Organised "Tour De France" tours.

[jazmo]

Anyone been to watch the TDF live with a tour operator?

I'm currently looking into going with either BikeStyle tours or Cousins Travel.

I've looked at TopBike tours but their "Tour 1" trip is more of a training camp than a tour experience type thing.

Can anyone here make any recommendations?

Ta.

 

[hippy]

jazmo wrote:
> Anyone been to watch the TDF live with a tour operator?
>
> I'm currently looking into going with either BikeStyle tours or Cousins
> Travel.
>
> I've looked at TopBike tours but their "Tour 1" trip is more of a
> training camp than a tour experience type thing.
>
> Can anyone here make any recommendations?

I'd also be keen to hear about anyone's solo experiences..
How did you get to the stages? Which stages?
Things to be aware of in France, that kind of thing.

Jaz: Do these mobs take you to every stage or just key stages?
Is there riding involved or is it all bus travel?

hippy

 

[[email protected]]

My wife and I went last year to the tdf. Organised tour, so if you
didn't ride you could visit places instead. Very hectic pace though,
lots of travelling by coach to get from one place to another on time.
The cycling was fantastic, was very hot 39 at the top of Ventoux! Took
the bike over via Qantas, no damage. The hotels were mainly 3 stars in
the regions, live coverage on the TV. Food was expensive lots of fish
and cheese (formage), helps to speak a bit of the language, especially
if you get lost. We had lots of starts with maps and off you go.

Would do it again, but a bit slower.


hippy wrote:
> jazmo wrote:
> > Anyone been to watch the TDF live with a tour operator?
> >
> > I'm currently looking into going with either BikeStyle tours or
Cousins
> > Travel.
> >
> > I've looked at TopBike tours but their "Tour 1" trip is more of a
> > training camp than a tour experience type thing.
> >
> > Can anyone here make any recommendations?
>
> I'd also be keen to hear about anyone's solo experiences..
> How did you get to the stages? Which stages?
> Things to be aware of in France, that kind of thing.
>
> Jaz: Do these mobs take you to every stage or just key stages?
> Is there riding involved or is it all bus travel?
>
> hippy

 

[jazmo]

jazmo wrote:
> Anyone been to watch the TDF live with a tour operator?
>
> I'm currently looking into going with either BikeStyle tours or Cousins
> Travel.
>
> I've looked at TopBike tours but their "Tour 1" trip is more of a
> training camp than a tour experience type thing.
>
> Can anyone here make any recommendations?

I'd also be keen to hear about anyone's solo experiences..
How did you get to the stages? Which stages?
Things to be aware of in France, that kind of thing.

Jaz: Do these mobs take you to every stage or just key stages?
Is there riding involved or is it all bus travel?

hippy

The one's I've quoted above have two trips. One that visits the Alps and the other that visits the Pyrenees through to Paris. I'm thinking of doing the Alps one. I think the riding they do is mainly the climbs but I think the BikeStyle one takes you over some flat stages before the Alps. I believe you can choose not to ride if you wish.

 

[jazmo]

Have just made a tentative booking with Bikestyle tours with the "Alsace & Alps" trip. Looking forward to it. I just hope Jens Voight's prediction that Lance wont ride the tour doesn't come into fruition.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/mar05/mar09news

 

[adam85]

Have just made a tentative booking with Bikestyle tours with the "Alsace & Alps" trip. Looking forward to it. I just hope Jens Voight's prediction that Lance wont ride the tour doesn't come into fruition.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/mar05/mar09news

Haven't got any firsthand knowledge, but I've met lots of riders who've done bikestyle tours and they all had great things to say about it. Neil stephens was apparently fun to do the vuelta tour with as he used to ride for ONCE and got them some behind the scenes access.

I went to France in Aug/Sept 2003, but not as part of an organised tour. I didn't go through the alsace/strasbourg area, but you will love the french alps around Grenoble and the swiss border area is beautiful. Learning a little bit of french before you go is a good idea, it will make the trip more enjoyable.

Adam

 

[jazmo]

Haven't got any firsthand knowledge, but I've met lots of riders who've done bikestyle tours and they all had great things to say about it. Neil stephens was apparently fun to do the vuelta tour with as he used to ride for ONCE and got them some behind the scenes access.

I went to France in Aug/Sept 2003, but not as part of an organised tour. I didn't go through the alsace/strasbourg area, but you will love the french alps around Grenoble and the swiss border area is beautiful. Learning a little bit of french before you go is a good idea, it will make the trip more enjoyable.

Adam

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know other people had good things to say. They do have Neil Stephens, Allan Peiper, Patrick Jonker and Michael Wilson (don't really know him) as regulars on their tours so even talking to these guys would be a buzz. I was speaking to a work colleague today who says that the Alsace region is the most beautiful in France - can't wait to see it. This is going to be the first part of my European vacation. After the tour I head over to London for a few days before heading over to Italy for a few weeks. Have plenty of relatives in Italy and will be doing a bit of riding around there as well - at least I know a bit of Italian. As for French, I think it's going to be too little too late in any case.

 

[oely]

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know other people had good things to say. They do have Neil Stephens, Allan Peiper, Patrick Jonker and Michael Wilson (don't really know him) as regulars on their tours so even talking to these guys would be a buzz. I was speaking to a work colleague today who says that the Alsace region is the most beautiful in France - can't wait to see it. This is going to be the first part of my European vacation. After the tour I head over to London for a few days before heading over to Italy for a few weeks. Have plenty of relatives in Italy and will be doing a bit of riding around there as well - at least I know a bit of Italian. As for French, I think it's going to be too little too late in any case.

A little French will always come in handy. Just to smooth things over at times. I did France and parts of the Tour without any but i would still suggest learning a little bit. I dont have any first hand knowledge of a cycling tour group but i met a few last year from the Bikestyle with Neil Stephens and they were raving about it. The Alps were mighty impressive and whatever happens im sure you will have a great time. The Provence is great too by the way! Most relaxing time ive had anywhere.

Also just a note Dont count on Alan Peiper being ther. Pretty sure he´s working with Davitamon fulltime now.