TOUR DE FRANCE 2010 ALL PYRENEES STAGES- AX 3 DOMAINES, PORT DE BALES, COL D´AUBISQUE, COL DU TOURMALET With or Without Bikes Saturday 17th to Friday 23rd July 2010

On this tour you will see all the Pyrenean high mountain stages of the 2010 Tour de France, which includes the summit finish at Ax 3 Domaines, climb of Port de Bales and Col d´Aubisque and the spectacular summit finish on top of the Col du Tourmalet.

For those bringing bikes you will be able to ride the famous climbs the feature on the 2010 Route du Tour such as the climbs of Ax 3 Domaines, Port de Bales, Col du Tourmalet, Col d´Aubisque…..

This tour has been designed with the minimum amount of hotel changes. We shall spend 2 nights in the beautiful city of Toulouse followed by 4 nights in Lourdes.

You can arrange your own flight to Toulouse airport, where our reps will meet you and we´ll provide transport into the city of Toulouse and our 3* hotel.

From the UK there are numerous budget airlines that fly into Toulouse airport (book early to take advantage of cheap flights). The following airlines fly from the UK into Geneva www.easyjet.com www.flybe.com www.jet2.com

Also British Airways, Air France, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, Brussels airlines operate flights to Toulouse.

Saturday 17th July:
Arrange your own flight into Toulouse airport, where we shall meet you and take you in to the city of Toulouse, where we shall spend the next 2 nights on B&B basis at a 3* Hotel in the city. This will give you plenty of opportunity to sample the restaurants and night life of Toulouse. Apart from being a beautiful city, Toulouse offers good access to the first 2 Pyrenean mountain stages of the 2010 Tour de France.

Sunday 18th July:
The 2010 Tour de France finally arrives in the Pyrenees and today is the 1st of 4 fantastic mountain stages, a 184km stage from Revel to Ax 3 Domaines, that features the 2000mts Port de Pailheres just before the final assent to the ski station of Ax 3 Domaines (summit finish).

Our location in Toulouse offers excellent access to the stage, and after an early breakfast we shall leave the city and head to the Pyrenees and the climb to Ax 3 Domaines. Those with bikes will be dropped off in either Foix or Tarascon and will be able to ride to the stage, whilst those without bikes will be taken to the town of Ax les Thermes from where they will be able to walk on to the final climb of the stage to Ax 3 Domaines.

After seeing the stage we shall rejoin the bus in Ax les Thermes and return to Toulouse, where the evening is at your leisure.

Monday 19th July:
The second Pyrenean stage is a classic 3 mountain traverse of the Pyrenees from Pamiers to Luchon over 187km and featuring the Portet d’Aspet and the Casartelli memorial, Col des Ares, and the vicious Port de Bales (1st used in 2007) before a hair raising descent to the finish in Luchon. The Port de Bales was first used in the Tour de France in 2007, and is an extremely difficult climb (20km @ 6.2 average) on a small road with parts of the climb at 14%!!

We have decided to see the stage on the Port de Bales as we can access it easy from Toulouse and exit quickly after the stage, as we are moving on to Lourdes today.

Those with bikes will be dropped off south of Toulouse and will be able to ride to the Port de Bales, whilst those without bikes will be taken to the foot of the climb by the bus.

After seeing the stage on the Port de Bales we shall regroup and travel to the town of Lourdes where we shall spend the next 4 nights on Dinner B&B at a 3* Hotel.

Tuesday 20th July:
The third Pyrenean stage is an absolute classic…featuring 4 of the best know climbs in the Pyrenees (Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet & Aubisque) over a 196km stage that joins Luchon with Pau.

Our location in Lourdes is excellent for accessing the stage and offers those with bikes the possibility to ride from the hotel to either the climbs of Aspin, Tourmalet or Aubisque. Those without bikes will be taken to either the base of the Col du Tourmalet or Col d´Aubsique from where they will be able to walk on to the climb.

After seeing the stage we shall return to the hotel in Lourdes.

Wednesday 21st July:
After three vicious stages in the Pyrenees the riders of the Tour de France spend their 2nd rest day in the town of Pau.

This gives those with bikes the opportunity to ride the famous Pyrenees climbs of Aspin, Tourmalet, Aubisque, Luz Ardiden, Hautacam, whilst those without bikes will be able to spend the day at leisure in Lourdes.

Thursday 22nd July:
The Col du Tourmalet first appeared in the Tour de France in 1910 (100 years ago) and to honor this giant of the Pyrenees the final stage of the 2010 Tour de France will finish at the summit of this famous mountain. It will be the 2nd time the 2010 Tour de France climbs the Col Tourmalet, and today it will be the west face from Luz St Sauveur. The stage will leave from Pau and prior to arriving at the Col du Tourmalet the riders will have to face two other famous mountains in the Pyrenees, the Col du Mairie Blanque and the Col du Soulor. Once again another classic stage………..and a fantastic way to finish the high mountains of the 2010 Tour de France

Our location in Lourdes is excellent for accessing the stage and those with bikes will be able to ride to the Col du Tourmalet whilst those without bikes will be taken to the foot of the climb from where they will be able to walk on to the lower slopes.

After seeing the stage we shall return to Lourdes.

Friday 23rd July:
After 4 incredible mountain stages in the Pyrenees, its time to say “Au Revoir to Le Tour de France”. After breakfast we shall leave Bagneres de Bigorre (approx 07.30hrs) and return to Toulouse airport for your flight. Approx arrival at Toulouse airport will be 10.00hrs.

If you want to continue following Le Tour and see the final 3 stages (Bordeaux, Time Trial & Paris Finale), we can drop you in Bordeaux today where you´ll see the stage finish, spend 2 nights in the city of Bordeaux, see tomorrows Time Trial and take our privately chartered TGV fast train to Paris on Sunday morning in time to see the Grand Finale on the Champs Elysees. Please see supplements below.

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