DAY 1, July 18: Welcome to the Pyrenees!

Our amazing week of cycling starts at the Toulouse airport where we’ll meet at approximately 12PM. (Exact meeting time to be confirmed at a later date) We’ll pack the bikes and board the EUROPEDS shuttle bus for our approximately 3 hour transfer to our hotel, just outside of Argeles Gazost, in the heart of the Pyrenees. We’ll take this afternoon to check in, stretch the legs, and assemble the bikes. In the early evening, we’ll have an orientation meeting and welcome aperitif before heading into the hotel’s dining room for our kick off dinner. We’ll toast our week of discovery ahead and celebrate the beginning of a week to remember!

DAY 2, July 19: Conquer Le Tourmalet!

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll gather outside the hotel for a final meeting and bike safety check. As the Tour riders head west today from Pamiers to Bagnères-de-Luchon, we’ll take our time to explore this beautiful valley and the surrounding hills (and mountains). Today’s ride is one of the most beautiful and classic rides that we know of in France and you’ll enjoy spectacular scenery as we begin a route that gradually gets our climbing legs warmed up. We’ll stop in Bagneres-de-Bigorre for lunch before mounting the bikes to conquer the afternoon’s challenge – Le Col du Tourmalet. For those who’ve never ridden the Tourmalet..you’re in for a treat. We stop at the summit for photos and a cool beverage before we start the incredible downhill to Luz St. Saveur below. Once we in the valley below, it’s about a 20 mile ride back to our hotel in Agos-Vidalos. We’ll enjoy dinner together tonight in our Hotel’s dining room. Mileage for the day is approximately 70 with some serious hills. Not to worry though- The SAG wagon will be there every step of the way and you’re encouraged to use it whenever you want.

DAY 3, July 20: Stage 16, Bagneres-de-Luchon to Pau!

To say today will be exciting would be a serious understatement. Before the Tour de France riders begin their arduous trek from Bagneres-de-Luchon today, we’ll be up early making our way to the summit of the Col d’Aubisque to set up camp with the thousands of other fans who’ll be there too. Today’s 196km stage takes the riders over 5 huge Cols (hills) and we’ll be strategically placed on the last of the 5 hills (the Col d’Aubisque) to watch this amazing stage. We’ll revel in the atmosphere as we share the experience with a world of other cycling fans. When the fireworks are over, we’ll enjoy a beautiful ride back down the valley. It’s a nice, relatively easy ride home. Dinner tonight will be “on your own” in Argeles-Gazost. We’ll shuttle people in the early evening into town, about 5 minutes away. Mileage for the day is approximately 60, with some serious hills.

DAY 4, July 21: Ride to the Beautiful village of Gavarnie

As the Tour riders have a jour de repos (rest day) today, we’ll use the break to discover the amazing beauty and climbs of the Pyrenees. After breakfast, we’ll head back onto the valley floor again and cruise back towards Luz St. Saveur. We’ll pass the Tourmalet (we’ll be back tomorrow for the race) and begin a stunning yet mellow climb up to Gavarnie. We’ll enjoy majestic views and we’ll feast again on a EUROPEDS picnic in Gavarnie. Gavarnie is recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO both for its natural and cultural landscape. After lunch, we’ll cycle back towards Argeles-Gazost and perhaps enjoy a café along the way. Dinner tonight will again be in our hotel’s dining room. Mileage for the day is about 50, and the hills aren’t that bad.

DAY 5, July 22: Stage 17, Pau to Tourmalet!

The excitement builds again today as the Tour comes back to us. We’ll be up early today as we aim to beat the crowds and get a start to the climb of the western slopes of the Tourmalet. Today’s epic, mountain top finish will surely be an event to behold. We’ll have front row seats for the action! Find your place on the Tourmalet – whether its at the summit or at a café on the way up, you’ll never forget this day! We’ll be among thousands of cycling fans, and the international flavor is a huge part of the fun. When the stage is over, we’ll make our way back down the Tourmalet and back across the valley to our hotel. Tonight’s dinner is again “on your own” in Argeles Gazost. We’ll provide shuttles for the trip into town and back. Mileage for the day is about 50-60 with one major hill!

DAY 6, July 23: Transfer to the Medoc Region north of Bordeaux

As the tour riders leave the hills of this year’s Tour behind and head for Bordeaux, we’ll do the same. An early departure from the hotel will have us back on our motor coach and on the road for the Medoc wine region just north of Bordeaux. As we leave the Pyrenees, you’ll enjoy the countryside and the change of scenery. Our transfer today will likely take around 5 hours. We’ll arrive at our hotel in Vendays Montalivet, Hotel l'Arberet, in the early afternoon. We’ll check in and meet our gracious host Laurent Barthelemy-Grams, who is also the chef for our classic French meals for the next two days. Take the afternoon to dip in the small pool, or join one of your guides for a 10km trip to the beach and the Atlantic coast. We’ll re-assemble back at the hotel in the early evening for an aperitif before our taste of the local cuisine.

DAY 7, July 24: Stage 19 Individual Time Trial Bordeaux to Pauillac!

If the battles on the slopes of the Pyrenees did not decide the 2010 winner, today will. As the only Time Trial at the Tour this year, today’s stage is an opportunity to see the Tour all day. We’ll set out after breakfast and lose ourselves amidst the vineyards as we meander our way towards the village of Pauillac, stage finish village for today. As we make our way through the vineyards, you’ll soon recognize the familiar sound of helicopters overhead. Pauillac will be crazy, and we’ll immerse ourselves in the beautiful mayhem. We’ll set up on the course right near the finish line and wait in anticipation as the starting time for the favorites arrives. We’ll party and scream with the rest of the fans all day long! Today’s Time Trial will have no doubt crowned the Tour Champion, and we’ll have plenty to talk about during dinner tonight. When the race is over, we’ll ride back to our hotel and spend some time breaking down the bikes before gathering for our farewell dinner in the hotel’s dining room. We’ll feast on fine French cuisine and toast the end of an amazing week. Mileage for the day is about 40 miles, no hills.

Day 8, July 25: Au Revoir to the Medoc

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll load the bike boxes into our vans and our coach will shuttle you to the Bordeaux Airport. Please call us at (415) 272-4388 if you’d like help with any of your post tour plans.  

Of Special Note:
Any train times listed in this itinerary are based on the best information available at the time of publication and are thus subject to change. Definitive schedules will become available as the trip’s start date nears. We suggest that you check with your travel agent approximately prior to your trip’s start date to purchase your train tickets and make any necessary reservations.

EUROPEDS reserves the right to modify published routes due to any unforeseen circumstances. In the event that one or another hotel is unable to accept our reservation for a given date (rare that this may be), we assure you that EUROPEDS will endeavor to book another hotel of comparable class and charm.