All the
mountain stages
WITH OR
WITHOUT YOUR BIKE
Thursday 10th to Wednesday 23rd July 2003
Thursday
10th July:
Our touring coach with bike carrying trailer will leave Leeds at
07.00hrs making collections at Manchester/Sheffield, Birmingham,
London and service stations on the motorway networks used.
We shall arrive at Dover in time for the 16.30hrs sailing to Calais
from where we shall travel to Paris where bed & breakfast
accommodation has been reserved at the Hotel Ibis Paris Porte de
Clichy.
Overseas customers can either meet the group at any of the UK
collection points or at the hotel Ibis in Paris.
Friday 11th
July:
After breakfast we shall leave Paris and travel to the Alps.
Enroute to the Alps we hope to be able to see todays stage finish in
Lyon, but this will be dependant upon traffic encountered and the
time it takes from Paris. After seeing the stage finish in Lyon we
shall travel to the either the beautiful lakeside towns of Annecy or
Aix les Bains where we shall spend 2 nights on half board (evening
meal, bed & breakfast) at a 3* hotel.
Saturday
12th July:
The Tour de France arrives in the Alps with a 226.5km stage from
Lyon to Morzine. Apart from a beautiful location Annecy and Aix les
Bains offers great access to seeing the stage. Those with bikes will
be able to ride from the hotel to the main climb of the day the Col
de Ramaz which comes only 20km from the finish in Morzine. Those
without bikes will be taken to the Col de Ramaz by the coach. After
seeing the stage we shall return to our hotel in Annecy / Aix les
Bains either on the bike or on the coach.
Sunday 13th
July:
Today is the first real mountainous stage of the Centenary Tour
de France with a classic mountain stage from Sallanches to L'Alpe
d'Huez via the mighty Col du Galibier. After an early breakfast we
shall leave Annecy / Aix les Bains and travel to the stage. Those
with bikes will have the choice of seeing the stage on either the
Col du Galibier or L'Alpe d'Huez and will be able to ride from
either Grenoble or travel part way on the coach and ride from the
valley approach road. Those without bikes will be taken to the town
of Bourg d'Oisans, from where they will be able to walk onto the
lower slopes of L'Alpe d'Huez. After the stage we shall regroup at
the coach in Bourg d'Oisans and travel to the Serre Chavlier area
where we shall spend 2 nights on half board basis (evening meal, bed
& breakfast).
Monday 14th
July:
The mountains continue with another classic Alpine stage from
Bourg d'Oisans to Gap via the Col du Lauteret and Col de L'Izoard.
Our location in the Serre Chevalier area is excellent for accessing
todays stage and offers those with bikes the choice of seeing the
stage on either the Col du Lauteret or Col de L'Izoard. Those
without bikes will have the choice of seeing the stage pass through
Briancon or be taken part way up the Col de L'Izoard by the coach.
After seeing the stage we shall return to our hotel.
Tuesday
15th July:
The Tour de France riders leave the Alps for the Mediterranean city
of Marseille, the 3rd historic city to be visited by the centenary
Tour de France. We shall leave Serre Chevalier and travel on the
coach to the town of Gap where you will see the stage start. After
seeing the start we shall leave Gap on the coach and catch up with
the stage in its final phase, before travelling to either Avignon or
Carpentras, where we shall spend 2 nights on half board basis
(evening meal, bed & breakfast). Those with bikes will have the
choice of a long ride from the start in Gap to the hotel or a
shorter ride to the hotel after seeing the stage enroute.
Wednesday
16th July:
As the Tour de France riders spend their well earned rest day with a
transfer to the Mediterranean city of Narbonne, we shall have the
opportunity to ride the feared and famous Mont Ventoux. Our hotel
locations in the Avignon, Carpentras area enables easy access to
Mont Ventoux. There will be the option of riding from the hotel or
travelling part way on the coach. Those without bikes will have the
opportunity to spend the day at leisure in the beautiful city of
Avignon which is on festival.
Thursday
17th July:
Today is a flat stage along the valley of the beautiful Canal du
Midi from Narbonne to the "Rose City" of Toulouse, the 4th historic
city to be visited by the centenary Tour de France. We shall leave
our Avignon base after breakfast and travel by coach to the feed
station. Those with bikes will be able to ride from the feed station
to the hotel in Toulouse either before or after seeing the stage.
After seeing the stage we shall rejoin the coach and travel to
Toulouse where we shall spend 2 nights on half board (evening meal,
bed & breakfast) at a 3* hotel.
Friday 18th
July:
The first individual time trial comes late into the Centenary Tour
de France and is held today between Gaillac and Cap Decouverte which
is a leisure park near the town of Carmaux to the north of Toulouse.
Our location in Toulouse is excellent for accessing the stage and
those with bikes will be able to ride from the hotel to the stage,
whilst those without bikes will be taken by the coach. After the
stage we shall return to our hotel in Toulouse.
Saturday
19th July:
Today's stage leaves the "Rose city of Toulouse" and finishes in the
Pyrenees with a 9km climb to the ski station of Plateau de Bonascre,
high above the town of Ax les Thermes. After breakfast we shall
leave Toulouse and travel to the town of Ax les Thermes. Those with
bikes will have the opportunity to ride to the climb of Plateau de
Bonacre from the hotel in Toulouse or travel part way on the coach
and ride the rest. Those without bikes will be taken to the spa town
of Ax les Thermes from where they will be able to walk onto the
lower slopes of the climb to Plateau de Bonascre. After the stage,
the bikes will be reloaded and we shall travel to Lourdes which is
an excellent location to base ourselves for the remaining Pyrenean
stages where we shall spend 3 nights on half board basis (evening
meal, bed & breakfast) at a 3* hotel.
Sunday 20th
July:
Today the Tour de France enters the high Pyrenees with a 191.5km
stage from St Girons to Loudenville via the Col de la Core, Col du
Portet d'Aspet, Col de Mente, Col du Portillon and Col du
Peyresourde. Those with bikes will have the choice of either riding
from our base in Lourdes or Bagneres de Bigorre to the stage finish
in Loundenville via the Col de Aspin or travelling on the coach to
the village of Arreau where the coach will park up for transport
back to Lourdes after the stage. There will be another coach that
will take those without bikes to either the finish in Loudenville or
the lower slopes of the Col du Peyresourde.
Monday 21st
July:
The mountains continue and today is another classic Pyrenean stage
from Bagneres de Bigorre to the ski station of Luz Ariden, via the
Col d'Aspin and the mighty Col du Tourmalet. Our location in Lourdes
could not be better for accessing the stage and offers those with
bikes the choice of seeing the stage on either the Col de Aspin, Col
du Tourmalet or the climb to the ski station of Luz Ardiden. Those
without bikes will be taken by coach to the town of Luz St Sauver,
from where they will be able to walk onto the climb of Luz Ardiden.
After seeing the stage we shall return to our Pyrenean base.
Tuesday
22nd July:
Today, the Tour de France riders spend their second rest day in
the Pyrenees and it is here where we bid farewell to the Centenary
edition of the Tour de France and commence the journey home by
travelling to Paris, where overnight accommodation and breakfast
will be at the Hotel Ibis Paris Porte de Clichy.
Wednesday
23rd July:
For those who wish to stay in Paris for the Paris finale, we can
arrange an extended stay at the Hotel Ibis (see supplement below).
This tour will leave Paris at 09.00hrs and take overseas clients to
Charles de Gaulle airport before continuing to Calais in time for
the 13.30hrs sailing to Dover, arriving London 16.30hrs, Birmingham
19.00hrs, Manchester/Sheffield 21.00hrs and Leeds by 22.00hrs.
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