Watching the Tour....

[Panter]

I posted a question about this last Year as I'd intended to go and watch a stage this Year.
However, things got very difficult at work, staff were laid off, and so the prospect of any holiday time dissapeared out the window so I didn't plan it any further.

It may now be possible that I could squeeze a week off, so are any of the Northenmost legs of the Tour worth going to see?
I can't travel too far as I'll be driving (and towing a caravan) and will have my 8 Year old with me so I'd want to keep travelling distance to a minimum.

Any thoughts?

 

[Speck]

Have a look on this page, it gives the type of stage etc:

http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/le_parcours.html

We went to Brittany last year and took the tent etc, we went from Weymouth to St Malo, therefore ferry pretty expensive. Previously we have gone with Norfolk line, Dover to Dunkerque, pretty cheap if you are prepared to travel at odd hours. It all depends on where you live, maybe cheaper and less restrictive if you did B & B.

 

[Panter]

Thanks Speck, I'll have a good look into that

 

[I am Spartacus]

I posted a question about this last Year as I'd intended to go and watch a stage this Year.
However, things got very difficult at work, staff were laid off,

Any thoughts?

I'd be very cautious.. make it 4 days .. get back to work on the Friday.. just to stop your bosses from clearing your desk/locker.. because you know deep down in your soul that they can do without you

 

[Panter]

Nah it'll be Ok, I'll lock the drawers

 

[02GF74]

think carefully about this. I rode to belgium to see it. took ages due to roads being close off, arrived at my cvhose spopt with about 10 minutes to spare. entrie group whizzes past in about 30 seconds andthat is it. WTF??

better off looking it on TV or a time trail day - at least you get a chance to see everyone. choose a hill and be amazed how fast they go up it.

 

[Panter]

think carefully about this. I rode to belgium to see it. took ages due to roads being close off, arrived at my cvhose spopt with about 10 minutes to spare. entrie group whizzes past in about 30 seconds andthat is it. WTF??

better off looking it on TV or a time trail day - at least you get a chance to see everyone. choose a hill and be amazed how fast they go up it.

Hmmmmm Ok, thanks for that. I did wonder if that may be the case.

So, it may be only worth it if we can get a nice weeks holiday and just watch a bit of the tour as a day out rather than the focus of the holiday.

 

[Crackle]

It's not actually coming that far north this year so a raid is harder and all the Northern stages are flatties. If you do go to a stage, especially with an 8 year old, go to a village on a bend or series of bends. Get there in good time and when the publicity caravan come through throwing out goodies, your son(?) will love trying to catch them and collect freebies. Best to get there early and set yourself up to make a good few hours of it and drink in the atmosphere. When the riders do come through, it's all over very quickly but at least on a bend they'll slow enough to see them and in a village the publicuty caravan always goes slower and hands stuff out.

Your other option is to go to a start in one of the towns. Be prepared to get there early, have to park a way outside and walk in but if you do get there early you can watch them sign on, line up and trundle out. There's normally lots of stalls and things to see at the start.

 

[Panter]

It's not actually coming that far north this year so a raid is harder and all the Northern stages are flatties. If you do go to a stage, especially with an 8 year old, go to a village on a bend or series of bends. Get there in good time and when the publicity caravan come through throwing out goodies, your son(?) will love trying to catch them and collect freebies. Best to get there early and set yourself up to make a good few hours of it and drink in the atmosphere. When the riders do come through, it's all over very quickly but at least on a bend they'll slow enough to see them and in a village the publicuty caravan always goes slower and hands stuff out.

Your other option is to go to a start in one of the towns. Be prepared to get there early, have to park a way outside and walk in but if you do get there early you can watch them sign on, line up and trundle out. There's normally lots of stalls and things to see at the start.

Top stuff, thanks for the advice

Now to do some planning.........

 

[Crackle]

One more thing, as you mentioned a caravan. A lot of people follow the Tour in a motorhome. I noticed in the start towns, they arrive the evening before, park up at the local Hypermarche and stay the night ready for the next day and there's quite a few that do this. Now a caravan is slightly different but I'm sure you could still do that for one night. Fresh rolls and coffee from the Hypermarche in the morning too.

 

[Panter]

Apparently you can't.
If you have a motorhome you can park in these areas but you're not allowed to with a caravan.
I think it's why you see so few caravans along the tour route, it's alomost all motorhomes without exception.
It's another thing I need to plan to see if it's feasible, it may be that all the campsites within 100miles of the tour route are all fully booked.

 

[Crackle]

Asterix is in Limoges, he might be able to advise on this years start there.