How early to arrive on aire to watch stage of Tour ?

[adonisito]

Hello all

We are aiming to watch stage 5 of the Tour which (I think) runs right past the aire at Kayserberg. Race day is the 10th, I'm aiming to arrive about midday on the 8th, do you regular watchers think that's early enough ? We're not on top of a col or anything like that.

Thanks.

 

[Theonlysue]

@Leltel ?

 

[adonisito]

??

 

[wiljoy]

As it's so very popular in France I would suggest at least 2 days.

 

[Vanderek]

Look at YouTube Gadget John who has a motorhome has a video of when to arrive before the race ..quite infornative.

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[colyboy]

Stage 5 July 10th.
Saint-Die-des-Vosges to Colmar 169 km Hilly

Stage 6 July 11th
Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles 157 km Mountains

I suggest that if you are going to watch them come past the aire they will pass like a flash.

Can I suggest you head to stage 6 for the finish at La Planche des Belles This mountain is a brilliant ,we have seen the finish on this mountain several times, watch it here You will not regret it.
Don’t worry about aires you can stay any where so long as you are off the tarmac.
Get to that area two days prior, then walk/cycle up a few miles up the mountain. They will not you allow up the mountain with a MH/car.

Hope this helps

Colyboy

 

[Leltel]

Hello all

We are aiming to watch stage 5 of the Tour which (I think) runs right past the aire at Kayserberg. Race day is the 10th, I'm aiming to arrive about midday on the 8th, do you regular watchers think that's early enough ? We're not on top of a col or anything like that.

Thanks.

Hi, we used to follow the TDF every year. If it's a mountain stage, get there a few days early. Otherwise we would park up the night before on the verge along the route.
If you are wanting to stay in the Aire, check if it's a Camping Carpark one as you can pre book those online.
Enjoy
Lel

 

[Ridgeway]

We should also be at LPdBF (it's too long to write...) as i'll do the climb the morning of the tour

If we weren't talking about an aire and just roadside then you could easily turn up on the morning of the race for a stage like that. As it's an aire though then i guess it all depends upon how busy that aire is..... and won't there be restrictions on how long you can stay on that aire ? there often are.

As Colyboy said they'll whip past at 45kmh, it's a blur.....

A big hill is much more fun and at stage 6 there is a classic ! the last 500m are a killer and they've extended the route at the top slightly this year and there's a bigger car park at the top now.

 

[Dud and Ellie]

We found a superb roadside spot when the Tour finished at La Planche des Belles Filles in 2017. We just drove along the route on the afternoon of the day before the stage and we were first on this spot. It filled up throughout the late afternoon and on the morning of the stage.

Knowing what we know now, I'd look for somewhere like that rather than an Aire.

Someone on here commented that as long as you have all 4 wheels off the road, you can park almost anywhere and that is good advice.

If you've already planned it, a lot of this may not be relevant but we put together this video of our experiences as first time Tour visitors (have to confess, I still get excited every time I view it!)

 

[suavecarve]

Some great advice about not parking in the aire.
Wouldnt consider it
If you have a bike with you abandon mh on a road with tyres off tarmac with a good exit strategy if not staying for night time and then bike up to hill at the end.
Will only need to get there in the morning with that strategy and get away after the race.

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[Shrimp]

We had already been on an Aire for a day or two and found the Tour was coming thru, the Aire was busy and vans were parked on grass areas nearby.
Then a female Police turned up one afternoon and marshalled us all for a day, getting everyone off the grass and onto the Aire, we ended up with just enough room to get our doors open between each van and her constant cry was “no camping”.
Everywhere was full to overflowing about 2 days before the Tour was due!
I would think you need to be in place at least two days in advance but depends on the Aire.

 

[Tigertom]

We’ve followed the tour in the past and moved on every day arriving in the evening. Just take a look at where other folk are overnighting and do the same, there’s usually loads of impromptu campsites.
None of this applies to mountain stages if you want to overnight
on the hill !

 

[Hollyberry]

As mentioned in video above, Day on the course in a Tour de France car £700 p.p.
Looks like the helicopter ride (20 minutes above the riders) is about €2500. https://www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk/events/tour-de-france-vip-one-day-experiences/