ACT 1 - RIDE L´ETAPE – WATCH LE TOUR: Thursday 5th to Sunday 15th July (COACH PACKAGE WITH FLY OPTION)

This 11 day Etape and Tour de France travel package is aimed at those people who prefer to travel from the UK to the French Alps by luxury coach rather than by air and don’t want to run the risk of plane damage to their bikes or the bike not arriving.

After riding Act 1 of the 2012 L'Etape du Tour, we shall stay on in the Alps and watch 3 fantastic stages of the 2012 Tour de France, including the stage you rode from Albertville to La Toussuire during the Etape.

We shall spend 8 nights in the spa town of Aix les Bains at the 3* Hotel Mercure Aquaviva, which is excellently located for both accessing the Etape and the Alpine stages of the Tour de France.

There will also be the option to join this tour at Geneva airport with the COACH PACKAGE FLYING OPTION.

Thursday 5th July:
Our touring coaches equipped with box trailer for the safe storage of bikes in bike bags will make collections at:

• Leeds Queens Hotel (City Square)
• Manchester Victoria Train Station
• Knutsford Services (M6 Southbound)
• Keele Services (M6)
• Norton Canes (M6 Toll)
• Birmingham International Train Station (N.E.C.)
• Watford Gap Services (M1 Southbound)
• Junction 14 (M1 Coach Way)
• London (Hesperia Victoria Hotel, Bridge Place Near Victoria Train Station)
• Dover Eastern Docks (Ferry Terminal)

We can collect at other service stations along the above route (Please contact for more details).

We shall arrive at Dover and sail to Calais, and travel to Paris where accommodation has been reserved at the 3* Hotel Mercure Paris Porte de Versailles EXPO.

ALTERNATIVELY, YOU CAN MEET US AT OUR HOTEL IN PARIS IF YOU ARE FLYING INTO ONE OF THE PARIS AIRPORTS OR IN FRANCE FOR A LONGER VISIT.

Friday 6th July:
We shall continue our journey to the French Alps and the spa town of Aix les Bains where you will be based for the next 8 nights at the 3* Hotel Mercure Aquaviva on Dinner B&B basis.

COACH PACKAGE WITH FLYING OPTION - We will collect clients at Geneva airport at 16.00hrs.

Saturday 7th July:
Free day for making any last minute preparations before the event. In the morning you will be able to ride to Albertville or we will take you by coach and visit the Etape du Tour start village where you will sign on and collect the race number.

PLEASE NOTE, AT ETAPE REGISTRATION, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT A DOCTOR'S NOTE STATING THERE ARE NO KNOWN MEDICAL REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT COMPETE. PLEASE VISIT OUR MEDICAL CERTIFICATION PAGE (HERE) FOR MORE INFORMATION. THIS IS LEGAL REQUIREMENT AND FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL MEAN YOU NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE ETAPE.

Sunday 8th July: The Etape du Tour – Albertville to La Toussuire, 140km
This is it, the day of your dreams, your chance to a classic Alpine mountain stage of the 2012 Tour de France, 1000 participants, closed roads, feeding stations and Mavic assistance, just like the real thing……Start time is anticipated to be 07.00hrs, so after an early breakfast you will be taken to the start in Albertville. Our reps will be waiting for you at the finish in La Toussuire to meet you. After the event has finished (19.00hrs) we shall leave return to our base in Aix les Bains.

Monday 9th July: After breakfast you will have the day to relax in Aix les Bains, or go for a steady bike ride.

Tuesday 10th July:
As the Tour de France riders spend their 1st Rest Day in the city of Macon, this will give us the opportunity to spend the day riding some of the Alpine climbs that are near by, e.g. Mont Revard and Col du Granier.

Wednesday 11th July:
Today the Tour de France enters the Alps with a 194km stage from Macon to Bellegarde sur Valserine, which takes in the very difficult climbs of the Col du Grand Colombier and the Col de Richemond. Our location in Aix les Bains enables easy access to the stage. After breakfast we shall travel to see the Tour de France, and those with bikes will be able to ride to the Col du Grand Colombier from the hotel in Aix les Bains (25km). Those without bikes will be taken to the town of Culoz (foot of Col du Grand Colombier) from whre they will be able to walk onto the climb. After seeing the stage we shall return to our base in Aix les Bains.

Thursday 12th July:
You rode the Etape Act 1 stage 4 days ago. Now you can see the Tour de France riders tackle the very same stage, the hardest Alpine stage of the 2012 Tour de France. Our location in Aix les Bains is ideal for accessing the stage and those with bikes will be able to ride to either the Col de la Croix de Fer or the climb to La Toussuire. For those without bikes or those that don’t want to ride from the hotel, the bus will travel to the town of St Jean de Maurienne from where you will be able to ride or walk onto the final climb to La Toussuire. After seeing the stage we shall return to the hotel in Aix les Bains.

Friday 13th July:
The Tour de France exits the Alps with a stage that takes in 2 high mountains (Col de Grand Cucheron & Col du Granier). Our location in Aix les Bains is excellent for accessing the stage and the Col du Granier.
After breakfast we shall travel the short distance from Aix les Bains to the Col du Granier to see the stage, those with bikes will be able to ride, those without will be taken by the bus. After seeing the stage we shall return to the hotel in Aix les Bains.

Saturday 14th July:
After breakfast we shall leave Aix les Bains and travel to Paris, where we shall spend 1 night on B&B basis at the 3* Hotel Mercure Porte de Versailles EXPO. Those flying will be dropped at Geneva for approx 11.00hrs.

Sunday 15th July:
We shall leave Paris and travel to Calais for the 13.30hrs sailing to Dover, making drop offs at the same locations as the collection points.

Those leaving us in Paris can do so today.

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