ETAPE DU TOUR 2010 TARBES FIXED CENTRE – 3 NIGHTS 4 Star Deluxe, 3 Star Quality & 2 Star Standard Hotels – FLY OR SELF DRIVE 16th to 19th July 2010

3 STAR AND 2 STAR HOTELS SOLD OUT

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 and Pau, whilst those choosing the self drive option can leave vehicles at the hotel in Tarbes. (Main public Car Park is 100 metres from all three hotels).

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).

4 Star Hotel B&B: - NO SINGLE ROOMS AVAILABLE
We have reserved accommodation on a Bed & Breakfast basis at the excellent 4 Star Hotel Rex www.lerexhotel.com
The hotel is located in the centre of Tarbes in the Place de Verdun and very close to many restaurants and bars.

3 Star Hotel B&B: - SOLD OUT
We have reserved accommodation on Bed & Breakfast at the 3 Star Hotel Foch. The hotel is located in the centre of Tarbes, also in the Place de Verdun and very close to the many popular restaurants and bars.

2 Star Hotel B&B: - SOLD OUT
We have reserved accommodation on Bed & Breakfast at the 2* Hotel La Croix Blanche www.hotel-lacroixblanche.com
The hotel is located in the centre of Tarbes in the Place de Verdun and, again, very close to many restaurants and bars.

Flights or SELF DRIVE:
You will have the choice of flying to either Pau, Lourdes-Tarbes, and Toulouse from where we shall arrange transport (at specific times) to your hotel in Tarbes.

Those choosing to drive, can make their own way to the hotel and meet the group.

GUARANTEED RETURN BIKE TRANSPORT TO THE ETAPE FROM THE UK:
Those choosing to fly may want to take advantage of our guaranteed bike transport from the UK to the Etape. We shall collect your bike at the collection points indicated below and take it to our secure bike store on the outskirts of Pau, a short distance from the start.

Cost for this service is £80, for the guaranteed safe delivery and return of your bike.
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Thursday 15th July:
Take your bike to one of our designated collection points (see above) for loading and transport to our secure bike store in Pau.

Friday 16th July:
Arrange your own flights to the following airports, PAU, LOURDES-TARBES, and TOULOUSE from where we shall provide regular coach transfers to your hotel in Tarbes.

The following budget airlines operate flights into….

Pau Airport, (Approx 35km to Pau) www.ryanair.com from Stansted & Bristol www.airfrance.com

Lourdes-Tarbes Airport, (Approx 15km to Pau) www.bmibay.com from Manchester www.ryanair.com from Stansted

Biarritz Airport, (Approx 160km to Pau) www.ryanair.com from Stansted & Birmingham www.easyjet.com from Bristol, Gatwick

Toulouse Airport, (Approx 160km to Pau) www.easyjet.com from Bristol, Gatwick www.bmibay.com from Manchester www.ba.com from Heathrow www.jet2.com from Edinburgh & Leeds Bradford (check dates) www.airfrance.com

The airlines will charge to carry your bike. Make sure that you book your bike onto the flight. There will be limited space for bikes on each flight, and airlines will not guarantee that your bike will arrive on your flight, even when booked and paid for. You may want to consider our guaranteed BIKE TRANSPORT.

Flights are going to be in very high demand, so please book early to secure a seat and get the best rates.

On arrival at your chosen airport you will be met by our reps, and there will be regular coach transfers (at specific times) to your hotel in Tarbes, where you will spend 3 nights on Bed and Breakfast basis.

Those choosing the self drive option, can make their own way to the hotel and meet the group.

Saturday 17th July:
Free day for making any last minute preparations before the event. In the morning you will be taken the short distance by coach to our secure bike store, (outskirts of Pau), where your bike will have been delivered by our bike transport lorry. At the bike store you will be able to assemble your bike, and leave your bike box/bag on the lorry.

After assembling your bike, you will be able to have a short ride into Pau and the Etape du Tour start village where you will sign on and collect your event number. After collecting your number you will return to our bike store, leave your bike ready for the morning, and take our coach transport back to your hotel in Tarbes.

For ease of logistics tomorrow morning, we shall leave the bikes in the secure bike store on the outskirts of Pau.

For those driving down to Tarbes, we will arrange transport to the bike store for you and your bike, where the arrangements will come into force.

Sunday 18th July: L'ETAPE DU TOUR - PAU TO COL DU TOURMALET
This is it, the day of your dreams, your chance to ride a mountain stage of the 2010 Tour de France, 9000 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 from Tarbes the short distance (35km) to Pau for the start.

SPORTS TOURS INTERNATIONAL WILL PROVIDE 2 PRIVATE FEED STATIONS ALONG THE ROUTE

At the finish our reps will be waiting to meet you at both the top of the Col du Tourmalet (Finish) as well as the finish village in La Mongie (5km down from the summit).

After you have finished the event, JOIN THE PARTY……..SPORTS TOURS INTERNATIONAL WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A PRIVATE PASTA PARTY WITH DRINKS IN THEIR VERY OWN PRIVATE MARQUEE LOCATED AT OUR COACH RENDEZVOUS POINT. This pasta party will be your evening meal and we expect to leave at approx 10pm for transport back to Pau.

For those that don´t want to join the Sports Tours post race pasta party, drinks and presentations, there will be regular shuttle buses back to Tarbes, where you will be able to take an evening meal at your own expense.

Monday 19th July:
After breakfast we shall offer regular airport transfers PAU, LOURDES-TARBES, AND TOULOUSE.

Tuesday 20th July:
Collection of your bike from our lorry at the same point that it was loaded. Times to be confirmed, but expected to start with London drop off at 07.00hrs.

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