July Alpes, Pyrenees & Provence – Follow the TdF!

Here’s your chance to climb the famous mountains of the Alpes and Pyrenees and see your favorite racers chase the biggest prize in cycling! 2012 is OBT’s 12th year of leading TdF tours, so come join us for another year of amazing riding and racing!

We give you three options to watch the 2012 Tour de France!  You can join us for two weeks (Alpes, Pyrenees & Provence) or just one.  If you can only join for one week then you can choose from the Alpes or Pyrenees & Provence options.

We start in the Arc River valley, the launching pad for many of the famous climbs in the French Alpes. After watching two Alpine stages we head to La Grave via Col de Telegraphe and Col de Galibier to get close to and conquer Alpe d’Huez.  From there we head to the Pyrenees and catch three stages while enjoying many of the famous climbs such as Hautacam, Tourmelet, and Luz Ardiden.  Then we head to Provence for some final climbing and relaxation before heading home.

Also, if you need to shorten or lengthen your tour by a day or so to accommodate your schedule, let us know and we can work with you.

Day 1:  July 8th – Arrive in St. Michel de Maurienne
We pick you up at the train station in St. Michel de Maurienne and take you to our hotel for the night.  Plan on taking the TGV from Paris.  We will have tools and work stands for you to build up your bikes.  If you get in early enough we can suggest a warm-up ride for you.  Dinner is on your own in town.

Day 2:  July 9th – St. Michel de Maurienne
You will quickly find out that the area is full of cycling gems.  Today we suggest that you conquer the  Glandon and/or the Croix de Fer.  Our welcome dinner is this evening.

Day 3:  July 10th – St. Michel de Maurienne
A new day and a new col to ride.  Up the Arc river is the beautiful climb into Italy, Mont Cenis.  Enjoy the lake at the top and claim the right to say that you rode to Italy!  Dinner is on your own in town.

Day 4:  July 11th – St. Michel de Maurienne
You have two choices Col du l’Iseran or Col du Telegraph.  The Iseran is a monster and takes a long ride up the Arc river to get there.  Keep in mind that it is the highest col in France – a bragging right for when you get home!  The Telegraph starts in town so is very close.  It is your call!  Dinner is on your own in town.

Day 5:  July 12th – St. Michel de Maurienne
Time to see some racing!  Today’s stage starts in Albertville and finishes on a mountain near St. Michel, down the river and above St. Jean de Maurienne. There are two options today: 1) Ride over the Col du Madeleine to Albertville to see the start.  Then ride down the Isere river valley and then up the Arc river valley to St. Jean to catch the finish on their way up to Toussuire.  2) Ride up the Madeleine then straight back down to St. Jean to catch the finish.  After the mountain top finish, ride back to St. Michel.  Dinner is included.

Day 6:  July 13th – St. Michel de Maurienne to La Grave
If you noticed, this past July the Galibier was highlighted twice.  Today it is the highlight of your day.  From St. Michel we first ride the Telegraph before descending to Valloire.  From there we ride the log valley up towards the Galibier.  Enjoy this epic monster!  Descending down the southern side we take a right at Col du Lauteret then into our hotel in La Grave.  This is one of our favorite hotels in all of France.  Dinner, with a view of a beautiful glacier, is included.

Day 7:  July 14th – La Grave
You’ve heard of it, feared it, had dreams about it, but will end up loving it.  Alpe d’Huez! 21 switchbacks await you down the valley.  Today is your day to conquer this epic climb.  Dinner, with the view of the beautiful glacier, is again included.  Also, happy Bastielle Day!!!!

Day 8:  July 15th – La Grave to Luz-Saint-Sauveur (or then end of your Alpes Tour or the start of the Pyrenees & Provence Tour)
For those ending your journey with us we will leave you in Grenoble at the train station.  The remaining group will head east towards the Pyrenees! On the way we hope to catch the stage finish in Foix.  Since we will probably get in late dinner will be waiting on our arrival. For those joining on a Pyrenees tour we will transfer you to Foix to meet up with the rest of us!

Day 9:  July 16th – Luz St. Sauvier
Just like St. Michel, Luz St. Sauvier is at the heart of a region containing many famouns climbs. We’ll try to tackle them all!  Todays stage ends in Pau, but may pass closer to us.  Climbing the Hautacam and visiting Lourdes are certainly on the agenda, with a farther venture possible to see the race.  Dinner is on your own in town.

Day 10:  July 17th – Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Today is a rest day in Pau for the racers.  You could either give yourself a rest day and climb Luz Ardiden (start in town) or you can get aggressive and head to Pau via the Col du Abisque.  The teams generally do a short ride to keep their legs fresh, and you could come across them!  Dinner is included.

Day 11:  July 18th – Luz-Saint-Sauveur
This is your day to pick what you want to do. The race will likely pass very near hour hotel.  Many options to ride including a ride that will take you to Spain.  Yet another bragging right for when you get home.  Dinner is on your own in town.

Day 12:  July 19th – Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Big day!  The stage finish is in Peyragudes and you will ride the Tourmelet and Aspin to get there!  We will have a rendezvous point after the stage finish.  From there we will do dinner locally, probaby in Luchon, before a van ride back to Luz St. Sauvier.  Dinner is included.

Day 13:  July 20th – Luz-Saint-Sauveur – Provence
Today we head east to Provence!  We leave EARLY in the morning on a bus and head straight to the base of the Giant of Provence – Mt. Ventoux.  Take an afternoon ride if you would like.  Or our hotel has an excellent massage service.  You’ve earned a massage….  Dinner is at the hotel.

Day 14:  July 21st – Provence
This is your day to basque in the beauty of Provence, reflect on the past two weeks of riding, attack Ventoux, or all of the above!  Our hotel is near the main ascent up the Giant, so the nearly 22km up the climb will start quick.  Bedoin is 1km away to explore if you’ve had enough saddle time.  Tonight we celebrate with a farewell dinner!

Day 15:  July 22nd – End of tour in Provence
Au revoir! We will deliver you to the train station in Orange, and Paris is fast train ride away.  If you want to catch the last stage in Paris we can give you instructions and hotel suggestions.