TdF watching in the Pyranees

[danielstucke]

Any tips from anyone that's watched the tour in the Alps or Pyranees welcome. Fortunate to be heading off to France to catch 3-4 stages towards the end having seen the first two in Leeds.

 

[oldfatfool]

What tips are you looking for? Driving you are best heading up the day before, though in some cases the roads aren't closed until a couple of hours before depending on the local gendarmes. Cycling up the road is possible up to about 30-60 minutes before the caravan and even between the caravan and the tete, again depending on the local police force. Plenty of room for watching though the French do seem to appear from nowhere the minute the caravan is due whilst others really do set out their spot complete with kitchen sink.

 

[danielstucke]

Cheers, just any experiences really. Have wife and child in tow so will probably try to get close to one or two by car then hop on bikes with them both (little one on a carrier on my top tube on hybrid). And on other days I hope to head up to a HC climb on my bike. We're staying near Huatacam so will probably attempt the Tourmalet myself, and either Peyresourde or Port de Bales although those will involve a drive early on, then ditching car and heading up on bike. Is food/drink available on the high peaks or do you need to carry up a bag full of stuff to keep you going for the day?

 

[oldfatfool]

At the top of both the Peyresourde and the Tourmalet there are cafes that sell the usual, Restaurant at top of Tourmalet isn't bad food wise but on race day will be busy, if you can carry supermarche offerings then you would save £££, and avoid long queues.

Make sure you take plenty of sun cream and shade for the youngster, the tarmac was melting when we where at the summit of the P'ourde a coupe of years ago.

The French go mad for the 'crap' thrown out from the caravan so it can be a bit of a scrabble between the kids (depending on young ones age)