This package is aimed at those people who want to make a holiday out of the Etape du Tour and who prefer to travel from the UK to the French Pyrenees 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 the Etape du Tour we shall see a number of stages of the Tour de France. For the Etape we shall spend 3 nights at a 3* Hotel in Lourdes, and after 3 nights in Poitiers for accessing the Cholet Time Trial, Cholet to Chateauroux stage and Aigurande stage start.
There will also be the option to join this tour in Paris at the Mercure hotel.

There will be 40 places available for this package.

Thursday 3^rd July:
Our touring coaches equipped with box trailer for the safe storage of bikes in bike bags will make collections at Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Stoke, Birmingham, Northampton, Luton, London and service stations on the motorways networks used (A1M, M1, M62, M6, M1, M20). We shall arrive at Dover in time for the 15.15hrs sailing to Calais, and travel to Paris where accommodation has been reserved at the 3* Hotel Mercure Paris Porte de Versailles EXPO.

Friday 4th July:
We shall continue our journey to the Pyrenees and the city of Lourdes, where we shall spend 3 nights on Half Board basis (Dinner B&B) at a 3* Hotel. Our location in Lourdes is excellent for accessing the Etape du Tour

Saturday 5th July:
Free day for making any last minute preparations before the event. In the morning you will be able to have a short ride and in the afternoon we shall join the coach and travel to Pau and the start village to collect your race number etc etc.

Sunday 6th July:
This is it, the day of your dreams, your chance to ride a mountain stage of the 2008 Tour de France, 8500 participants, closed roads, feeding stations and Mavic assistance, just like the real thing……Start time is anticipated to be 07.30hrs, so after an early breakfast you will be taken from Lourdes the short distance to Pau for the start.
Our reps will be waiting for you at the Hautacam finish from where you will be able to ride the short distance back to the hotel in Lourdes (7miles). No need to wait for the coach.

Monday 7^th July:
After breakfast we shall leave the Pyrenees and travel to the town of Poitiers where we shall spend 2 nights on Half Board basis (Dinner B&B) at a quality 3* Hotel with swimming pool. Our location in Poitiers offers excellent access to watch 3 Tour de France stages.

Tuesday 8^th July:
From Poitiers we shall travel to Cholet where you will be able to see the all important 1^st Time Trial of the 2008 Tour de France. You will be able to ride part of the way to Cholet.

As an Official Tour Operator to the Tour de France we can offer you an exclusive package where you spend the morning at the riders start village in Cholet, after which you will follow a rider over the whole time trial course in an official Tour de France car and when you get to the finish you can take your place in the exclusive Izoard hospitality bus 100mts from the line where you will see the rest of the riders finish the time trial. Places are limited. Please see supplement price below.

Wednesday 9^th July:
Today’s stage will pass close by to Poitiers so we will be able to ride from the hotel to see the stage en-route to Chateauroux at possibly the feed station or intermediate sprint.

Thursday 10^th July:
After breakfast we shall travel to Aigurande where you will be able to see the stage start. After seeing the start we shall rejoin the coach and travel to Paris, where we shall spend 1 night on B&B basis at the 3* Hotel Mercure Paris Porte de Versailles EXPO.

Friday 11^th 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 pick ups.

Order a full Graham Baxter Sporting Tours cycling kit (short sleeved jersey, bib shorts, socks and cap) for only £70 (list price £85) when purchased with your holiday booking. See clothing page for clothing details and sizes. Clothing order must be paid in full and sent with holiday booking. The offer does not apply if ordered separately from holiday booking.

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