The stage route starts from the city of Montelimar, on the Rhone valley and features four smaller climbs (3^rd & 2^nd category climbs (Côte de Citelle 19km, Col d'Eye 70km, the Col de Fontaube 92km, and the Col de Notre-Dame des Abeilles 126km) before a long descent to Bedoin and the 21.5km climb to Mont Ventoux.

The main climbs:

19km Côte de Citelle 5.2km at 3.9% (3^rd Category)
70km Col d'Eye 6.3km at 5% (2^nd Category)
92km Col de Fontaube 4.7km at 4.3% (3^rd Category)
126km Col de Notre-Dame des Abeilles 7.8km at 4% (2nd Category)
172km Mont Vebntoux 21.2km at 7.6%

The start in Montelimar is only 70km from the base of Mont Ventoux and therefore makes it possible to offer fixed centre location packages.

OFFICIAL AGENTS...

We have been appointed by A.S.O. (Etape du Tour organisation) as an official agent for taking entries for the following countries:

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

We have been allocated 1,000 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 15 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 both the start and finish towns, 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 2009 Etape du Tour:

PREPARATION PACKAGE (5 Nights Fixed Centre in Nyons)
This package is aimed at those people who want to arrive a few days before the Etape du Tour, and have more time to either chill out and get ready for the event or check out some of the Etape stage route prior to the event.

You will spend 5 nights in the town of Nyons at the 3* Hotel Colombet. The hotel is located on the stage route and offers easy access to Mont Ventoux and the other climbs for pre event inspection, as well as being only 45mins from the start in Montelimar.

FIND OUT MORE: THE PREPARATION PACKAGE >>

LOCATION PACKAGE (2 Nights Montelimar, 1 night Vaison La Romaine / Carpentras)
Location, Location, Location… is one of the most important factors in having a successful Etape du Tour, and this package has the convenience of spending 2 nights prior to the Etape at a 2* or 3* hotel in the start town of Montelimar (within 15km), which means you can ride to the start of the event. After the finish you will spend 1 night in Vaison La Romaine, which is a short ride of 9km from Malaucene (base of Mont Ventoux).

FIND OUT MORE: THE LOCATION PACKAGE >>

AVAILABILITY:
Limited Availability

MONTELIMAR & AVIGNON PACKAGE (2 Nights Montelimar, 1 night Avignon)
This tour spends 2 nights prior to the Etape du Tour in the start town of Montelimar, which means you will be able to ride to the start from the hotel. After the Etape you will spend 1 night in Avignon (approx 40mins from the finish village in Mont Serein). There are only Budget hotels available, but these work out a good deal and allow you to have a single room at a reasonable price.

FIND OUT MORE: THE MONTELIMAR & AVIGNON PACKAGE >>

AVAILABILITY:
Limited Availability

BOLLENE FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE 3 NIGHTS (3* 2* & Budget hotels)
This is a fixed centre trip, where you will spend 3 nights in the area of Bollene / Orange at either a 2* Hotel or a Budget Hotel. The towns of Bollene and Orange are approx 30min to 45mins from both the start in Montelimar and the base of Mont Ventoux. The advantage of a fixed centre tour will mean no checking out of the hotel on the morning of the Etape as we return to the same hotel after the finish.

FIND OUT MORE: THE BOLLENE FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE >>

AVAILABILITY:
3* HOTEL - 1 DOUBLE/SINGLE ROOM AVAILABLE, 2* & BUDGET - PLACES STILL AVAILABLE

AVIGNON FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE 3 NIGHTS (4* 3* & 2* hotels)
This is a fixed centre trip, where you will spend 3 nights in Avignon at either a 4* 3* or 2* Hotel. Avignon is approx 1hr to the start in Montelimar and 30mins from the base of Mont Ventoux. The advantage of a fixed centre tour will mean no checking out of the hotel on the morning of the Etape as we return to the same hotel after the finish.

FIND OUT MORE: THE AVIGNON FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE >>

AVAILABILITY:
2* Hotel - Fully booked
3* - Limited places available
4* - 1 male to share a twin room

GRIGNAN FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE (3* & 4* Deluxe)
This is a fixed centre trip, where you will spend 3 nights in the area of Grignan at either a 3* Hotel, or at a 4* Deluxe Hotel. The town of Grignan is approx 25mins from the start in Montelimar and 45mins from the Malaucene (base of Mont Ventoux). The advantage of a fixed centre tour will mean no checking out of the hotel on the morning of the Etape as we return to the same hotel after the finish.

FIND OUT MORE: THE GRIGNAN FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE >>

AVAILABILITY:
SORRY, THE GRIGNAN FIXED CENTRE PACKAGE IS FULLY BOOKED

SELF DRIVE PACKAGE (4*, 3*, 2* Budget Hotels)
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. Leave your car with a change of clothes at the official car park at the finish village in Mont Serein on Saturday 18^th July and join our transport to either Bollene, Orange or Avignon, where you will spend 3 nights on Dinner Bed & Breakfast. You will have the choice of 2* or Budget hotel. After the finish take your car from the finish village car park and return to the hotel.

FIND OUT MORE: SELF DRIVE PACKAGE >>

On this tour you will be able to ride L’Etape du Tour and see 2 stages of the Tour de France including the stage you rode to Mont Ventoux. Apart from riding the Etape and seeing the Tour de France. there will be plenty of opportunities for some great cycling through the Ardeche gorges and the vineyards of the Rhone Valley.

1. COACH OPTION
This package is aimed at those people who prefer to travel from the UK to the Etape du Tour by luxury coach rather than by air and don't want to run the risk of plane damage to their bike or the bike not arriving.

It is a fixed centre tour that will spend 8 nights in the town of Pont Saint Esprit at the 2* Hotel Le Mas de L’Olivier www.mas-olivier.com. The location of Pont Saint Esprit is excellent for accessing both the Etape du Tour and the Tour de France stages (Aubenas & Mont Ventoux).

2. FLY / SELF DRIVE OPTION
This package is aimed at those people who want to fly to the south of France or make their own way there by car.

It is a fixed centre tour that will spend 9 nights on the outskirts of the roman town of Orange at the 2* Hotel Ibis Orange Sud www.ibishotel.com. The hotel has air conditioned rooms, wifi and an outdoor swimming pool. The location of Orange is excellent for accessing both the Etape du Tour and the Tour de France stages (Aubenas & Mont Ventoux).

FIND OUT MORE:

RIDE L'ETAPE WATCH LE TOUR (COACH) >>

RIDE L'ETAPE WATCH LE TOUR (FLY / SELF DRIVE) >>

ACCOMMODATION ONLY PACKAGE
The following packages are aimed at those people who already have an entry to Etape du Tour and require accommodation near to both the start town of Montelimar and close to the finish at Mont Ventoux.

DETAILS TBA

ENTRY ONLY
Entry only places are available at £140 when booking at least one week on the Graham Baxter Training Camps.

Sorry, all entry only places have sold out, including entry only places attached to our Etape du Tour Skipton training weekends.

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 Weekends in the Yorkshire Dales or our Etape du Tour route reconnaissance weekends in the Pyrenees. (Details TBA)
These training weekends will ensure that you fully understand what is required to ride the Etape du Tour
Our panel of experts will organise Etape du Tour training rides, hold route analysis seminars, as well as give coaching advice on training and preparations for the event.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR ETAPE DU TOUR PACKAGE.

1. Study the different packages / entry only that we are offering and make your choice.

2. Download a booking form and complete it with all the required details including your date of birth, not forgetting to indicate your 2^nd choice of package (Demand is likely to be very high and the most popular packages will sell out in days). Semi completed and unreadable booking forms may delay your booking and cause you to miss your 1^st choice.
Alternatively, we have an on-line booking form available.

3. You also need to complete an official Etape du Tour entry form and return it to ourselves. Click here to download.
This form must be completed in full as indicated in our help document. (click to download).

4. Post, Fax, or Email the completed booking form to ourselves along with a deposit cheque / credit card details equal to 50% of the package price + the Etape du Tour entry fee. Incorrect payment may delay your booking acceptance. The initial deposit is NON REFUNDABLE.

5. Your booking will only be accepted when we have received your booking form and correct payment.

6. After you have submitted your booking form and payment you will receive a “Booking Invoice

7. Confirmation” which will confirm your place on the Etape du Tour and will indicate which trip you have been booked on to (Important!! This maybe your 2^nd choice). It will also indicate when your final 50% payment is due.

8. The final 50% payment will be due no later than 8 weeks prior to the departure date of your tour. If your payment is not received by our office by this date, your booking will be automatically cancelled.

9. 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. We will require this medical certificate before 10^th January, and failure to do so will result on your entry being automatically cancelled.

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