TOUR DE FRANCE 2013 MONT VENTOUX, THE ALPS & PARIS FINALE CYCLING HOLIDAY - COACH 1 Thursday 11th to Monday 22nd July 2013 With or Without Bikes

On this tour you will follow the final week of the 2013 Tour de France Mont Ventoux, through the Alps and onto the finish in Paris.

For those bringing bikes you will be able to ride the famous climbs that feature on the 2013 Route du Tour, including, L’Alpe d’Huez, Col de Sarenne, Col du Glandon, Col de la Croix Fry, and Col de Semnoz.

Apart from riding the climbs that feature on the 2013 TDF route, you will also have the opportunity to ride the famous Col du Galibier, Col du Lautert, and Col de L’Izoard.

Following the Tour de France for 2 weeks can be tiring, therefore this tour has been designed with the minimum amount of hotel changes. Apart from the first & last night at our transfer hotel in Paris we shall spend 3 nights in Avignon, 4 nights in Serre Chevalier, and 2 nights in Talloires (Lake Annecy).

Thursday 11th July:
We shall collect clients from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at 09.00hrs, 12.00hrs, 15.00hrs & 18.00hrs for transport to our Paris transfer hotel (4* Novotel), where we shall spend the night on B&B basis. Please indicate on your booking form your required collection time.

We have arranged for you to keep your bike box / bag at the hotel for the duration of the tour as the bikes will travel full assembled in a special bike trailer.

Friday 12th July:
After breakfast you will be able to load your bike onto the special bike trailer. We shall leave Paris and travel to the region of Provence, and the beautiful city of Avignon, where we shall spend the next 3 nights on Dinner, Bed & Breakfast basis at the excellent 3* Hotel Best Western Lavarin. Apart from being in a beautiful location our Avignon base offers excellent access to the Mont Ventoux stage.

Saturday 13th July:
Avignon is such a beautiful place we thought we’d have an extra day here to enjoy the town, as it also celebrates its annual Jazz festival. For those with bikes we shall take the chance to ride Mont Ventoux the day before the Tour de France (free of the race day congestions). After breakfast the day is yours for riding, sightseeing etc etc.

Sunday 14th July:
Today is Bastille Day (France National Day) and what better way to celebrate than with a classic mountain top finish to the mythical Mont Ventoux. This will be the longest stage of the 2013 Tour de France, at 242km, starting from Givors, just to the south of Lyon and will follow the Rhone Valley all the way to the Provence region of Vaucluse, and the small town of Bedoin, from where they will tackle one of the hardest climbs on the 2013 Tour de France, the 21km Mont Ventoux…

Our location in Avignon is excelllent for accessing the stage, and those with bikes will be able to ride from the hotel to Mont Ventoux to see the stage, whilst those without bikes will be taken to the town of Bedoin at the bottom of the climb, from where they will be able to walk onto the lower slopes. Those riders that don’t want to ride from the hotel can travel to Bedoin on the bus and ride the mountain of Mont Ventoux.

After seeing the stage we shall rejoin the bus in Bedoin and return to our base in Avignon.

We have been informed by the Hotel Lavarin, that there will be TDF teams staying with us tonight. The last time the TDF finished on Mont Ventoux we shared the hotel with Saxo Bank and the Schleck brothers…

Monday 15th July:
As the riders of the Tour de France spend there 2nd rest day in the city of Avignon, we shall make our journey into the Alps and the beautiful ski town of Serre Chevalier, where we shall spend the next 4 nights on Dinner Bed & Breakfast at the excellent 3* Hotel Plein Sud.

Serre Chevalier is an excellent base for the next 4 Alpine mountain stages of the Tour de France, and offers some fantastic riding as the climbs of Galibier, Lauteret & Izoard are all within easy reach.

After checking in, those with bikes may want to go for a ride and try the Galibier or Izoard, whilst those without bikes will have time to visit this beautiful ski town.

Tuesday 16th July:
After a rest day in the region of Provence, the Tour de France riders head for the Alps and a final week of very mountainous stages. Today the riders leave from Vaison la Romaine on a 168km medium mountain stage to Gap, which will have some climbs towards the end of the stage.

After breakfast we shall travel from Serre Chevalier to Gap to see the stage finish. Those with bikes will be able to ride there, its 100km and mostly downhill, whilst those without bikes will be taken there on the bus.

Alternatively, those that don’t want to ride the 100km to Gap can travel part way on the bus and ride the rest.

After seeing the stage, we shall all regroup at the bus, reload the bikes and return to our base in Serre Chevalier.

Wednesday 17th July:
The 2nd Individual Time Trial will be a 32km hilly & technical time trial between Embrun and Chorges above the beautiful Lac Serre Poncon. This stage will be a real test for those riders with eyes on a top position in Paris, and will be a fantastic stage to watch.

After breakfast we shall travel from Serre Chevalier to Embrun, where the time trial starts. Those with bikes will be able to ride there, its 55km and mostly downhill, whilst those without bikes will be taken there on the bus.

Alternatively, those with bikes might want to ride there via the Col d’Izoard, which will be a ride of 77km…

After seeing the stage, we shall all regroup at the bus, reload the bikes and return to our base in Serre Chevalier.

Thursday 18th July:
The long awaited stage to the famous L’Alpe d’Huez and its 21 hair pined bends finally arrives, but this stage is different to any other past editions, as this year the mountain will be climbed twice!!, giving us the opportunity to see two fantastic assents of this iconic climb.

After an early breakfast, those with bikes will be able to ride from Serre Chevalier to L’Alpe d’Huez to see the stage. This ride is approx. 75km and includes the climb of Col du Lauteret and L’Alpe d’Huez. Those that don’t want to ride from Serre Chevalier, can travel on the bus to either the top of the Col du Lauteret and descend to the base of L’Alpe d’Huez and climb this iconic mountain of 21 hair pinned bends.

For those without bikes, we can’t guarantee that the bus will get to the base of the climb to L’Alpe d’Huez. We shall be offering a helicopter shuttle from Serre Chevalier to the ski station of L’Alpe d’Huez. This would be a fantastic way to travel to L’Alpe d’Huez, flying over the high Alps and the Col du Lauteret and Galibier, landing only a few hundred meters from the stage finish at L’Alpe d’Huez. Please see the supplement below

After seeing the stage, the cyclists will regroup at the bus at the base of L’Alpe d’Huez and retuen to Serre Chevalier, whilst those that have taken the helicopter package will be flown back to Serre Chevalier.

Friday 19th July:
As the riders of the Tour de France enter the final weekend of the race, they face a massive “5 Cols” mountain stage across the Alps from Bourg d’Oisans to the ski town of Le Grand Bornand. This is a 204km stage that takes in the Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine, Col de Tamie, Col de l’Epine and finally the very steep Col de la Croix Fry before finishing at Le Grand Bornand. This will be a very tough stage…..

After an early breakfast we shall leave our base in Serre Chevalier and travel to the stage. At the moment our intention is to travel to see the stage on the final climb of the stage, the Col de la Croix Fry that comes 13km from the finish, but we may decide to see the stage on the penultimate climb of the stage the Col d’Epine which allows us easier access to the stage and for getting to our hotel at Lake Annecy after the stage.

After seeing the stage, we shall spend the next 2 nights at the beautiful Lake Annecy and the quaint village of Talloires at the 3* Hotel Beau Site on Dinner, Bed & Breakfast basis. Apart from a beautiful setting, our location in Talloires is excellent for accessing tomorrow’s final mountain stage from Annecy to the Col du Semnoz.

Saturday 20th July:
The penultimate stage of the Tour de France is usually a Time Trial. For the 100th edition, the TDF organizers are breaking with tradition and today’s stage will be a mountain stage that starts in the picturesque town of Annecy and finishes on top of the Col du Semnoz, a very hard mountain of 1700mts mountain that towers above the town of Annecy and Lake Annecy.

Our location in Talloires (Lake Annecy) is ideal for accessing the stage. Those will bikes will be able to ride to Annecy and see the stage start before climbing the Col du Semnoz to see the finish of this crucial mountain stage, and the winner of the 100th Tour de France.

Those without bikes will be taken by the bus to Annecy for the stage start, after which they will be able to see the finish on the lower slopes of the Semnoz mountain.

After seeing the stage we shall return to our hotel in Talloires, Lake Annecy.

Sunday 21st July:
The final stage of the 100th Tour de France will start from the Chateau of Versailles, and with another break in tradition, it will start in the evening arriving at the Champs Elysees for a nighttime finish and a fireworks celebration to commemorate 100 editions of the most famous bike race in the world.

After an early breakfast we shall leave Lake Annecy and travel to our Paris transfer hotel (4* Novotel), for the final stage and post race firework celebrations. Since todays stage will not start until the evening we have time to travel to Paris, check in to the hotel and get to the Champs Elysees.

We can offer a variety of grandstand seats and hospitality packages on the Champs Elysees (see below for supplement prices). For further information on these package, please contact our office.

Monday 22nd July:
After breakfast we shall leave Paris. We shall offer transfers from the hotel to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at the following times 07.30hrs, 11.00hrs & 14.00hrs.

COST: £2049 INCLUDES: 11 Nights Bed & Buffet Breakfast accommodation in 3* Hotels based on twin room share 9 Evening meals Air conditioned coach transportation throughout Coach transfers to and from Paris hotel and Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at specific times Special bike trailer for the safe keeping & transport of your bike Guided bike rides Coloured maps with Tour de France route marked Detailed suggested bike rides Detailed itinerary Services of our guides DOES NOT INCLUDE: Drinks with meals Hotel extras (telephone, drinks, laundry) EXTRA SUPPLEMENTS: SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT: £ 859 EXTRA NIGHTS IN PARIS: £ 90 in shared room, £ 170 in single room CHAMPS ELYSEES GRAND PALAIS GRANDSTAND (Grandstand seat & soft drinks): £ T.B.A CHAMPS ELYSEES TRIOMPHE PACKAGE (Grandstand seat + Cocktail buffet & drinks): £ T.B.A CHAMPS ELYSEES RIVE GAUCHE PACKAGE (Grandstand facing finish line + Hospitality lunch): £ T.B.A Twin to share: If you would like to join us as a single traveller but you want to avoid the single supplement then you can make use of our 'twin to share' option. We will pair you up with another rider (of the same sex) and you can enjoy the event without having to pay extra. Simply click on the green button and select the twin to share option.

HOW TO BOOK: Click on the green button below. Adults 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 At time of booking we require a non-refundable deposit per person plus any applicable entry fee. The balance of your travel package must be paid, at the latest, 12 weeks before departure to avoid the cancellation of your trip. IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Visas are not required to enter France. You need a passport or a National Identity Card (see the website of the Identity and Passport Service (IPS)) to enter France. As a British passport holder or National Identity Card holder you may stay as a visitor for three months. For links to important websites, click here. All other non-UK passport holders must check their own country's entry requirements for France. For details of insurance for our travel packages, please visit our insurance page. There is additional information about our other Concierge Services on our special web page.

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