While many spectators on the route of the Tour de France are cycling fanatics, it’s not just an event for people who love the sport already.
If you’re in France in the month of the July, the Tour might just be the perfect day trip for you!
To find out if the route of the race corresponds with your travels, check out the official map, available at www.letour.com. Every day, the race has a start and finish line, and you can find out about every town along the way by looking at that stage’s individual details and timetable. If you are traveling or staying anywhere near the course, here’s how to make a day of it!
Choose your location
First, decide what kind of spot you want. Do you want the chance for some close-up photos and one-on-one interactions with the cyclists? Your best for chance for that is at the start line, where each athlete is introduced before joining the group to wait for the stage to begin.
There is a lot more action at the finish lines, but there are also usually a lot more people, too. Spectators crowd in to see the race finish, so get there early if you want to be at the front of the crowd. The athletes may be accessible after the stage is over, but remember that they are exhausted and probably don’t have much energy leftover for fan encounters.
Along the route there are limitless options for Tour viewing. In the country or the small towns, there aren’t many barricades, letting you cross the road at will. It’s also more relaxing out in the country, where the crowds tend to be thinner.
A final option is to see the race on a mountain. Getting a spot on an uphill climb will allow you a full day of Tour action. The riders will be slower as they chug uphill, so you won’t just see them all whirring past in one big group.
Prepare appropriately
After you’ve chosen your location, your second task is to prepare appropriately. You’ll never know what sort of spot you’ll have until you’ve found it, so your best bet is to prepare for everything. Sunscreen, bottled water, umbrellas, toilet paper, and picnic essentials are all great ideas. The wait can be long, so it’s also a good plan to take along some time-passing activities like a book or deck of cards. Bringing along a bottle of wine to offer to the spectators around you will also be a big hit and endear you to your Tour neighbors. Just be sure to bring enough extra glasses for the sharing!
About an hour before the race comes through, a publicity caravan drives the course, throwing out tons of free swag to everyone on the sidelines. You could be going home with anything from keychains, hats, and necklaces to ground coffee, coupons, and phone cards. Ta-daa! Souvenirs for family and friends back home!
Show up early
Your third and final preparatory task is to show up early. However early you think is a good idea, show up at least an hour before that. The road closes down to vehicle traffic in the hours before the caravan, so if you’re driving to the spot, you need to get there before that road closure happens. If you’re walking or biking, you have a bit more time to waste, but you still want to get there with enough time to find a place that’s not crowded with people or boasting an obstructed view of the course.
If you’re going to the mountains, you might consider leaving the night before, especially of the roads are closing the day ahead.
The Tour de France is an exciting event, as the millions who see it firsthand each year can tell you. The roads open up as soon as the last official car passes, so try to hurry to a local bar or restaurant afterwards if you want to catch the rest of the stage on TV.
Now go have some fun at the Tour!
“Tour de France Land Art” photo taken in Mauvezin, French Pyrenees, by Anduze Traveller
Topic: How to Tuesday |
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Tags: France, sport
About the author
Liz is a second year MFA student at the University of New Hampshire, where she's writing a book about the ways the Tour de France has affected her family. She really likes art and music and movies and watching pro cycling.
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