Tour de France 2012 (1 Viewer)

Craig Rogers

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Hi all,

Now that the route is confirmed, I'm hoping to get over to the Alps to see some stages this year.

http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/le_parcours.html

For those that have already done it, what's the deal with Wild Camping?

We're hoping to do

Col du Grand Colombier on Stage 10.
Les Sybelles (La Toussuire) which is the finish of Stage 11.
Annonay Davézieux (hopefully) sprint finish of Stage 12.

Is it just a case of driving there parking and parking where you can and join in with the craze or is it best to try and get a site/aire nearby and drive up on the morning?

I was thinking of driving down staying on a night on an aire/site, then driving to Col du Grand Colimbier and wild-it for the night ready for the stage the day after, then driving to La Toussuire and wild-it ready for stage 11 the following day. Then driving down to Annonay Davézieux and getting a site for one or two nights before driving back (over a few nights).

Would love to hear some other stories of peeps who have done it.:thumb:
 

slobadoberbob

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mad

Hi all,

Now that the route is confirmed, I'm hoping to get over to the Alps to see some stages this year.

http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/le_parcours.html

For those that have already done it, what's the deal with Wild Camping?

We're hoping to do

Col du Grand Colombier on Stage 10.
Les Sybelles (La Toussuire) which is the finish of Stage 11.
Annonay Davézieux (hopefully) sprint finish of Stage 12.

Is it just a case of driving there parking and parking where you can and join in with the craze or is it best to try and get a site/aire nearby and drive up on the morning?

I was thinking of driving down staying on a night on an aire/site, then driving to Col du Grand Colimbier and wild-it for the night ready for the stage the day after, then driving to La Toussuire and wild-it ready for stage 11 the following day. Then driving down to Annonay Davézieux and getting a site for one or two nights before driving back (over a few nights).

Would love to hear some other stories of peeps who have done it.:thumb:


one word.. your mad

Bob
 

beachcaster

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Actually, that's 2, well really three if you punctuated correctly! :ROFLMAO:

Why?

I thought we didnt pick up folks on spelling or punctuation??

3 or 2 its a great idea......love the tour and still waiting for an answer...Id love to do it too


barry
 

chrisgreen

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2012 will be my forth year of the tour de france:thumb:
i first entered the race in 2009 and thankfully only been lapped 3 times,although i have not finished the 2009 race yet,i should with luck finish it in 2012,as my sponsers are getting restless,but i have fell off 5789 times,had 8456 flat tyre's,three lung tranplants,and food poisoning twice:thumb:
 
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Craig Rogers

Craig Rogers

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2012 will be my forth year of the tour de france:thumb:
i first entered the race in 2009 and thankfully only been lapped 3 times,although i have not finished the 2009 race yet,i should with luck finish it in 2012,as my sponsers are getting restless,but i have fell off 5789 times,had 8456 flat tyre's,three lung tranplants,and food poisoning twice:thumb:

:roflmto:

Ah it's because you've not worked out how to hide the cocktails.......
 

chrisgreen

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:roflmto:

Ah it's because you've not worked out how to hide the cocktails.......

i forgot to mention that my sponser are golden virginia (the tobacco company)
who bless them have been good to there word and surplyed me 4 oz of baccy a day,but the problem is i have to keep stopping every 5 mins to roll a fag:Sad:
but it's to prove a smoker can compeat at the top level:thumb:

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callumwa

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It's a wonderful spectacle and a great experience..

On some of the mountain stages people park up sometimes days in advance to get the best spots . You can normally find a spot the night before or very very early in the morning of the day of the stage you are intending to watch. On the mountain top finishes the roads are closed off from very early in the day, sometimes even the night before, so all the Tour entourage can make it's way to the finish. So you have to get there well in advance, sometimes days as I mentioned before. Also remember after a mountain top stage it can take a long long time to get back down the mountain.

Throughout the day all the team buses, the press and tv guys will pass through, as well as the sponsors who often give away lots of their "goodies" to spectators lining the route. It's quite a sight in itself.

So get parked up wherever you can find a nice spot, sometimes you just got enough space to open your doors, as the vans park tight together, tune in the sat dish and pop the TV outside, so you can follow the progress of the stage as it gets closer and closer to you.

Flash up the BBQ and make sure the fridge is well stocked and chilled with refreshments. Share your food and drink with whoever is parked beside you, wherever they are from. They will do the same and you will enjoy a great day.

And if Cavendish or Wiggins can take the stage, that's the icing on the cake.:thumb::thumb:

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callumwa

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A lot depends on the relative proximities of each of the stages to one another. You could re- position yourself very late at night if they are reasonably close together, but remember many others may be doing exactly the same thing, so it can be slow going and in some cases the roads may already be closed, and for sure even if you can move over the best spots will be long gone...

Last year was great as they did the Col du Galibier both ways on successive days, perfect for "Camping Cars" and finishing on the magnificent Alpe d'Huez on the second day.

Also if you have had a few refreshments during the day, you are not going to want to be going on the road till the following day when you will be fit to do so.

I've not looked at the route yet for 2012, but with a bit of advance planning I'm sure you will find something to fit into your schedule.:thumb::thumb:

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The tour is indeed a brilliant watch. If you can get to see a time trial its brilliant. You can get to see the riders warming up outside the tour buses and wander round all the teams. What you dont get to see is the actual riders on the course as they are so fast that they are past you before you know it.

The atmosphere is brilliant. But I would say a mountain stage will require at least a few days beforehand to get a good spot. Just look for the Orange People. The Dutch are great party animals and follow the tour in great numbers. They normal set up an encampment on the mountains and part for days in a sea of orange.

Sonja
 
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Craig Rogers

Craig Rogers

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Not done any mountain stages, however, as you say, the buzz is great. I used to race a long time back and always fancied going to a Mountain stage, now we've got the MH it's another tick off the list! :winky:

Maybe, we'll just stick to the one day and have a few days on top of Col du Grand Colombier. It's a biggy and has never been used, so suspect a big turn out.

Then just have a gentle tour back to the UK. :thumb:
 
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Craig Rogers

Craig Rogers

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Decided that a single day it will be, so more of a 7 day "our own Tour de France", which will catch a single Alpine stage.

Will meander down through France aiming to be on top of Col du Grand Colombier late morning on the 10th ready for Le Tour coming through on the 11th and then have a different meander back through France.
 
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Been to watch a tour stage twice now, but because we had a caravan we could not get to a mountain stage.
My wife who also cycles refuses to cycle up to one of the mountain finishes so we tend to do the flatter stages or slightly lumpy bits!

however off to Switzerland end June through July so might be able to combine a stage if we can work it in with the trip!

Enjoy, it's a great spectacle and the spectator buzz is fantastic, even after waiting 3 hours in the rain for a 20 sec flash past!!!!

Cheers

bob

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The tour is indeed a brilliant watch. If you can get to see a time trial its brilliant. You can get to see the riders warming up outside the tour buses and wander round all the teams. What you dont get to see is the actual riders on the course as they are so fast that they are past you before you know it.


Sonja

Completely agree, a time trial is a half day event for spectators as you see everyone who is left in the race go by flat out.
Have seen maybe 7 or 8 Tours but for us this was the best except for the first time we saw the Peloton whoooshh past at speed.

For a time trial pick a spot where you can see the approaching riders from at least 150m, in preference as they come off of a bend. Gives you time to identify each one and cheer those you want to.

A couple of years ago spent 3 days on lake Annecy, east side. Arrived 2 days before the day and just about found a great spot just 1m from the road and 1m from the lake.
Possibly the best short holiday ever with so many people from so many countries, including our Dutch friends. Yes they like to party, he spent the whole day on the roof of his camper wearing his wifes frock, he's not even bi !
 
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Possibly the best short holiday ever with so many people from so many countries, including our Dutch friends. Yes they like to party, he spent the whole day on the roof of his camper wearing his wifes frock, he's not even bi !

Coming from a Dutch family I can say that is probably normal behaviour on holiday:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Sonja
 

kickstart

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We were the same as you Craig in 2010 only watched 2 stages but got into the swing of things this year and wild camped 5 nights,loads of Brits and it was fantastic the wild camping was well organized in the Alps and we were at the finish on the Alp d'heuz only campsite we used was Camp International in Paris for the finish. enjoy and we'll look out for you. :Smile:

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1948

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Hi all,

Now that the route is confirmed, I'm hoping to get over to the Alps to see some stages this year.

http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/le_parcours.html

For those that have already done it, what's the deal with Wild Camping?

We're hoping to do

Col du Grand Colombier on Stage 10.
Les Sybelles (La Toussuire) which is the finish of Stage 11.
Annonay Davézieux (hopefully) sprint finish of Stage 12.

Is it just a case of driving there parking and parking where you can and join in with the craze or is it best to try and get a site/aire nearby and drive up on the morning?

I was thinking of driving down staying on a night on an aire/site, then driving to Col du Grand Colimbier and wild-it for the night ready for the stage the day after, then driving to La Toussuire and wild-it ready for stage 11 the following day. Then driving down to Annonay Davézieux and getting a site for one or two nights before driving back (over a few nights).

Would love to hear some other stories of peeps who have done it.:thumb:

love to do the same, never done it but alway wanted to watch it live
 

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