Visiting Alpe d'Huez TT

debe said:

- Is there an actual chance of putting up the tent somewhere
or would we have to sleep in the car?

I've wild camped over at the col de la Sarenne, this is also a back way
into l'Alpe d'Huez and I've camped at the lac Blanc. There is no
official camping at l'Alpe d'Huez but the lac Blanc would have the
advantage of having the excellent chalet-restaurant of the same name
nearby. You could ask the tourist office if they are setting up a
temporary camp site.

Quoted message said:

- Would it be more wise to camp "wild" somewhere in the valley
and walk up the hill early in the morning? Is there any chance
of catching a spot for putting up the tent somewhere close to
the town?

There are campsites in Bourg but they are probably pretty full. I would
consider one of the official sites around Allemond.

My parents-in-law normally watch the stage, they leave their car at
Bourg at around 10am and walk up to la Garde. The followed the whole
stage by helicopter once!

Personally I would have thought the corner near the church at Huez
village would offer a good vantage point both up and down the hill. Take
some good binoculars.

If you cycle up be sure to lock your bike.

There is also a bed and breakfast (gite d'etape) in Sardonne, another
back route into Huez.

http://www.oisans.com/hebergements/gites/sardonnier/english/index.html

The gite is owned by Gillian Fabre.

Quoted message said:

When does the first rider start the race, 10 o'clock in the morning?

Sounds about correct: 200 riders, 2 minutes interval= 400' 6h40', Last arrival
around 17H
or may be a little early, like first rider at 9h.
Unless they have them start with 1 minute interval??

Quoted message said:

- Is there an actual chance of putting up the tent somewhere
or would we have to sleep in the car?

You can find spot to put your car and the tent close to it, so you can use
both.

Quoted message said:

- How packed is the hill 2 days prior to the stage?

More than likely starting to built, but you should be able to find a spot

Quoted message said:

Would it be more wise to camp "wild" somewhere in the valley
and walk up the hill early in the morning? Is there any chance
of catching a spot for putting up the tent somewhere close to
the town?

It s another option, less convenient than the first one though. With your tent
and car with you, it s like the TDF is going in front of your house. You can
have breakfast, aperitif, lunch, even take a little nap...:-)
But if you want, there is camping places in Bourg d' Oisans, the town in the
valley.

Info on bycicle around Bourg d ' Oisans"
http://www.cycling.uk.net/alps/bdo.htm

Campings:
A LA RENCONTRE DU SOLEIL ****
Bourg d'Oisans, tél. 04 76 79 12 22, fax : 04 76 80 26 37, email :
[email hidden], 73 emplacements, ouvert : du 10/05 au 14/09,
Rest.bar-salle de réunion-salle de jeu- lave linge-sèche
linge-parking-piscine-animation-accès pers.mobilité réduite-ch.vac.acceptés -
loc.chalets

LA CASCADE ****
Bourg d'Oisans, tél. 04.76.80.02.42, fax : 04 76 80 22 63, email :
[email hidden], internet : http://pro.wanadoo.fr/camping.lacascade, 123
emplacements, ouvert : du 15/12 au 30/09, bar - snack -salle TV/jeux - piscine
- animations - salle de réunion - lave linge - sèche linge - local vélos -
accès pers.mob.réd. - ch.vac.accept.

LE COLPORTEUR ***
Bourg d'Oisans - 38520, tél. 04.76.79.11.44, fax : 04.76.79.1.49, email :
[email hidden], 135 emplacements, ouvert : mim-mai à fin
septembre, rest. bar - salle TV/jeux/réunion - animations - lave linge - sèche
linge - local vélos - ac. pers. mob. réd. ch.vac.accept. loc.chalets

LE VERNIS ***
Bourg d'Oisans, tél. 04.76.80.02.68, email : [email hidden],
internet : http://www.oisans.com/le-vernis, 54 emplacements, ouvert : du 15/12
au 25/04 et du 1/06 au 10/09, Salle de réunion/jeux - piscine - mini golf -
lave linge -local skis- aire aménagée campings car - ch.vac.accept -
loc.chalets/bung/carav/ -

LA PISCINE **
Bourg d'Oisans, tél. 04.76.80.02.41, fax : 04.76.11.01.26, email :
[email hidden], internet : http://www.camping-piscine.com, 126
emplacements, ouvert : toute l'année, rest/ bar - salle TV/jeux/réunion -
animat.- gde piscine - lave/sèche linge - park. privé - local skis/vélos -
ac.pers. mob.réd. ch.vac. - loc.chalets

or here:
http://www.bourgdoisans.com/otbo/index_fr.htm
I could not access the english version though.

Have fun

This is what it was like three years ago:
http://www.angelfire.com/realm/cvccbikers/misc/tour-2001.html

Two days before the race the road up the mountain will be pretty
packed full. There will be plenty of places along the secondary
roads to pitch a tent though. By the night before the race
almost every available flat spot will be taken.

If it were me I would put a rack on top of the car and bring
bicycles.

The road will be closed fairly early and that includes bicycle
traffic. Once the TT starts it is foot traffic only on the
course.

It is hard to predict what the atmosphere will be like. With
a regular road stage there is a big buildup until the race
actually comes through. With a TT there is racing going on
all day and the road isn't available for partying and dancing.
I'm expecting it to be insane but not as insane as a
typical road stage up the Alpe.

Bob Schwartz
[email hidden]

debe said:

I know there is quite a number of guys aroung
in rbr that have watched the TdF live on the road,
thus I would like to gain some knowledge from
your experiences.

as would many others! thanks much for posting this, and to the
folks that have replied with good solid facts.

i bought a copy of the beautiful velopress "alpe d'huez the
legend" book, which i highly recommend. the photos starting on
page 6 clearly show where folks are camped prior the arrival of
the peleton. now the maps really make sense!

in the photos, the course turns left at the Y that's 2
switchbacks below the top. is that always the case?

it appear that folks are tenting on the hill above the last
switchback.

i'll be the one in the rei half dome with the alaska flag.

can anyone tell us the price range(s) for lunch and dinner in the
restaurants in l'alpe?

i presume that because of the altitude, it can chill quickly at
night. will a fleece blanket bag be sufficient, or should i
bring my down bag?

Quoted message said:

can anyone tell us the price range(s) for lunch and dinner in the
restaurants in l'alpe?

Depends of your way to lunch or dinner, but i d say you can get a lunch for
12/15 Euros, dinner for 20/up...

Alpe d Huez , as a resort has higher prices than the valley. Also being one of
the Tour stage , there is always the risk of rip off or price increase.

I d recommend for lunch to shop at the Supermarket in Bourg d Oisans or in the
little stores in Bourg d oisans ( bread, ham, cheese, fruits, ... ... ) and to
do a summer pic-nic.
And keep the restaurant option for Dinner.
I d go away fron l Alpe d huez though.

As for the altitude and the chill, Yes, this is mountain, the weather and
temperature can change drastically very quickly. I ll take the down bag.

Quoted message said:

Hi all !

I know there is quite a number of guys aroung
in rbr that have watched the TdF live on the road,
thus I would like to gain some knowledge from
your experiences.

My girl and I want to visit the Alpe d'Huez TT stage
this year and I am not quite sure yet, what our chances
are to actually catch a spot. As far as I've heard yet
and seen on TV the town in the valley is pretty packed
the day before the stage.

The assumption is that the mountain may collapse under the weight of all of
the spectators, since there won't be any other places to watch the race...
no other mountain cols... just one little 12k piece of roadway for all those
fans.

Quoted message said:

The current plan is:
The stage takes place on July 21st.
Since this year the TT should start pretty early,
I don't know when the roads will be closed for spectators
to go uphill on bikes.

Rumor has it that the roads into town will be closed to both cars *AND*
bikes extremely early on the morning of the race. This is not typical;
normally, they allow bikes to ride into the vicinity of a stage anytime they
want (although not on the course itself). How successful they'll be is
anybody's guess, but at present the plans are such that they won't allow
anyone to even get close to the town that morning.

Quoted message said:

We want to go up the hill by car on July 19th (2 days before),
spend the 20th there and watch the stage on the 21st.
We have a small Volkswagen Polo, so I hope to catch
a small side along the road somewhere, and we have a tent
etc. with us to stay overnight.

- When does the first rider start the race, 10 o'clock in the morning?

They haven't yet posted the details, but I'm guessing it will start later
than that. In general, all stages are designed to finish at around 5pm, in
order to maximize TV news coverage. That means longer stages start earlier
than shorter stages. If we assume 150 riders remain by this stage, with a
one-minute interval for the first 90 riders, two-minutes for the next 30 and
then three minutes for the final thirty, it would take 4 hours, meaning
that the first rider would be off at 1pm. This is entirely guesswork at
this point.

Quoted message said:

- Is there an actual chance of putting up the tent somewhere
or would we have to sleep in the car?

You see people doing either. There seems to be little regard for pitching
tents on private property, nor does anybody seem to mind.

Quoted message said:

- How packed is the hill 2 days prior to the stage?

I've ridden up Alpe d'Huez two days prior to a normal stage up the mountain,
and there weren't too many people on it at that time. However, that's on a
normal stage, not one in which there are many other places to watch the
race. The climb up Alpe d'Huez, as famous as it is, is, aside from the
actual finish, just another climb. It's crazy to try and get anyplace near
the finish of a stage, by the way. My point is that it's likely to be
pretty intense compared to a normal stage. Tough to know exactly what to
expect, because a TT up Alpe d'Huez (for the TDF) has never been done
before, if I recall correctly.

Quoted message said:

- Would it be more wise to camp "wild" somewhere in the valley
and walk up the hill early in the morning? Is there any chance
of catching a spot for putting up the tent somewhere close to
the town?

The "town" isn't that big, and is likely to be pretty over-run. However,
get a good Michelin map and study the side roads. It's truly amazing how
uncongested the alternate routes can be; you'd think the "locals" (French
cycling fans, as opposed to tourists from elsewhere) would have a clue about
such things, but no, they sit in their cars, for hours and hours, creeping
along towards the stage. The experienced tour operators, on the other hand,
know the back roads quite well (having been there before) and get in and out
much more quickly.

Quoted message said:

I would be greatful for any suggestions/hints/information.

Best regards
debe

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

Thanks all for your extensive
replies !

Got the information I needed, and will report
when I'm back from the TdF including pictures.

Best regards
debe

debe said:

Hi all !

I know there is quite a number of guys aroung
in rbr that have watched the TdF live on the road,
thus I would like to gain some knowledge from
your experiences.

My girl and I want to visit the Alpe d'Huez TT stage
this year and I am not quite sure yet, what our chances
are to actually catch a spot. As far as I've heard yet
and seen on TV the town in the valley is pretty packed
the day before the stage.

The current plan is:
The stage takes place on July 21st.
Since this year the TT should start pretty early,
I don't know when the roads will be closed for spectators
to go uphill on bikes.
We want to go up the hill by car on July 19th (2 days before),
spend the 20th there and watch the stage on the 21st.
We have a small Volkswagen Polo, so I hope to catch
a small side along the road somewhere, and we have a tent
etc. with us to stay overnight.

- When does the first rider start the race, 10 o'clock in the morning?

- Is there an actual chance of putting up the tent somewhere
or would we have to sleep in the car?

- How packed is the hill 2 days prior to the stage?

- Would it be more wise to camp "wild" somewhere in the valley
and walk up the hill early in the morning? Is there any chance
of catching a spot for putting up the tent somewhere close to
the town?

I would be greatful for any suggestions/hints/information.

Best regards
debe