Originally Posted by
Jules 1:
“Thanks for the info
Trumped me there. 
Are there any special package deals on watching the tour, like for F1, like although next year does offer a lot more opportunity.
From the outside it looks like the whole experience is amazing.”
Ah, I think the Tour coming through where you live must be the best!
We've done it both ways, if we know the area where the Tour is going we tend to take ourselves there. If we don't, then we will go on a trip.
You have to make a decision really, whether you want to see it somewhere specific in which case you have to be prepared to spend hours (and I mean
hours - our last time on the Champs was 8 hours before the race even hit it!) even on an ordinary stage, let alone in the mountains. I tend to prefer to stand for the time trials - it's more bang for your buck! Or wander round away from the official bits. Down the side streets you tend to find the team buses and the riders warming up or making their way to the sign on and they are generally extremely friendly. You can see the various country reporters doing their bits to camera, you see the old guard - after years of trying I managed to get Indurain's autograph down an anonymous street
It's awesome and hard work - but when you are grubbing around in a gutter for a piece of publicity caravan tat there is nothing else like it.