Tour de France

Pyrenees Exclusive Access

Detailed Itinerary

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Day 1 – Saturday 12th July         Arrival in Lourdes
Figeac to Toulouse, 174 km
On arrival into Lourdes you will be met and assisted by our representatives to your transport which will transfer you to our hotel in the centre of town. We recommend an early afternoon arrival to prevent the possibility of having to wait for your room to be made ready. We have found from experience that the first thing most cyclists want to do is to have a short ride to shake out the cobwebs after the plane trip. The first job will be to assemble your bike. Our representative staff will be available to assist. There will be the option of a ride early in the afternoon and there should be time to rest up and possibly watch the stage finish on TV before the welcome dinner in the evening.
Tonight there is a welcome dinner where you can meet the staff who will be looking after you on the trip and of course your fellow travellers.

Day 2 – Sunday 13th July             Exclusive VIP Finish
Toulouse-Bagnères-de-Bigorre, 222 km
This morning we will head out for a steady ride. We can ride down and go a few kilometres up the Hautacam to familiarise yourself with this climb. Remember today you have fresh legs, tomorrow it will feel a little different! We will return to Lourdes where you are free to look around this religious town and have some lunch before we meet at the hotel at 2pm to go to Bagnères-de-Bigorre to see the race finish and our rendezvous with the Tour de France. You are invited to be the guest of the Tour de France at the exclusive VIP finish area called the Izoard and a tour of the Technical Zone to see how it all comes together behind the scenes. We will arrive in Bagneres de Bigorre at 3pm to tour the Technical Zone. During your tour it’s quite possible you will see some of those famous faces from television so have your camera ready! After our Tour we will go to our exclusive Izoard Hospitality Area just near the finish line where we can do what VIPs do: Enjoy a drink, have a snack served by the Tour hostesses, see the race on television and then get a view of the race finish from a very privileged position. Champagne will be served to toast the winner of this grueling stage! After the race we will return to Lourdes where dinner will be provided tonight

Day 3 – Monday 14th July            Your day in the Tour de France
Pau to Hautacam, 154 km
This morning it’s up bright and early, today is the day…Your Day…The day you get your chance to feel what it’s like to be a Pro in the Tour de France. The crowds today will be huge, can you imagine! All of France is on holiday and it’s traditional to come out to watch the Tour if it’s in your area on this day, people will have picnics and BBQs set up on the mountain, some will have camped out for days. Then add to this the Orange swarm of Basque supporters that cross over the border on these big days in the Pyrenees and you may begin to get an idea of the magnitude of the crowds today. We will leave the hotel early and begin our stage from near Lourdes to allow us time to arrive at the finish. The early kilometres of the stage are through the valley and not of great consequence however what lies ahead of us is of real consequence! It is 110 to 120km to the finish at Hautacam from here and you will have the opportunity to climb two of the best climbs that the Pyrenees have to offer. We will have an officially accredited Bikestyle Tours lead vehicle and a following vehicle and an ex professional riding with you to guide and advise you throughout the day. You will head off looking (and feeling) like a Pro Tour Team in your Bikestyle Tours outfit along the Tour de France route. Our official vehicles will be available to help you through the day in any way you need including a little helping hand if needed although the closer you get to the finish the larger the crowds will get and the bigger the lift. An Official Tour de France vehicle will meet us for the last part of the route to escort us into the finish, the crowds will be huge now, cheering you on, one kilometre to go, 500 metres, 200 metres you pass under the Finish Banner where in just a few hours the Winner of the Stage will raise his hands in victory. You will then get to mount the same podium the winner will mount and have your photo taken by an Official Photographer. A Very Special Experience - one you will never forget! After we freshen up and have a celebratory drink we will watch the finish of the stage from our position right on the finish line. Dinner will be provided tonight.
 

Day 4 – Tuesday 15th July            Rest Day for some…
Today is a rest day on the race but not for us! We take the opportunity to ride the Col d’Aubisque which to us is “the” classic climb in the Pyrenees. You will recognize the road from many of the photographs taken during previous Tours de France. We will leave the hotel and travel back down the bike track to Argeles Gazost which is a pretty tourist village at the centre of many of the climbs in the Pyrenees. Leaving Argeles it’s straight into the climb of the Col du Soulor and the Col d’Aubisque. The first 12km are relatively easy but the last 7.5km average more than 8%. From the top of the Soulor there is a short drop (3km) and then it’s a further 8km and a further 310 metres of climbing to the top of the Col d’Aubisque. From the top of the Aubisque there are the options of retracing the route back through Argeles, a total ride of around 80km or continuing in a loop through Laruns back to Lourdes and a ride of around 110km. For anyone wanting an easy day it is a short ride down the bike path to Argeles where there are a few cafes for a leisurely lunch. We will aim to be back in Lourdes in time for you to watch the religious procession late in the afternoon. Dinner will be provided tonight.