I'm going to be in Paris during the last weekend of this year's tour, and I'd like to watch the tour come into Paris on the last Sunday. Does anyone have any tips or experiences on where/how to get a good location for watching (besides in my hotel room on TV)?

I'm going to be in Paris during the last weekend of this year's tour, and I'd like to watch the tour come into Paris on the last Sunday. Does anyone have any tips or experiences on where/how to get a good location for watching (besides in my hotel room on TV)?

Get there early and bring water. It's generally hot, and when you are 15 deep along the fence, it gets cosy. If you are really committed, and I'm assuming you are as you are posting this in May, bring binoculars and again, get there EARLY. Near the Arc on the UPHILL side is a good spot. I was there in '90 but could only get on the downhill side and they were flying-by so fast you could barely make-out individual riders (though there was this one American wearing a yellow shirt...., and this Belgian kid named Johan won that day...).

I'm going to be in Paris during the last weekend of this year's tour, and I'd like to watch the tour come into Paris on the last Sunday. Does anyone have any tips or experiences on where/how to get a good location for watching (besides in my hotel room on TV)?



one of my 'mates tagged along with a bicycle tour group back in 2003. He was there for about 1.5 weeks and just followed this cycling tour company around the stages. I dont know how he did it, but see if you can pull it off.

from what he told me, the cycling tours have a very well planned daily agenda. The group will ride about 2/3rd of the day's course in the morning and then the tour company will take the tourists to the starting/staging area to meet the pros. once the race starts, the tour leaves for the finishline to await the finale of the day.

one of my 'mates tagged along with a bicycle tour group back in 2003. He was there for about 1.5 weeks and just followed this cycling tour company around the stages. I dont know how he did it, but see if you can pull it off.

from what he told me, the cycling tours have a very well planned daily agenda. The group will ride about 2/3rd of the day's course in the morning and then the tour company will take the tourists to the starting/staging area to meet the pros. once the race starts, the tour leaves for the finishline to await the finale of the day.

My trip to Paris is for other business, so I won't have any time to catch a cycling tour group...I did look into Graham Baxter's tours, but most of his packages were already filled up.

Someone also mentioned that there are also other good spots to watch the tour such as on top of the Arc de Triomphe or getting tickets for some bleacher seats on the Champs d'Elysee...anyone out there tried any of these?

Last year we stood at the Arc de Triomphe, right at the u-turn. We got to see the sprint and see the guys as they slowed down for the corner. Also, after the finish the riders do a 'victory lap' and they stop for a presentation just after the corner. Lance got off his bike & walked over to the crowd last year & got lots of publicity for that. Last year we stood on a fence to see over the crowd but many people brought small ladders. I think this year we will bring a ladder. Alternatively, you can watch the race from inside the L'ouvre!

Last year we stood at the Arc de Triomphe, right at the u-turn. We got to see the sprint and see the guys as they slowed down for the corner. Also, after the finish the riders do a 'victory lap' and they stop for a presentation just after the corner. Lance got off his bike & walked over to the crowd last year & got lots of publicity for that. Last year we stood on a fence to see over the crowd but many people brought small ladders. I think this year we will bring a ladder. Alternatively, you can watch the race from inside the L'ouvre!

Cool...what time did you get to the Arc to stage yourself?

Cool...what time did you get to the Arc to stage yourself?
We got there about 3 hours before the peleton rolled into Paris. Once I found the fence that I could climb, I stayed there and protected my territory. Good thing too, because the crowd got very thick and almost nobody on the ground could see. It was a fun 3 hour wait! Other people camped out to get good positions at the sprint lines. The highlight of the day was after the race when we walked over to the Eifel Tower and ran into the Podium girls! No kidding.