Originally Posted by
blanqui
I'm heading to France to watch the tour, specifically the Alps stages 8 and 9. There will be a few of us going and we're trying to figure out the best way to swing it. We are thinking of renting a car and camping. How hard is it to find a place on the route to pitch a tent? Stage 8 is Sunday, July 11 so should we be try to get to the stage on Saturday morning? Any tips on successful TdF stage viewing would be appreciated.
Its illigal to pitch a tent on the road side in france, so not something to relay on working.
The best bet is to book a place at a campsite for everynight your in france. Then cycle up the climb you want to watch. I went to ventoux last year and we parked 8km from the base of the mountain so we didn't get stuck in the large traffic jams on the way home.
If you want to take your car and park on the roadside, you might find the dutch have all the best partking spots and the gendarmes (french police) might move you on. Also car's are held on the moutains untill all the cyclists had descended.