TDF100 - How to Do The Tour in Paris

If you are thinking of seeing the TDF in Paris, pay close attention to this Blog entry.  As we found out, many people try but never even get to see the riders go by.  Arranging the proper access is key to your delightful be cycle-centered day in Paris.

First, you must get a good nights sleep as you will be getting a very early start.  Don your very best kit because you are in Paris after all!

Choose a trustworthy guide who is French and can sweet talk the police and guards and happens to be one of the fastest guys in the peleton such as Bertrand.  

Get your posse together

Get out there and enjoy the beauty of Paris in the morning of the Tour.  Empty grandstands, empty streets.  

The pave (cobbles) are rough!  Ahhh, who cares.  Look up!  L'Arc!

We are riding up the Champs Élysées where the racers will soon be doing the ten laps to finish the Tour!  Cathy looks very happy 

Photo ops at l'Arc.  People were already starting to camp out there. I would not recommend sitting in the hot Paris summer sun for 12 hours.

Now we get to be racers. On Sunday morning, Parisian cyclists go down to the Longchamps racetrack which has a 4K road around it for cyclists.  1,000 riders form Trains of all different paces for a great morning workout. See them behind Pam and Jane?

Rodolfe won the sprint with the fast guys. He is so fast this was all I got

Everybody had a great time.  We spent about an hour here

We cheer for Bertrand as he gets off to gather us for more riding in the streets of Paris

It was beautiful riding back to l'Arc now with the sun in front of us

Riding back to the hotel for a shower, lunch, and a 5pm departure for tour viewing

We were ushered into a bus and given beautiful invitation tickets.  The bus dropped us off at Le Grand Palais.  We were a part of the USA Cycling group and were seated on the balcony overlooking the Petit Palais.  Lovely dinner and fabulous wine.

After dinner, get escorted to your grandstand seats at the finish line!

French Air force flyover was awesome!

And then the riders.  Wow.  They went by us 10 times.  Amazing the little breakaways.  Jensie was out there for a while but the sprinters trains reeled him in.  What a close finish!  We were rooting for Cav.  Too bad.

The Maillot Jeaune Chris Froome and team Sky rode together in triumph.  Sorry, didn't get a photo of that.  The champaign was already being passed around

We then wandered out and found ourselves next to the podium where Quintana was awarded the climbers jersey and the best young rider jersey

And Froome the Maillot Jeune

We then wandered over to the team busses.  Belkin had already left but we had some fun over with the Cannondale boys.

We finally got back to our hotel room about 1am.  Bonnie Nuit!

Got it?  That's how you do the Tour in Paris.

JnJ

TDF100 - Annency Riding and Paris Transfer

Today's stage of the TDF is yet another brutal day of climbing in the Alpes, with the stage start in beautiful Annency.  We were shuttled to Annency to start what would be a delightfully FLAT ride back down the valley to Albertville.  Let Froome and Quintana battle it out in the hills, they get paid for it!

Here are our gal pals Cathy and Pam getting ready in Annency

The lake was incredible.  We would definitely come back to spend more time chillin in this beautiful area

You see that bike path?  Nice right?  It goes for 40k!!!

Here is the map of the bikeways

Beautiful crossing

Can you see Mont Blanc?

Stopped by a little town along the way

And once in Albertville, we went antiquing!  John found a vintage weather station and a gnarly old corkscrew for Janes collection.

When we got back to the hotel, we enjoyed the view from our room - pretty village and the maelstrom of the guys trying to fit all of our stuff and the bikes into the van

Then we waited in the lobby to go ... This is Lance with Hotel poodle Austin.

Eric, Phil and Rick show off their colorful leg wear 

FINALLY at the Lyon TGV station.  Beautiful architecture

And on our way to PARIS for the last stage if the TDF

Ahhhh Paris.  So happy as we pulled up to the Sofitel.  We shared some good cheer with our new friends before returning to our room for some air conditioned rest.

Here is a sneak preview of the next Blog - the view in the AM from our hotel room window.  There is just nothing like waking up in Paris.

Ai Revoir for now,

JnJ