TDF 4-DAY PREMIERE PYRENEES-PARIS TOUR

Day 1 (July 22) Stage 19: 9 a.m. meet up time with your Spyns’ guides at the Tarbes train station. Tarbes is located one (1) hour east of Pau, capital city of the Pyrenees. From there, guests will divide into two groups: riders and non-riders. 

Non-riders: Van transfer to Castlenau (travel time 1 hour). Travel directly to Spyns’ VIP stage viewing area in Castelnau (population 800). Stage starts are an excellent opportunity to see the craziness that is the TDF’s moving city. Enjoy the TDF village, pick up your team’s favourite bike jersey, then catch a glimpse of the pro riders warming up. Then watch the Tour depart from our VIP viewing area, complete with views of the racers, live Tour coverage, and open bar. After the Tour departs, the group will transfer to beautiful Bordeaux, arriving shortly after lunch. Once in Bordeaux, choose your adventure: a bike tour of scenic Bordeaux, the wine-growing capital of Aquitaine, or join a French pastry class. 

Riders: Following bike sizing and a quick change into riding gear, riders will then enjoy a fast-paced spin through rolling hills and verdant fields to our stage viewing area in Castelnau: distance 45.8 kms (28.4 miles). Riding time should be 2-3 hours. After the exciting stage start, van transfer to Bordeaux to join the non-riders for a city bike tour or cooking class. 

Early evening departure traveling east to Perigueux, in Dordogne. Dinner and overnight in Perigueux at the Hotel Ibis***.     

Day 2 (July 23) Stage 20 Time Trial: Another day of options: Option 1: Skip the stage and head straight to Paris. Option 2: See the final individual time trial in medieval Rocamadour (population 700).

Option 1: Mid-morning departure for the train station followed by a high-speed (TGV) train to Paris. Travel time is four-five (4-5) hours. A Spyns’ guide will travel with you to expertly manage your arrival, shuttle to hotel, and check in. Once in Paris, enjoy an afternoon Seine river cruise, followed by an early evening bistro dinner. The other group will arrive in Paris around midnight.  

Option 2: Morning van departure, destination the medieval village of Rocamadour (population 700). The final stage before Paris will be an individual time trial. Your stage viewing area for the day will be a hotel right on the final climb of the time trial. Spyns has privatised a hotel terrace overlooking the racecourse. Like our other stage viewing areas, there will be WIFI, buffet lunch, open bar, and live (English) tour coverage. Both riders and non-riders will have the option to join an optional guided loop ride (23.2 kms / 14.4 miles) through the rolling hills along the Dordogne river and/or a walking tour of medieval Rocamadour. Following the stage, early evening bullet-train departure for Paris. Sandwiches and drinks provided on train to Paris. Caution: very long day and midnight arrival in Paris.  Two (2) nights at the fabulous Westin Paris****, right on the race course.       

Day 3 (July 24) Stage 21 Paris Finish: Spyns hosts its classic sunrise bike ride (fully guided and suitable for all abilities) on the Champs Elysees. Enjoy a fat-tire spin on the Tour de France race course when downtown Paris is closed to traffic. This is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the Paris finish line, bike around the Arc de Triomphe, ride down the Champs Elysees, whisk along the Seine River, and takes lots of pictures next to the Eiffel Tower. Following your ride, gourmet breakfast back at the hotel. Then watch the afternoon finish from our VIP room. No one does the Paris finish like Spyns. We privatise a presidential suite along the final leg of the racecourse. In addition to live Tour coverage, and open bar, there is a wraparound balcony with room for your 50 best friends. Enjoy eight (8) tour laps and a final victory lap, champagne glass in hand. Following the finish, send off dinner at the Eiffel Tower! Magnifique! Final night at the Westin Hotel****.

Day 4 (July 25) Departure: Sleep in, enjoy a final gourmet breakfast, say goodbye to your Spyns’ guides and fellow travelers.  Then it’s off to the airport or train station for the next leg of your journey. The perfect holiday!