedoin at the base of the mountain and enjoy a day there eating, drinking and shopping or you can walk part way up the climb to see the race from there. The other option for non cyclists, of course is to stay and explore Orange. There is so much to do from sightseeing the Roman monuments and museums to shopping, eating or just people watching. Today's riding Options: Monday, 22nd July Rest Day Today we will travel to the Alpes where we will spend the next few days in Grenoble, a great town at the base of the Alpes approx 70 klm from Deux Alpes. It is a relatively short (2 hours) but picturesque drive from Avignon to the Alpes. We will need to get going early so we can get to our hotel and tackle Alpe d'Huez in the afternoon. It's a rest day in the Tour so we don't miss anything. Non cyclists will be able to explore the many shops and tourist sites that Grenoble has to offer in the afternoon. Grenoble is a cosmopolitan, university city with a big square and a beautiful old quarter with varied restaurants and bars. A must see tourist attraction is the Bastille, an old fort which overlooks the city. You can get there by walking or the preferred option of the Telepherique (cable car) that takes you across the river and up to the Bastille. Our hotel for the next two nights is the 3 star Terminus Hotel in the center of Grenoble. Hotel Website: http://www.terminus-hotel-grenoble.fr/ Today's riding Options: Tuesday, 23rd July Stage 15 - July 23: Vaison-le-Romaine-Les deux Alpes, 226 km
After the rest day yesterday the riders will be fresh as the tour hits the Alpes and finishes at Deux Alpes. Cyclists can choose to ride out from our hotel in Grenoble and watch it on the climb or at Deux Alpes or for those who have had enough mountains they can meet the coach at the little village of Venosc at the back of Deux Alpes (with guide). From there a chair lift can be used to access Deux Alpes. Non cyclists can take the chair lift to the top of Deux Alpes or stay back in Grenoble to explore this lively city. After the stage we return to our hotel by bike or coach. Today's riding Options Wednesday, 24th July Stage 16 - July 24: Les Deux Alpes-La Plagne, 179 km
This is the toughest climb on the toughest day of this years Tour so the race today will most likely be decided here, on the Col de la Madeleine. It is an open climb at the top so you can see the race coming for a long way. The riders will have already ridden over the Galibier and Telegraph and the field will be split when it reaches us. The coach will go to little village of La Chambre. Cyclists can either ride from Grenoble to La Chambre and up the Col de la Madeleine of take the coach to La Chambre and ride from there. Either way the scenery and the racing today will be spectacular. For cyclists doing the full Grenoble to Challes les Eaux ride, this day is the hardest. We will depart Grenoble early and follow the river Isere north and then east to La Chambre, at the base of the Madeleine where we meet the coach to collect and or drop off any cyclists and watch the race before making our way to Challes les Eaux. Cyclists can choose ride to the top of the Col de la Madeleine and see the riders pass the summit before going on to our destination for the night, Challes les Eaux near Chambery. There are also a couple of nice villages near the top for food and refreshments. Non cyclists will go with the coach to La Chambre where the climb begins. So it is easy to walk up a few bends to see the race on the climb. It is also possible we may be able to call by our accommodation on the way to La Chambre and drop anyone not wanting to see the race, however we will not be sure of this until the previous day. Our stay tonight is the 3 star Hostellerie Comtes de Challes. It is a residence of the 18th century located in a tree-lined park of 2 hectares. It has accommodated such imminent personalities as President Poincare, the Belgian King and General Charles de Gaulle, as well as artists such as Edwige Feuillère, Arlety, Michele Morgan to quote only some of them. The residence also played a part in the drug scandal of the 1998 Tour when the La Francais des Jeux team were raided while staying there. Nothing was found. Challes les Eaux is a spa town as many in the area are in the Savoy region. You may want to put those tired legs in a thermal spa after today's ride! Hotel Website: http://www.hostelleriedescomtesdechalles.com/ Today's riding options: Thursday, 25th July Stage 17 - July 25: Aime-Cluses, 141 km
Today you can ride quite a lot of the course if you wish. You can choose to ride either directly to our 4 star hotel on the lake in Annecy and watch the race via television and do some sightseeing OR you can ride toward Albertville, over the Col des Aravis and continue in the direction of the Col de la Colombiere, over the summit and descend to the finish at Cluses where the coach will be waiting for you. We return to Annecy by coach afterward. The direct route is also a very scenic route with some climbing but only to approx 1000 metres before you drop down onto Lake Annecy and the bikeway that takes you into the city and our Hotel. Non cyclists and cyclists not wanting to ride will go straight to Annecy where you will be dropped at the hotel to do some sightseeing as there is a lot to see in this beautiful city which is known as the Venice of the Alpes. After leaving people not wanting to visit the Tour the bus will continue to the finish at Cluses.
Our accommodation for the next 2 nights is the 4 star Impérial Palace on Lac Annecy. L'IMPERIAL PALACE is composed of a four-star hotel, and a casino. Located in the middle of a park, on the border of one of the purest lake in Europe, its 99 rooms and suites, its restaurants and its terraces offer high quality for an exceptional stay. Fully renovated in 1990, this magnificent establishment is in a charming historical city between lake and mountains. Website: http://www.lac-annecy.com/English/Hebergement/himperial.asp Today's riding options: Friday, 26th July Stage 18 - July 26: Cluses - Bourg-en-Bresse, 180 km Today we have the day in Annecy. It was possible to move on to Macon today but Annecy is such a beautiful city with so much to see I decided that we should stay here. The accommodation in Annecy had a bit to do with it too! Today is a "flat" day for the riders although there are quite a few "lumps" in the road to Bourg en Bresse! The coach will go to Cluses for the start and some final photo and autograph opportunities and then return to Annecy to have the rest of the day sightseeing or sleeping! Cyclists today can either go to the start, ride along the course to see the riders pass (although we don't know the exact route yet it should pass near Annecy) or do some exploring of your own. There are some beautiful roads of varying difficulty in the area. Today's riding options: Saturday, 27th July Stage 19 - July 27: Régnié-Durette - Mâcon Ind TT, 52.5 km
This is the final time trial of the Tour. Will it come down to the wire? We leave Annecy and head for Macon for the final time trial of the 2002 Tour de France. It's not more than 2 hours drive away so a mid morning start will be fine. Those who would like to look around Macon can do so while the rest of us watch the race. It will be possible to ride your bike today however I wouldn't be surprised if you're happy to leave it in the bus! If you do however you can ride out through the vineyards to intersect the course and see the riders there. Macon sits on the river Saone and dates back to Roman times. It has an old center with many places of interest and shops to browse. Paris is about 4 hours drive from Macon so we won't be in our hotel before 9pm. We will have dinner in Macon or along the way. Our hotel will again be the Hilton Paris. It is ideally located for the final stage tomorrow and everything that Paris offers at its doorstep. Sunday, 28th July Stage 20 - July 28: Melun - Paris-Champs-Elysées, 145 km
Today we'll watch the final stage on the Champs des Elysees. This is a highlight of the trip and you will certainly enjoy this day. You will be given suggested vantage points and don't forget to wait for the lap of honour! Lets hope the best man has won! They will do at least ten laps of the Champs des Elysees as well as a lap of honor by each team after the race. It's a great chance to see the riders up close and relaxed. Will Lance be in Yellow? Ever since its first running in 1903, the Tour traditionally winds up in Paris. The French capital has had the status of department since 1964 and is divided in twenty arrondissements. Pop. 2.2 million (approx. 9 mil. with suburbs). The finish line has been on the Champs des Elysees since 1975. Tonight you can party all night as there's no bike to ride tomorrow, only a plane to catch. Monday, 29th July Today a shuttle will transfer you to the Airport or if you're staying on to look at Paris then enjoy your day!
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