Tour de France 2020 - how to experience it?

[ShaKen]

Hi all

I’m hoping to be able to experience all of the Tour de France next year!

I’ve seen a couple of the stages in the Alps as well as down in Provence when on holiday, but next year I hope to have more time to pick and choose where and when we see a stage(s).

My preference is to see a few stages on the run up a climb (such as in the Pyrenees or Alps).

So how should I find a a great spot to park? How far in advance of a stage should I get there? How far up a climb should I set camp? Should I expect a party with my fellow Tour fans or should I expect animosity because I’m British (Scottish)?

Any other top tips!

 

[suavecarve]

Depends on what stages are available.
If Alpe D'huez is on then a week before hand is a good plan whereas Ventoux you can actually arrive on the day (just) and park up in Bedoin.
When the route is out there will be plenty of people on here looking at it and working out a cunning plan. I think the preliminary route is out in about January but someone will be along shortly with more accurate info.

Do a quick search "Tour de france"

 

[DBK]

I watched the Col du Tourmalet stage on TV the other day and the route was rammed with MHs all the way to the summit. I guess some of them must have turned up a couple of days previously to get the best spots. It convinced me watching it on telly gave the best view but the atmosphere on the ground must be good. Just take false number plates, striped Breton shirt, beret and chew garlic and you'll be fine.

 

[bigtree]

Hi all

I’m hoping to be able to experience all of the Tour de France next year!

I’ve seen a couple of the stages in the Alps as well as down in Provence when on holiday, but next year I hope to have more time to pick and choose where and when we see a stage(s).

My preference is to see a few stages on the run up a climb (such as in the Pyrenees or Alps).

So how should I find a a great spot to park? How far in advance of a stage should I get there? How far up a climb should I set camp? Should I expect a party with my fellow Tour fans or should I expect animosity because I’m British (Scottish)?

Any other top tips!

The French love the Scots,all you say is Ecosse and you are friends for life. It's the Rosbifs they hate.

 

[Riverbankannie]

It’s a real party atmosphere, especially on the big climbs, you’ll love it. If you cycle yourself, you can join in by riding the finish (you will have to be there 2 or 3 days for the big ones), if you don’t cycle, you can sit out and cheer on those who are attempting it, offer water etc.
Just talk to those around you and fly your flag, you will be welcomed.

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[WillinFrance]

The popular cols like Tourmalet are pretty full a couple of days before. But you can normally find a place the day before. They close the roads to the cols early in the mornings, so always best to arrive a day or two before. The complete route is normally online around May, but you will find the provisional route much earlier on the official website.
There is a guide published in May and I think costs around £10, you can buy it on line.
It's a great event, went to see the start in Tarbes Saturday, Its really a spectacle how they take over the town.
Geraint being interviewed before the start.
Tourmalet Wednesday already getting pretty full. (Webcam Image)
Good luck...

 

[Ali n Tim]

You need to be there more than a couple of days for the popular cols! We drove the route down the Galibier on Saturday and there were already lots of vans parked up. The race goes through on Thursday ?

 

[hblewett]

2nd that, we drove it Sunday and there was one place where you’d get another 3/4 in, but everywhere else was either already full or ‘defended’ by those already there, presumably awaiting the arrival of friends (out of ordain my book, but there it is). We also drove the Izoard on Saturday (stage is this Wednesday, and there was no chance of getting on there at all.

We parked on a lay-by just outside a village on the way up to Galibier, but were woken by a (friendly policeman who explained we weren’t allowed there, so we’ve come to the Aire in the village (20 Euro for 5 nights) where we can enjoy a few days chilling out, enjoying what’s on offer in the village and then join the crowds on race day.

It’s our first time following the Tour and my advice would be not to try to do too much - pick what you really want to see and get there in time unless you want to be racing around constantly.

Just seeing what goes on around it all (hundreds of cyclists on Galibier yesterday, plus motorbikes, cars trying to overtake you, all on narrow, sometimes too narrow to pass road with no crash barriers- great to see but not for the faint-hearted!) is all part of the experience.

 

[Ali n Tim]

hblewett Where are you?

We are on the in Le Monetier les Bains, moving on tomorrow to hopefully find a spot for the race on Thursday. If not, we will come back here and walk or cycle into the village to watch the race there

 

[Jenben]

When we came over the col de Lautaret on Thursday last week the car park at the top was already busy with motorhomes planning to be there until the TDF came through which isn’t until this Thursday.

Whilst I enjoy watching the Tour sitting high up on a mountain for a week isn’t for me.

We are currently enjoying cycling and walking in the next valley over and plan to park on the route lower down on Wednesday and hopefully catch it going past on Thursday.

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[tonyl]

Would it be too naive of me to ask what they do about emptying the cassette if they are at the top of a col for the best part of a week?

We too are wondering about being in France for the Tour next year and an extra cassette would be useful but even that only gets us to 4 or 5 days without facilities.

 

[Ali n Tim]

Would it be too naive of me to ask what they do about emptying the cassette if they are at the top of a col for the best part of a week?

I’ve thought of that too!! You can bet your life that not many of those MHs up there have a second cassette ?

 

[Jenben]

Would it be too naive of me to ask what they do about emptying the cassette if they are at the top of a col for the best part of a week?

We too are wondering about being in France for the Tour next year and an extra cassette would be useful but even that only gets us to 4 or 5 days without facilities.

We have been on a couple of mountain stages where there were toilet emptying points set up at various points on the stage along with rubbish bags provided for each motorhome.

 

[Ridgeway]

A 2nd cassette is a very useful item in such situations, added one this year and haven't regretted it. The bins (black bags taped to poles) are usually every 200-300m.

Just back from stage 6 (we took the long route home) and we also got moved along in the morning but managed to find a local farming lady that was taking campers on her land for €10 for 24hrs, it was only 300m from the route

 

[Neil S]

We were up at Col de Vars in 2017 for 4 days at the same time as Colyboy and we used are second cassette by the beginning of day 4
The French were emptying there cassettes behind rocks
I kid you not - Yuk.

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[ShaKen]

Thanks all for the comments so far.

We’ve been to a couple of stages in previous years - Morzine for a stage finish (with our hotel Balcony right over the finish line) and Lourmarin as an unplanned on route stage (we booked to stay on a fab boutique hotel and then discovered the week of the race that the Tour passed right outside the hotel!)

Next year will be the first in a MoHo and I’m already excited about the prospect of parking up on the route and sharing the camaraderie of the spectators and fellow campers

 

[Ridgeway]

Take a bike and do some fun bits of the routes in the morning before they close the roads. This year i did Planche des Belle Filles on the morning although they closed the last 2km right at the top but it was a fun ride up (and down...) Also did a few more last week but from different years stages so on quiet roads.

Having a bike is also useful in case you blocked in or don't want to loose your spot and need some supplies.

We ended up camped next to a young Dutch group this year, we did learn something about Dutch music though which i hoped never to hear again yet my children downloaded it and we've just finished a 10 day tour with this on almost at every opportunity: