Tours to "The Tour"

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any good info and experience with travel companies that sponsor trips to France
to see the Tour de France? I'm interested in

going

Quoted message said:

and want to hook up with a good company/group. Please advise.

[This guy's looking for info I've been thinking about digging up for our website anyway, so here's
what I've run down this afternoon. Also, if anybody has any experiences with any of these groups,
please post in this thread or via email to me ([email hidden]) so I can put the info
together for an informational page on our website.]

As you're probably aware (and the reason you're posting now instead of later), France is going to be
overrun by US folk in 2004, and tours are going to be fully booked before they're even announced
(meaning that people are going to find ways to reserve spots on tours they don't even know the dates
of, locations, etc).

I just did a quick search and found a site that has some info, subject to change, on how they think
things are going to run (and their available tours and costs) for '04-

experienceplus.comtour de france.htmlOpen ↗

But I have no idea how good they are. I just got back from a 12-day Pyrenees to Paris tour with the
Graham Baxter group (sportingtours.co.ukpyrenees2.htmlOpen ↗). Very reasonably priced,
got to see a lot, but it's possibly not the best for someone who's never been to France before and
might want a bit more hand-holding than they offer.

TREKTravel got rave reviews from everyone I came across who was on a TDF tour with them (we're a
very large TREK dealer and have a lot of customers interested in what they have to offer, so it made
since to find out everything I could), but they're basically oversold for '04 already, and have told
dealers to work on getting people interested in their other trips.

Backroads generally gets high marks from our customers; info on their TDF packages may be found at
backroads.comtripLister.pyOpen ↗

Breaking Away is another popular, high-quality organization, with info on their '03 offerings (which
will give some insight for '04) found at breakingaway.comhome.htmOpen ↗

Butterfield & Robinson defines the high-end of cycle touring... $6k for their July 20-28th trip for
the '03 TDF, to give you an idea. More info at
butterfieldandrobinson.comindex.aspOpen ↗ csid1=1998&fid1=16

Bicycle Outfitters, a shop not too far from our own in the SF Bay Area, runs tours in France, with
info on their past '03 offering at bicycleoutfitter.compage.cfmOpen ↗. Reasonably
priced and good people.

VeloVacations (also known as VeloSport Vacations) is a group I've come across frequently in my
travels in France, and I found people generally pretty happy with them. Their past '03 offerings may
be found at velovacations.comtdf res.htmlOpen ↗

Steve Bauer, former TDF racer, has another high-end touring company, with info on their past '03
offerings at stevebauer.comtourdefrance3Open ↗

Velo Echappe looks interesting (they emphasize having big-name cycling greats helping out, including
Sean Kelly... wonder if his English is easier to understand in person than on TV?), but I don't know
anyone personally who's been on one of their tours; info on their past '03 offerings is at
veloechappe.comtdf pyrs itin.aspOpen ↗

Former USPS rider Marty Jemison has his own tour company, and briefly touches on their 2004 plans at
martyjemison.comtdf.htmlOpen ↗

Inside Track Tours is another one that I'm not familiar with, but there's info on their 2004 TDF
plans at insidetracktours.comtdf 2004.htmOpen ↗. They do have an added bonus of having Tyler
Hamilton, 4th place in this year's TDF and found in the dictionary when you look up "Tough as
nails", as a general partner. For many this may be an added plus, as there could be an assumed
benefit of being able to at least get an autograph from a real TDF contender!

Cycling Ahead runs trips during the TDF, but I know nothing about them and am a little put off by a
website that doesn't list prices; you have to fill out a form on their website and they'll get back
to you. Info at cycling-ahead.comTheTourdeFrance.htmOpen ↗

VeloVista is a general-purpose cycle touring site, with a great deal of useful information,
including info on the '03 TDF at this page- velovista.nettour trip 03.htmOpen ↗

Bikestyle Tours, an Australian touring company, has info on their '04 TDF plans here-
bikestyletours.com39Open ↗ (this is another one I have no references on)

Adventure Travel is another Australian touring company, this one with Phil Anderson, former TDF
great, riding along. Their info on TDF trips is at tourdefrance.com.audefault.aspOpen ↗. I
don't know of anyone who's done one of their tours, but Phil's wife, Christine, speaks glowingly of
her husbands ability to entertain and take care of their guests (I met her in Lourdes at the '03
TDF; details on my diary page at www.ChainReaction.com/diaryfrance2003.htm#christine)

====================================================================

If anybody know of other tours not listed, please reply to this thread or directly to me via email
([email hidden]).

One other thing I should add... if you really want to get into the TDF action itself, it may not be
practical to be cycling every single day. Conversely, if you want to really get into cycling in
France, it may not be practical to see that much of the TDF! You'll most likely run yourself into
the ground, and possibly disappoint yourself because things didn't work out quite as planned. The
best way to have a really enjoyable experience is to be flexible and recognize that your original
plans might need to be altered a bit, and try to decide ahead of time if you want to do everything,
in which case you'll probably need a vacation from your vacation when you get back (personal
experience talking here!).

Thanks!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

Mike said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any good info and experience with travel companies that sponsor trips to France
to see the Tour de France? I'm interested in going and want to hook up with a good
company/group. Please advise.

Quoted message said:

[This guy's looking for info I've been thinking about digging up for our website anyway, so here's
what I've run down this afternoon. Also, if anybody has any experiences with any of these groups,
please post in this thread or via email to me ([email hidden]) so I can put the info
together for an informational page on our website.]

Mike, you da man! I wonder if any local entrepreneurs (like a bike club or hostelling group) puts
something together for members and friends, kindof like joining an Iowa bike club for a week in
July. I might look for such. What to wear to the TdF (found while checking spelling on a certain
major street in Paris): 4-fragrances.comchamps elysees w.htmOpen ↗

--Karen M. who had loads of good apres conversations at a tour tour this weekend...everyone in
celeste knew the name Jan Ullrich

Karen: I've cleaned things up a bit and put the TDF Tour operators up on a page on our website. You
can see it at www.ChainReaction.com/france04tdftourcompanies.htm

Regarding the best "deals" for France, if you wanted to piece together something of your own, you
can check out the offerings on www.gotoday.com. My wife and I used them for our trip to Paris last
September, and it worked out great... very inexpensive, not bad place to stay.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com

"Karen M." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any good info and experience with travel companies

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sponsor trips to France to see the Tour de France? I'm interested in going and want to hook up
with a good company/group. Please advise.

Quoted message said:

[This guy's looking for info I've been thinking about digging up for our website anyway, so
here's what I've run down this afternoon. Also, if anybody has any experiences with any of these
groups, please post in

this

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

thread or via email to me ([email hidden]) so I can put the

info

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

together for an informational page on our website.]

Mike, you da man! I wonder if any local entrepreneurs (like a bike club or hostelling group)
puts something together for members and friends, kindof like joining an Iowa bike club for a
week in July. I might look for such. What to wear to the TdF (found while checking spelling on
a certain major street in Paris): 4-fragrances.comchamps elysees w.htmOpen ↗

--Karen M. who had loads of good apres conversations at a tour tour this weekend...everyone in
celeste knew the name Jan Ullrich

Mike,

Your the best! Thanks for the info! If anyone out there ever needs a Trek, go see Mike...I bought
one from him, parked it under a Semi, and then bought another.

Stan (Not my real name, Mike, but you probably remember me...living in San Diego now!)

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any good info and experience with travel companies that sponsor trips to France
to see the Tour de France? I'm interested in

going

Quoted message said:

and want to hook up with a good company/group. Please advise.

[This guy's looking for info I've been thinking about digging up for our website anyway, so here's
what I've run down this afternoon. Also, if anybody has any experiences with any of these groups,
please post in this thread or via email to me ([email hidden]) so I can put the info
together for an informational page on our website.]

As you're probably aware (and the reason you're posting now instead of later), France is going to
be overrun by US folk in 2004, and tours are going to be fully booked before they're even
announced (meaning that

people

Quoted message said:

are going to find ways to reserve spots on tours they don't even know the dates of,
locations, etc).

I just did a quick search and found a site that has some info, subject to change, on how they
think things are going to run (and their available

tours

Quoted message said:

and costs) for '04-

experienceplus.comtour de france.htmlOpen ↗

But I have no idea how good they are. I just got back from a 12-day Pyrenees to Paris tour with
the Graham Baxter group (sportingtours.co.ukpyrenees2.htmlOpen ↗). Very reasonably
priced, got to see a lot, but it's possibly not the best for someone who's never been to France
before and might want a bit more hand-holding than

they

Quoted message said:

offer.

TREKTravel got rave reviews from everyone I came across who was on a TDF tour with them (we're a
very large TREK dealer and have a lot of customers interested in what they have to offer, so it
made since to find out everything I could), but they're basically oversold for '04 already, and
have told dealers to work on getting people interested in their other

trips.

Quoted message said:

Backroads generally gets high marks from our customers; info on their TDF packages may be found at
backroads.comtripLister.pyOpen ↗

Breaking Away is another popular, high-quality organization, with info on their '03 offerings
(which will give some insight for '04) found at breakingaway.comhome.htmOpen ↗

Butterfield & Robinson defines the high-end of cycle touring... $6k for their July 20-28th trip
for the '03 TDF, to give you an idea. More info

at

Quoted message said:

butterfieldandrobinson.comindex.aspOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

csid1=1998&fid1=16

Bicycle Outfitters, a shop not too far from our own in the SF Bay Area,

runs

Quoted message said:

tours in France, with info on their past '03 offering at
bicycleoutfitter.compage.cfmOpen ↗. Reasonably priced

and

Quoted message said:

good people.

VeloVacations (also known as VeloSport Vacations) is a group I've come across frequently in my
travels in France, and I found people generally pretty happy with them. Their past '03 offerings
may be found at velovacations.comtdf res.htmlOpen ↗

Steve Bauer, former TDF racer, has another high-end touring company, with info on their past '03
offerings at stevebauer.comtourdefrance3Open ↗

Velo Echappe looks interesting (they emphasize having big-name cycling greats helping out,
including Sean Kelly... wonder if his English is

easier

Quoted message said:

to understand in person than on TV?), but I don't know anyone personally who's been on one of
their tours; info on their past '03 offerings is at veloechappe.comtdf pyrs itin.aspOpen ↗

Former USPS rider Marty Jemison has his own tour company, and briefly touches on their 2004 plans
at martyjemison.comtdf.htmlOpen ↗

Inside Track Tours is another one that I'm not familiar with, but there's info on their 2004 TDF
plans at insidetracktours.comtdf 2004.htmOpen ↗. They do have an added bonus of having Tyler
Hamilton, 4th place in this year's TDF and found in the dictionary when you look up "Tough as
nails", as a general partner. For many this may be an added plus, as there could be an assumed
benefit of being able to at least get an autograph from a real TDF contender!

Cycling Ahead runs trips during the TDF, but I know nothing about them and am a little put off by
a website that doesn't list prices; you have to

fill

Quoted message said:

out a form on their website and they'll get back to you. Info at
cycling-ahead.comTheTourdeFrance.htmOpen ↗

VeloVista is a general-purpose cycle touring site, with a great deal of useful information,
including info on the '03 TDF at this page- velovista.nettour trip 03.htmOpen ↗

Bikestyle Tours, an Australian touring company, has info on their '04 TDF plans here-
bikestyletours.com39Open ↗ (this is another

one

Quoted message said:

I have no references on)

Adventure Travel is another Australian touring company, this one with Phil Anderson, former TDF
great, riding along. Their info on TDF trips is at tourdefrance.com.audefault.aspOpen ↗.
I don't know of anyone who's done one of their tours, but Phil's wife, Christine, speaks
glowingly of

her

Quoted message said:

husbands ability to entertain and take care of their guests (I met her in Lourdes at the '03 TDF;
details on my diary page at www.ChainReaction.com/diaryfrance2003.htm#christine)

====================================================================

If anybody know of other tours not listed, please reply to this thread or directly to me via email
([email hidden]).

One other thing I should add... if you really want to get into the TDF action itself, it may not
be practical to be cycling every single day. Conversely, if you want to really get into cycling in
France, it may not

be

Quoted message said:

practical to see that much of the TDF! You'll most likely run yourself

into

Quoted message said:

the ground, and possibly disappoint yourself because things didn't work

out

Quoted message said:

quite as planned. The best way to have a really enjoyable experience is

to

Quoted message said:

be flexible and recognize that your original plans might need to be

altered

Quoted message said:

a bit, and try to decide ahead of time if you want to do everything, in which case you'll probably
need a vacation from your vacation when you get back (personal experience talking here!).

Thanks!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗