deeC said:
Hi there, can anyone who has taken a TDF organised tour give me their recommendations. I'm looking at going in 2006 (from Australia) with some friends and would like to hear the good and bad about the groups that organise these tours. Also if you have just ridden around France (either organised group or not) I would be interested in any tips/warnings as well. Thanks heaps
Cheers
deeC
I went to France this year, from sunny old Brisbane.
Advice#1 - try and find someone you know (or a friend of a friend) that has gone on a trip. The reason - to make sure it is the kind of tour that will suit you. There are quite a few companies that are reputable, but their TdF and Cycling experience varies. Some first hand knowledge will let you decide whether its for you or not. For me, I got lucky and picked a group that gave me what I was looking for. But a lot of it was luck.
Advice#2 - if you want to watch some Tdf, think carefully about how much and which stages. My advice here is that less is more. This year I only saw 3 stages,2 in the high mountains and the final stage. That was more than enough for me because these are all very hard work. I got good look at the Tour up close, but got to watch the rest on TV, which is the best way to see what is actually happening!! These 3 stages were more than worth it, but they are very long days, uncomfortable at times, lots of waiting, and chaos once the TdF has come by. The high mountain stages were great though, since you get a pretty good look at the riders. It took about 40 minutes from first rider to last, and there were plenty of riders in between. And they arent going too fast. I also enjoyed climbing the hill first. Some people I spoke to really enjoyed the time trials, since there is action all day long. I didnt see one, so no comment from me.
Advice#3 - if you decide to only watch a handful of stages, go to the mountains and wait for it to come to you. The TdF moves fast, rarely stays in one place, and the roads are always clogged. If you are following in in a bus, be prepared for very early starts and very late nights in order to be in a position for the next day (or even the day after). You get to see lots more, but that wasnt for me. I would recommend trying to stay in a place that is fairly close to both a final climb one day, and a start the next. Ride your bike to both, and leave the car at home. By all accounts, a TdF start can be a lot of fun, with riders everywhere, you can get a good look, and you are quite likely to bump into some of the aussies and maybe get a photo. And the start is at a very civilized time. If you are doing multiple stages, think about getting onto the first climb of a day with more than one. These are usually less stressful than the final climb. Still lots of people, and normal TdF craziness, but you can get right at the top pretty easily and get a good look at the breakaways and the peloton. An the Tour is through pretty early so you can easily get off the mountain and catch the mountain finish on TV. Some folks I know did that this year (on the MAdelaine, which was before the Galibier) and really enjoyed it. Turn up late, leave early, and still get a good look.
Advice #4 - ride through as much of France as you can. If you like cycling, then you will absolutely love cycling through France. If it is TdF time you can ride all day, then celebrate by watching the last hour or so of the Tour on TV in french. Very civilised.
PS
The company I used was Wide Open Road (
www.wideopenroad.co.uk). Had a blast. We cycled across France first, then hung out in the Alps for a week and got to watch a couple of Tour stages. This worked for me. Find one that works for you.
