I wasn’t intending to go to the Tour this year. I did book a hotel at Lisieux when the route was first announced but cancelled it a couple of months ago when the reality of a 2 hour ferry crossing, a 3 hour drive and all the associated costs, petrol, tolls etc., not to mention the hotel booking itself, could not be justified just to see one stage finish and nothing more.
Now, as the teams are announced and Tour fever starts to take hold I am starting to look at alternative plans. I have a hunch that Team Sky could do rather well this year and if they do and I’m not there to witness and celebrate with like minded fans I am liable to a major sulk that will last until at least the Tour of Britain.
So, how do I get to Paris on the 24th of July, at minimal cost and inconvenience?
The obvious choice is the Eurostar – Too late! All early morning trains are fully booked and in any case it’s far too expensive. How can they justify over £200 return?
Flying? Possible – but then there’s the drive to whatever the departure airport is in the UK, then getting from Charles de Gaul into Paris and the same problems upon return.
Drive to Paris? – I’d rather not…
So… The probable plan at the moment is a very early morning ferry (03:20 @ £10), an hours drive to Arras (petrol + toll charges at €14), TGV to Paris (an hours journey at £31 return) and metro from the Gare du Nord to the Champs-Elysees. All-in-all the whole day should cost around £100 (plus food and souvenirs) which is not too bad if it allows me to stand at the ‘Sky Corner’ by the Arc de Triomphe and congratulate the boy’s in blue, sorry green, at the end of an arduous, and hopefully successful Tour.
If, and at the moment it remains a big ‘if’ that is getting more and more probable by the hour, I decide to do the above I will have three spare seats and I would be quite happy to accommodate any like minded individual that can get themselves to Dover and don’t mind sharing the journey to Paris with an overweight cycling fanatic – contact me if you are interested…
In the meantime, what are your plans for the Tour? It would be interesting to hear what other Sky fans are doing, compare itineraries and if you are going to Paris where do you intend to watch the race. Actually, thinking about it and picturing the final stage in my mind, that ‘if’’ is almost certainly becoming a plan…
Blog update - Well that didn’t take long! Five hours after posting this blog the temptation became too much and the proposed trip to the Champs-Elysees is no longer an ‘If’ but very much ‘on’… Train tickets purchased, ferry ticket reserved, Neil C’s off to the Tour – Bring it on!
we are 6 tour fanatics flying from iom to gatwick.overnight in london.fly to lyon 18th july, then taxi up to alpe d’huez. 19th taxi down from huez to gap to watch the finish (if we can get anywhere near)-any offers of a pass into a seated area from any team but especially htc or sky gratefully received. Plse. Overnight in gap so we can watch teams preping bikes, catch glimpses of riders etc. Watch the signing on,start next morning, taxi back up to huez,watch rest of tour on tv in resort while sampling fine wines, try get a good spot to watch climb up huez stage, try catch the boy cav to congratulate him, watch tt on tv, watch finish on tv, sadly leave huez resort on monday 25th, return to lyon,return to gatwick,fly back to isle of man with massive grins on our faces,lots of tour merchandise,tons of photos,hopefully some autographs,and totally skint. But we love chearing on the sky boys and our local boy cav-its the best feelin when we get a wave back.
Cheers Debs – That sounds a full-on itinerary. Have a great trip.
I am actually going on holiday that day or I would have definately joined you. I’m going to go next year but have to say my hubby not too happy about the prospect of me going off to France on my own….still I did manage to get him drunk one night and he promised a two week holiday in Italy when the Giro is on – lol…should have got it in writing…have a great time cheering the guys on:)
Cancel the holiday Bev – You know it makes sense..! Have a great time and next year don’t book a holiday during the first three weeks of July!
lol – hubby booked this years but has promised not to book anything next year, I shall still be glued to any TV I can find !
We’ll be driving down from Brussels to the inlaws outside Paris on 22 July then getting the train into Paris on 23 July around midday. We’re hoping to set up near the Arc de Triomphe early on 24 July. Let me know if anyone is planning on meeting up for a few drinks on the Saturday etc.