TXCiclista

My wife and I are toying with the idea of heading to Spain in July and trying to catch the Tour as it comes up the Pyrenees. Since we're on a budget, a Eurail Pass that'll take us into France may not be an option. As much as we'd like to see the Tour down the Champs-Elysées, we've done Paris already and think Spain would be a nice change (on the non-Tour days). Anyone caught the Tour from Spain? What are the logistics? I'm assuming all the rooms would be booked up? Rent a car, etc? I simply have no idea how we might do this, so I'm looking for advice/experience on how me might do it...

TIA

PS We're semi-regular campers with decent equipment, so we woulnd't be averse to camping up on the pass one night so we could catch the Tour in the morning. Reasonable?

oboeguy

We camped on the Alpe d'Huez TT this past summer. Amazing experience. If there were an uphill TT this year, I'd say go to that, but I guess there isn't...

Anyhow, our experience this summer is what I would call extreme (1 million of our closest friends were there, if you follow me). I imagine on Tourmalet or whatever awaits the riders in the Pyrenees this year it's not as bad. I talked to some people who go to l'Alpe d'Huez every year and they said they only booked there rooms a few weeks in advance.

My advice? A little web surfing and some local knowledge obtained via telephone should do the trick. Be warned that flights to Spain in the summer will probably run you $900 each (give or take a hundred or two).

I've spent A LOT of time travelling in Spain and France -- PM me if you have more questions.

TXCiclista

Thanks for the pointers. I've got a pretty decent amount of "Europe experience" so I'm, not worried there, and I speak French fluently (which won't help so much in Spain, but near the border...) so those aren't my concerns so much as just getting to the stage. If l'Alpe d'Huez isn't selling until a few weeks before, staying in a small town near the route in Spain may be a good idea. I'll check into it. Just wasn't sure if that was even a chance (this silly American forgot that most of the people who will be there LIVE there and won't need to book up all the hotel rooms )

baj32161

I hate, errr......envy you!

Have a great time!

Brian

TXCiclista

Haha! Well, you'll LOVE this then... If Spain doesn't work out (from the Tour side of it), we may go to paris and watch the final stage (though I'd rather chase LA up a Col screaming "Allez Lance!"... )

HigherGround

I also went to the Tour last summer. I rented a car so I could have more versatility. If a town was booked up, which did occasionally happen, I could just drive to the next one. I don't have a touring bike equipped with racks and panniers, so riding with all my gear on the bike wasn't viable.

I didn't try using the trains in France on this trip, although I did use the trains in England. Generally the storage area would accomodate two bikes, and it was no problem finding space for mine. However, if you were trying to take a train to the start or finish of a Tour stage, there may be other "locals" who would be beyond riding distance who would also be taking the trains to get closer.

I did a mix of cheap hotels, sleeping in the car, or sleeping in a tent which I was able to purchase over there about a week after I arrived. I bought a cheap tent that I wouldn't have minded leaving behind if it didn't fit in my bag for the flight back. At Alpe d'Huez, people were camping on the mountain, at a commercial campsite with showers etc. at the base of the mountain, or in local residents' fields (where signs granting permission were posted). I don't know about the Spanish Pyrenees, but it it is anything like Alpe d'Huez, but on a smaller scale, I imagine the locals would be somewhat accommodating and used to Tour spectators. A smile and saying "please" goes a long way in foreign countries.

As a total side note, you may enjoy reading a book called "French Revolutions" by Tim Moore. It describes an Englishman's trip around France, when he decides to ride his bike around the Tour's route. It is quite funny and good reading. Some of the jokes may be a little risque or graphic for some more conservative readers, but it was very entertaining overall.

Feel free to send me a PM also if you'd like more info.