Etape du Tour 2010 - Pau to Col du Tourmalet - Graham Baxter Sporting Tours

Home > Etape du Tour 2010

Our Etape Packages:

The VIP Package

The Supporters Package

Pau Fixed Centre Package

Tarbes Fixed Centre Package

Ride L'Etape - Watch Le Tour

Self Drive Package

Bike Transfer Service

Join the National Autistic Society

Join the MS Society at the Etape

Training:

Yorkshire Dales Training Weekends

Other Links:

Will you be ready for the Etape?

PACKAGES ON SALE NOW
“Ride a classic mountain stage of the Tour de France”

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Pyrénées inclusion in the Tour de France, we are delighted that ASO has chosen Stage 17 for the 2010 Etape du Tour, on Sunday 18th July, starting from Pau, and taking in the wonderful and historic climbs of the Col de Marie-Blanque and the Col du Soulor, before a tremendous mountain top finish at the Tourmalet.

Etape du Tour profile

This will be an incredible ride and a real challenge for all cyclosportive riders. For those people looking to raise money for charity in 2010, this will be something your sponsors will support you all the way on, as it’s such a huge challenge!
Now, for 2010, we’ve listened to you and asked you what you would like to see in our packages for the Etape and we are delighted to say that we have introduced some fantastic new elements and have dramatically new and improved packages for 2010.
These include:

• A pasta loading party the day before the Etape
• A finish line reception with food and drink waiting at the main rendezvous point.
• Additional Sports Tours only customers drink and energy product stops en route
• More frequent and quicker transfers between airports and hotels
• A guide to riding the Etape with a route map and gradient information
• New hotel options
• An exclusive VIP package limited to a small number of clients
• A goody bag for all those on full travel packages with us
• A new Etape Supporters Club option for non-cycling partners or friends who want to cheer you on.

The stage route starts from the city of Pau and takes in 3 of the most famous climbs in the Pyrenees, Col de Marie Blanque, Col du Soulor & the mythical Col du Tourmalet

Route details:
57.5km Col de Marie Blanque 9.5km at average of 7.5%, last 3km above 11% (1st Category)
118.5km Col du Soulor 22km at average of 4.9%, (1st Category)
174km Col du Tourmalet 19km at average of 7.4% (HC)

The start in Pau is only 90km from the finish village of La Mongie, and therefore makes it possible to offer fixed centre location packages.

OFFICIAL AGENTS...
We have been appointed by ASO (Etape du Tour organisation) as the main official agent for taking entries for the following countries:

UK, IRELAND, USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND,
SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN, PORTUGAL,
DENMARK, SWEDEN, FINLAND

Etapa del Tour para Espana y Portugal......... Hace clic aqui para mas informacion.

We have been allocated 900 guaranteed entries to the event, and these will be allocated between packaged tours and entry only.

By taking a packaged tour to the Etape du Tour, you will benefit from our wealth of logistical experience in taking people to this special event. With over 16 years experience in taking groups to L’Etape du Tour we are the Official Tour Operator that has the most experience, an important consideration when deciding your trip.
Not only do you benefit from our experience, you can be guaranteed that your hotel accommodation will be in or very close to the start town, or, full coach transfer support for registration/start/finish transfers, another important factor to consider when planning your trip to the Etape du Tour.
We have provided a number of different packages to suit most people’s requirements and budgets, and hope that you find them of interest.

We shall be operating the following packages to the 2010 Etape du Tour:

VIP PACKAGE, 4 Star HOTEL PARC BEAUMONT, PAU
Friday 16th to Monday 19th July
This is our flagship package, and is based in the start town of Pau, at the deluxe 4* Hotel Parc Beaumont www.hotel-parc-beaumont.com (Best Hotel in Pau). On this tour you will have speedy airport transfers, personal feed station support, training support from booking to riding and support from a host of other “associated” professionals, such as mechnics, coaches, physiotherapists, etc

FIND OUT MORE: THE VIP PACKAGE >>

THE SUPPORTERS PACKAGE, 4 Star HOTEL VILLA NAVARRE, PAU
Friday 16th to Monday 19th July
This package is aimed at those riders who have partners or family that would like to come along and support them during their ride. We have reserved the beautiful 4* Hotel Villa Navarre www.villanavarre.fr in Pau. Supporters will be taken on to the route to see you, and will also we waiting for you at the finish village in La Mongie.

FIND OUT MORE: THE SUPPORTERS PACKAGE >>

PAU 3 NIGHTS FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE (FLY / SELF DRIVE)
Friday 16th to Monday 19th July
This package is aimed at those people who have a limited amount of time to spend at the Etape du Tour, and is one of our more popular packages. Flights will be to Toulouse, Lourdes, Pau and Biarritz whilst those choosing the self drive option can leave vehicles at the hotel in Pau.

This is a FIXED CENTRE package that will be based in the start city of Pau and will mean no checking out of the hotel on the morning of the Etape as we return to the same hotel after the finish. There will be a choice of 3 different standards of accommodation (2 Star SELF CATERING, 2 Star STANDARD, 3 Star QUALITY) and either Dinner Bed & Breakfast or Bed & Breakfast.

FIND OUT MORE: THE PAU 3 NIGHTS FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE >>

TARBES 3 NIGHTS FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE (FLY / SELF DRIVE)
Friday 16th to Monday 19th July
This package is aimed at those people who have a limited amount of time to spend at the Etape du Tour, and is one of our more popular packages. Flights will be to Toulouse, Lourdes, Pau and Biarritz whilst those choosing the self drive option can leave vehicles at the hotel in Tarbes.

This is a FIXED CENTRE package that will be based in the town of Tarbes and will mean no checking out of the hotel on the morning of the Etape as we return to the same hotel after the finish. Tarbes is ideally located for both the start & finish of the event. There will be a choice of 3 different standards of accommodation (2 Star STANDARD, 3 Star QUALITY, 4 Star LUX). Transfers to the start will be approximately one hour on the morning of the race.

Packages in Tarbes will be on a Bed & Breakfast basis as our hotels are located overlooking the Place de Verdun, with its host of excellent cafes, bars and restaraunts, allowing more flexibility in eating arrangements. As such, Tarbes offers an excellent value for money option, only a short distance from the start town of Pau.

FIND OUT MORE: THE TARBES 3 NIGHTS FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE >>

RIDE L´ETAPE – WATCH LE TOUR (COACH PACKAGE WITH FLY OPTION)
Thursday 15th to Saturday 24th July
This package is aimed at those people who prefer to travel from the UK to the French Pyrenees by luxury coach, ride the Etape, and then stay on and watch the professionals ride the same route a few days later.

After riding the Etape du Tour we shall stay on in the Pyrenees and watch 3 fantastic stages of the Tour de France, including the Etape stage you rode to the Tourmalet. We shall spend 6 nights outside the town of Argeles Gazost at the Hotel Pierre d´Agos, which is excellently located for both accessing the Etape and the Pyrenean stages of the Tour de France.
There will also be the option to join this tour at Toulouse airport with the COACH PACKAGE FLYING OPTION.

FIND OUT MORE: RIDE L'ETAPE - WATCH LE TOUR >>

SELF DRIVE PACKAGE
This package is aimed at those people who have a limited amount of time to spend at the Etape du Tour and prefer to drive to the event. On Friday 16th July, after going to registration in Pau leave your car with a change of clothes at the official car park at the finish village in La Mongie and join our transport to hotels we have located between Tarbes & Pau, where you will spend 3 nights on Dinner Bed & Breakfast. After the finish take your car from the finish village car park and return to the hotel.

FIND OUT MORE: THE SELF DRIVE PACKAGE >>

BIKE TRANSFER SERVICE
Following the success of our bike transfer service in 2009 we will be offering the service again for the 2010 Etape du Tour.
Whether you are flying, driving or taking the train this service is one of the only ways to guarantee that your bike will arrive safely in France ready for you to do the Etape.
We will collect your bike in the UK at one of the drop off points listed below and transport it to our secure bike store in Pau, France.

FIND OUT MORE: THE BIKE TRANSFER SERVICE >>

JOIN THE NATIONAL AUTISTIC SOCIETY CYCLING TEAM
For the first time ever, The National Autistic Society (NAS) has charity places in L’Etape du Tour. Join our team and help us make a positive difference for 2 million people in the UK touched by autism.
We are hoping to have a team of 20 cyclists in this years Etape, who will recieve discounts on cycling kit, fundraising and training support and an NAS t-shirt.

FIND OUT MORE: JOIN THE NATIONAL AUTISTIC SOCIETY CYCLING TEAM >>

MS SOCIETY AT THE ETAPE

Join the MS Society L’Etape du Tour team and help beat multiple sclerosis.
Do you want to join 9000 riders on a stage of the 2010 Tour de France? The MS Society has lots of guaranteed places!
Sign up to help us improve the lives of people with MS and promote and fund MS research. You will receive full fundraising support and your very own MS Society t-shirt.

FIND OUT MORE: THE MS SOCIETY AT THE ETAPE >>

Each participant to Etape du Tour will require a medical certificate from their doctor saying they are fit to take part in a cycling competition. These forms are immediately upon booking and are forwarded to Paris upon receipt to ensure early start numbers. The quicker they are returned, the better the start position.

WILL YOU BE READY FOR THE ETAPE?
The Etape du Tour is a very physically demanding event and maybe people don’t appreciate the training and preparations that are required to complete the event, and achieve their goal.

If you want to achieve your Etape du Tour goal, have the perfect preparation and avoid being swept up by the broom wagon then you may want to consider our Etape Training support packages. Unfortunately our Skipton Training weekends sold out in a few days, when launched in October. However, we will be arranging further weekend rides, seminar meetings and support events throughout the period from booking to the ride. Watch the website for further details.

Home

Site designed by Dave Lawrance