With this tour, after we pick up in Paris, we’ll follow the Tour de France for 7 days as it traverses the regions from Normandy in the north, across Paris, past Champagne and further south into the Franche-Comté region. With a group limited to 13 places only, we shall ride every day and meet the tour every racing day. This will be a tour for riding and relaxing and following Le Grand Boucle without spending hours every day waiting for, and chasing the race. With a small group you’ll receive personal and attentive care for the length of the tour.
2012 Topbike Tour de France 1 Itinerary:
Stage 4, Weds 4 July, Abbeville > Rouen 214 km
10.00am, meet at Paris Etoile Hotel, transfer in the Topbike air-conditioned mini-bus to our accommodation in Normandy (104k, 1.5h).
After assembling bikes we will ride to Rouen, the capital of Normandy, located on the Seine. This is where today’s finish is held, and it will more than likely be a day where the sprinters will enjoy a win. Post stage we can roll back to Connelles in the Topbike van. In our accommodation tonight, we can enjoy an aperitif before our welcome dinner, alongside the Seine, prepared by our hosts. (we ride 65k medium)
FYI: Rouen is known for its Notre Dame cathedral, with its Tour de Beurre (butter tower). The cathedral was the subject of a series of paintings by Claude Monet, some of which are exhibited in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. It’s also the home of the Gros Horloge (big clock) an astronomical clock, dating back to the 16th century, though the movement is considerably older (1389). Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake in Rouen, at the age of 19, in 1431. Though later found innocent, beatified in 1909, and canonized in 1920.
Stage 5, Thurs 5 July, Rouen > Saint-Quentin 197 km
Today’s TdF stage is fairly flattish and the ‘depart’ is once again in Rouen, so we will ride over to see the spectacle that makes up the start of the biggest annual sporting event in the world. After viewing the riders at first hand we can send them off on another circa 200k stage. Once we’ve bid them adieu, we can soak up a bit of the local atmosphere, in the company of the locals, enjoy lunch, and watch the stage finish in a local bar. We can return to our accommodation by bike or in the air conditioned van. Another home cooked meal in our accommodation tonight. (65k med)
Stage 6, Fri 6 July, Épernay > Metz 210 km
It’s not quite the longest stage of this year’s race today, but close, at 210k it’s 5k under. As the race is on the move eastwards, so will we be. We’re off to a mid point of today’s stage (maybe Verdun, 376k, 4h), where we can make a picnic on the course, not too far from a bar with a tele, where we can watch the race finish. Post race we’re back into the vans, or for the keen ones amongst us, it’s just 105k by bike to our next hotel in Mereville, where we’ll spend the next two nights.
Stage 7, Sat 7 July, Tomblaine > La Planche des Belles Filles 199 km
14k away at Tomblaine is the start of stage 7, which should be a good flattish ride for us. This is the start of the first mid mountains stage of the 2012 Tour de France, so you can excuse the riders for appearing a little nervous today - especially the sprinters, and their teams, who have been hammering away at the front for the previous stages. We’ll get a good look at them, and calm then as much as possible, before we send them on their way into the hills. Alternately you could head out on the course in front of the peloton, just to see how far you can get! (30k plus, plus, plus med)
Stage 8, Sun 8 July, Belfort > Porrentruy 154 km
Today we’ll pack up and get on the road, journeying down towards Besancon (200k, 3h). We may choose to watch the riders en route, maybe visiting one of the KOMs, or a feed zone, where we may pick up an errant bidon thrown from the peloton, or maybe just watch the riders around a random corner. The choice will be ours. Depending how our day goes, we may ride upon arrival, or even choose to make today our rest day. We’ll be outside Besancon tonight and tomorrow night.
(riding difficulty? It’s all up to you today).
Stage 9, Time Trial, Mon 9 July, Arc-et-Senans > Besançon 38 km
Today we have quite a lot of choice, the time trial finish is in Besancon, just 15k away, while the start is in the small town of Arc-et-Senans 50k to our south. The very keen amongst us may even get to both, riding over 100k. Then again, you could opt for propping under a shady tree, watching 180+ riders go by, one by one. (riding difficulty? Again, it’s all up to you).
Stage 10, Weds 11 July, Mâcon > Bellegarde-sur-Valserine 194 km
If we do everything planned, there’ll have been:
6 days of race viewing, incorporating 2 stage starts, 1 stage finishes, 1 KOM or roadside view and the Time Trial. We’ll also have ridden over 300k while we were at it. After enjoying breakfast together, we’re off to Dijon for a final drop off at the railway station. For all of those not staying on in Dijon, it’s pack-up time, and off to further destinations, au revoir.
See David Olle on the Alpe d'Huez Climb'
This tour includes:
All transport from Paris to Dijon for you, your bike and one bag (in the Topbike air conditioned mini-bus)
Accommodation
All breakfasts and all dinners.
You will also receive a full 2012 Topbike kit
Also included is your experienced and knowledgeable guides, maps, training tips, coaching (if required) and mechanical back-up for your bike.
Please pack your bike in a collapsible bag or disposable cardboard box. Please also see our recommended list of things to bring, it is most important to bring front and rear flashing lights.
NB: The itinerary above is to be used as a guide only, as Topbike Tours are well known for making use of all (and creating some extra) opportunities, expect that variations from the above can happen at any time.
See David Olle on the Alpe d'Huez Climb'
