ITINERARY FOR TOUR DE FRANCE 2011 – ALL MOUNTAIN STAGES - PYRENEES ALPS AND PARIS TOUR
12 July 2011 to 25 July 2011

ALL THE MOUNTAIN STAGES –PYRENEES ALPS & PARIS
Tuesday 12th July:
We’ll collect you from Paris, Charles de Gaulle airport at 0900, 1200, 1500 and 1800 to transport you to the Paris hotel, where we’ll stay on a bed and breakfast basis – please indicate on your booking form your collection time. We have arranged for you to keep your bike box or bag at the hotel for the duration of the tour as the bikes will travel fully assembled in a specialist bike trailer.

Wednesday 13th July:
After breakfast you can load your bike into the trailer and we’ll leave Paris for the spa town of Bagneres de Bigorre where we spend 3 nights on dinner a B&B basis at the excellent 3* Hotel La Residence. Apart from being in a beautiful location our Bagneres de Bigorre base offers excellent access to all the Pyrenean mountain stages of the 2011 Tour de France.

Thursday 14th July:
See the first Pyrenean mountain stage of the Tour de France as the riders enter the Pyrenees. This is a 209km ride, which will take them from Cugneaux (near Toulouse) to the ski station of Luz Ardiden.
Not only is this the 1st high mountain stage, there are two very tough climbs in the last 50km of the stage (Col du Tourmalet & Luz Ardiden), and it is also a summit finish which will definitely show which riders are hot and which are not……..
Our location in Bagneres de Bigorre is excellent for accessing the stage, either the Col du Tourmalet or the finish at Luz Ardiden. After breakfast we’ll travel to see the stage. Those with bikes will have the choice of riding the Col du Tourmalet & Luz Ardiden and seeing the stage on either, whilst those without bikes will be taken to the Col du Tourmalet to see the stage.
After seeing the stage we shall return to our base in Bagneres de Bigorre.

Friday 15th July:
The 2nd mountain stage in the Pyrenees is a short 156km and 1 col affair (Col d’Aubisque / Col du Soulor), between Pau and Lourdes. This will make for a nervous and fast stage, and all the action is going to be on the Col d’Aubisue / Col du Soulor.
Once again our location in Bagneres de Bigorre is excellent for accessing the stage and those with bikes will be able to ride to either the Col d’Aubisque / Col du Soulor or the stage finish in nearby Lourdes. Those without bikes will be taken to nearby Lourdes where they’ll have the morning to visit the city before seeing the stage finish.
After seeing the stage, we shall return to our base in Bagneres de Bigorre.

Saturday 16th July:
The 3rd and final Pyrenean stage of the 2011 Tour de France is a 168km traverse of the Pyrenees and 5 cols between Saint Gaudens and the ski station of Plateau de Bielle. After the two previous mountain stages, this is going to be a difficult one especially with a mountain top finish at the end.
We shall leave on the bus from our base in Bagneres de Bigorre and travel to the stage. The bus will park up in the town of Les Cabannes at the foot of the climb to Plateau de Bielle and those without bikes will be able to walk onto the lower slopes of the mountain. Those with bikes will de dropped off enroute to Plateau de Bielle and will be offered various riding distances some on the Tour de France route, others a more flatter route.
After seeing the stage, we shall all re-group at the bus in Les Cabannes, reload the bikes and travel to nearby Toulouse where we shall spend the night at the 4* Hotel Pullman on a B&B basis. You will have the evening at your leisure in Toulouse where there are many excellent restaurants.

Sunday 17th July:
The riders of the Tour de France leave the Pyrenees and head to the Mediterranean flatlands with a 187km stage between Limoux and Montpellier.
It will depend upon the final route of today’s stage where we’ll decide to view it – it’ll either be near the beautiful medieval city of Carcassonne or the tour feed station so the bike riding routes will be arranged accordingly.
After seeing the stage we shall travel to the beautiful city of Avignon, where we shall spend the next 2 nights on Half Board basis at the 3* Hotel Lavarin.

Monday 18th July:
Today is the 2nd and final rest day on the Tour de France before the riders reach Paris. Our location in Avignon gives us the opportunity to ride the famous Mont Ventoux (Giant of Provence). Those with bikes will have the opportunity to ride the mythical Mont Ventoux, whilst those without bikes will have the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Avignon, which is on theatre festival through the month of July.
We shall spend a 2nd night in Avignon.

Tuesday 19th July:
After a rest day in Provence, the Tour de France heads into the Alps with a 163km stage from St Paul les 3 Chateaux to Gap. In the final kilometers of the stage, the riders will tackle the Col de Manse and the descent of the Col de Rochette (made famous by the Beloki crash causing Lance Armstrong to ride cross-country!).
We shall leave Avignon and travel to Gap to see the stage finish. Once we have arrived in Gap, those with bikes will have the opportunity to have a ride and see the stage on either the Col de Manse or the finish in Gap whilst those without bikes will have the morning / afternoon at leisure in Gap and see the finish in the afternoon.
After watching the stage finish we shall travel to the beautiful ski town of Serre Chevailier, which is THE BEST base to have for the remaining Alpine stages. We shall spend 4 nights on a dinner B&B basis at the excellent 3* Hotel Plein Sud.

Wednesday 20th July:
The 1st mountain stage of the Alps takes the riders from Gap to Pinerolo, a 179km stage that includes the climbs of Montgenevre, Sestrieres and the Pramartino before a downhill finish into Pinerolo.
Our location in Serre Chevalier is excellent for accessing today’s stage, as it passes through nearby Briancon. Those with bikes will have the choice of seeing the stage on either the Col de Montgenevre or the climb to Sestrieres, whilst those without bikes will be taken to one of these climbs. After seeing the stage we shall return to our base in Serre Chevalier.

Thursday 21st July:
The Col du Galibier first appeared in the Tour de France in 1911 (100 years ago) and to honour this giant of the Alps the penultimate mountain stage of the 2011 Tour de France will finish at the summit of this famous mountain. This is undoubtedly the hardest stage of the 2011 Tour de France, starting from Pinerolo the riders will have to face the 3 highest mountains on the route (Col de Agnel 2,744mts, Col d’Izoard 2,360mts, Col du Galibier 2645mts).
Our location in Serre Chevalier could not be better for accessing the stage, as the stage passes the hotel front door on its ascent of the Col du Galibier. Those with bikes will be able to ride to the Col du Galibier whilst those without bikes will be taken to the Col du Lauteret and walk the final 8km to the summit of the Col du Galibier or see the stage pass the front door of the hotel.

Friday 22nd July:
The final mountain stage of the Tour de France will finish on the most famous Alpine mountain, L’Alpe d’Huez. The stage is a short 109km and will take in the Col du Galibier for a second time in as many days, this time from the north face before a long descent to Bourg d’Oisans and the final 14km and 21 hairpin bend ascent to the ski station of L’Alpe d´Huez. This is going to be a very nervous and fast stage with racing all the way from start to finish. A great stage to finish in the Alps.
Once again our location in Serre Chevalier is excellent for accessing the stage. Those with bikes will have the choice of seeing the stage on either the Col du Galibier or L’Alpe d’Huez, whilst those without bikes will be taken to Bourg d’Oisans and will be able to walk onto the lower slopes of the climb. After seeing the stage, we shall return to Serre Chevalier for our final night’s stay.

Saturday 23rd July:
The penultimate stage of the 2011 Tour de France is a 41km Individual Time Trial starting and finishing in Grenoble. After breakfast we shall travel to Grenoble for the watch the stage. Those with bikes may want to ride there from our Serre Chevalier base, 14km climb of Col du Lauteret then 60km descent!!!
After seeing the time trial in Grenoble we shall take the 19.00hrs TGV fast train to Paris where we shall spend the next 2 nights at the 3* Hotel Mercure Porte de Versailles EXPO (our arrival hotel & where your bike box is).

Sunday 24th July:
After a relaxing breakfast and packing up your bike, we shall make our way to the Champs Elysees for the final stage of the 2011 Tour de France.
As an official Tour Operator to the Tour de France, we can offer a variety of grandstand seats and hospitality packages on the Champs Elysees (see below for supplement prices).

Monday 25th July:
After breakfast we shall leave Paris. We shall offer transfers from the hotel to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at 07.30hrs, 11.00hrs & 14.00hrs
If you want to extend your stay in Paris then we can book extra nights for you at the Hotel Mercure.

INCLUDES:
13 Nights Bed & Buffet Breakfast accommodation in 3* and 4* hotels based on twin room share
9 Evening meals
Air conditioned coach transportation throughout
Coach transfers to and from Paris hotel and Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at specific times
Special bike trailer for the safe keeping and transport of your bike
Coloured maps with Tour de France route marked
Detailed suggested bike rides
Detailed itinerary and helpful TDF information
Services of our guides 1 riding 1 coach

DOES NOT INCLUDE:
Drinks with meals
Hotel extras (telephone, drinks, laundry)

SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT: £892 per person (NZ$2,000)

CHAMPS ELYSEES GRANDSTAND: £199 per person (NZ$450)
GRAND PALAIS GRANSTAND: £199 per person (NZ$450).

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