Category Archives: Tdf trip planning

Information on seeing the Tour de France in person, including the process I go through myself each year- figuring out the TdF route, finding places to stay, rental cars, trains & more.

Suffering has many faces. This is Chris Froomes’

Tdf trip planning

Looking back at the Tour de France, images of Chris Froome looking like he’d rather be anyplace else than on a bike are inescapable. I’ve never met him so I don’t know if he normally just looks like that, always a bit ill-at-ease. I can relate to that. On the other hand, the only time I feel comfortable is when I am on my bike. Physically and socially comfortable. It’s just hard to believe this guy won the Tour de France.

Yes, you have to suffer to win, but guys like Merckx and Lance and Contador… they look like they’re ready to rip an arm off if it would get them up the hill faster. They look like they’re using pain as fuel. The only time I saw him look to be in his element was during the second time trial.

A road in France to die for (or die on, if you’re not careful!)

Ride reports (not Tu/Th), Tdf trip planning, , , , ,


One of the amazing so-called “balcony” roads carved into the mountainside in France. The Vercors region around Grenoble has quite a few, but there are two on opposite sides of Bourg d’Oison that are not to be missed. The first is the “tunnel” road up to Villard Notre Dame, opposite the side of Alpe d’Huez. We rode that two years ago, and it was spectacular!

Shown here is D211A, on the Alpe d’Huez side, and actually intersects the Alpe d’Huez at La Garde, about a third of the way up (right at the infamous Dutch Corner). It’s incredibly disorienting to look over the edge, or even just to see the town of Bourg d’Oison a couple thousand feet below you! –Mike–