We
will pick you up at the Grenoble train station in the early afternoon and
transfer you to our conveniently located hotel, about an hour drive away.
We are staying in Beaufort, a traditional mountain village in the heart of
the Alps, famous for its cheeses weighing up to 100 lbs!
After putting your bike together, we will go for a late afternoon spin starting
from our hotel to an isolated valley. It is a mostly gentle climb for a gain
of about 500 meters (1,500ft). We should be back at our comfortable hotel
in time for an alpine meal, gathering strength for the days to come!
20 miles,
1500 ft gain
While the race
exits the high Alps through some smaller mountains, we are going to celebrate
Bastille Day with one of the most mythical climbs of the history of the
Tour: the Mont Ventoux. This mountain is known as the " Giant of Provence
", a lonely 6,500 feet peak with sea level plains at its feet. The
last eight kilometers are ridden in an almost lunar rocky landscape, with
breathtaking views of Provence below you.
Our hotel is perfectly located for a loop from it, allowing us to take both
roads to the summit.
Tonight you will eat on your own in Vaison, a beautiful town where fireworks
will light the sky for Bastille Day after dinner.
50 - 80 miles, 7,000 feet
After a van transfer
out of Provence, we will start riding towards the Pyrenees, first through
the rolling hills of Pays Cathare, and then into the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Today we are riding the exact same route than the racers will the following
day. Actually, coupled with tomorrow, we will have ridden pretty much the
whole stage!
The dramatic landscape of the Pyrenees getting closer every kilometer is also
marked by several historic spots, mostly medieval castles hanging on rocky
summits all over the area. Tonight we will stay in a village, Montsegur, famous
for its castle/temple that resisted over 10 months to the Crusaders who came
to get rid of the Cathars Heresy in the 13th century. The castle is still
there and if your legs can still respond after our 100k ride today, we strongly
recommend a hike to the top.
60 miles, 3,000 ft
Day 6 - Saturday, July 16 : Stage 14 Adge- Ax 3 Domaines
After a couple of days of " easy " stages, the Tour is coming back in the mountains, into the Pyrenees. We are in the best spot to see it, as we head to the stage's road from our hotel, and climb the impressive hairpins to the Port de Pailhieres, towering over 2000 meters high. From there you will have the option to either wait for the race and watch from there, or zoom down to Ax les Termes to then climb the final 9 kilometers to the arrival line. Later in the afternoon you can either ride back to our hotel in Montsegur or get back into the van in Ax.
50 - 80 miles, 6,000 - 9,000 ft
We are taking
reservations for the trips NOW.
Due to limited space on both trips, we highly recommend you to make your reservation
before the release of the itinerary. To make a reservation, a deposit of $400
per person is required. Once you have made your reservation and paid your
deposit your place on the trip is assured.
Final Payment is due 90 days prior to commencement of the trip.
Please write us for more information or reservation at info@uniquetrips.com
Unique Trips has been offering Tour de France trips in the past years. Our experience in organizing the best routes to follow mountain stages makes all the difference. We have found well located hotels to ride from or to the stage. We shuttle you in our comfortable vans to move along with the race.
Unique Trips is offering one single Tour de France trip for the 2005 edition. This tour is eight days long covering the mountain stages of the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the mythical Mont Ventoux climb in between! This challenging ride designed for intermediate to advanced riders...who love the hills !
As tradition dictates, the 2005 Tour de France will attack some of the chosen legendary passes of the Alps and the Pyrenees before the final stretch to Paris. Unique Trips is proposing a rare tour that will bring you through BOTH mountain ranges. This week is when the tour outcome will be decided. Weeks of grueling effort can come down to seconds in these passes... trials. Be there to witness Lance Armstrong, Ullrich, Basso, Heras and the other champions!
This Tour
de France trip is designed for intermediate to advanced riders with daily
rides ranging from 40 to 80 miles on hilly and mountainous terrain. Just
as on any Unique Trips tour, you ride with professional guides and benefit
from the support of vans in between the rides to ensure safety and comfort.
Your luggage is transfered to and from hotels also by van.
On this tour you will witness four stages, climb eleven passes
of the Tour and the Mont Ventoux.
Important :If
your spouse or companion does not ride, this tour is OPENED to non-riders.
They will still be able to see all four stages from our hotel towns. The areas
we are staying in offer plenty of hiking opportunities, cultural visits and
have charming little towns.
Price : $2,800 per person (based on double occupancy) for 8 days, 7 nights
, $2,400 for non-rider.
We have already booked all the hotels for this
tour. The space is very limited and we encourage you to reserve this trip
now.
Today promises
to be one of the most disputed stages of the tour. The race will climb both
the Madeleine and the Galibier! We will depart early for a shuttle to the
bottom of the Col du Telegraphe. From there we will climb the Telegraphe followed
by the mythic Col du Galibier, the highest pass of the tour. The racers will
catch up with us at the top of the Galibier, where we will witness the battle
amid some of the most grandiose landscapes around us...
After that, we will ride down to the other side of the pass where the van
will pick us up and transfer us out of the Alps to our next destination, Vaison,
a Provencal town at the foot of the Ventoux.
50 - 70
miles, 7,000ft gain
Today
is the first alpine stage of the Tour, and the race is going through our town
! We will " open the road " for them in the morning, climbing the
first obstacle of the day: the Cornet de Roselend. Just like all the mountain
stages of the Tour, the road will be closed to vehicles all day, and it will
be ours. We will view the race from the top before going back down to Beaufort
through a beautiful loop. We will then enjoy the arrival of the race in Courchevel
from a local café with other fans.Tonight we will dine again at our
hotel in Beaufort.
25 - 40 miles, 4,500 ft gain
Today is the first alpine stage of the Tour, and the race is going through our town ! We will " open the road " for them in the morning, climbing the first obstacle of the day: the Cornet de Roselend. Just like all the mountain stages of the Tour, the road will be closed to vehicles all day, and it will be ours. We will view the race from the top before going back down to Beaufort through a beautiful loop. We will then enjoy the arrival of the race in Courchevel from a local café with other fans.
Today the race
is moving westwards through a series of 6 passes! After an early morning van
shuttle, we will ride three of them, finding a good spot along our way to
check out the champions and their teammates pass by. The views around us and
the forests we are passing through are also quite a spectacle.
We will ride all the way to our hotel in Luchon, a town rarely missing the
Tour thanks to its strategic position in the heart of the cycling Pyrenees.
Tonight we will celebrate our exploits at our farewell dinner in town.
60 miles, 6,000
ft
Day 8 - Monday, July 18 : Bye bye the Tour
We will transfer
you and your bicycles to Toulouse airport/train station in the morning.
