Tour de France 2025 - La Plagne

[Noggin]

So, looks like it is definitely coming to La Plagne!!!

Not exactly sure which bit but we’re pretty sure it’s finishing up near me (if only cos of a series of road surfacing that’s unusual/surprising!!!)

So, if anyone fancies coming to watch, I have no space but friends with a catered chalet and other friends with a self catered one and other apartments!! All close enough to nimble to Courcheval the day before!! By car mind!!)

But book quick cos they’ll sell out! (Both chalets are in Plagne 1800 - apartments are in various parts of the resort!!)

And if I’ve moved house by then I’ll have sofa/floor space!!

Can’t wait to finish school today and see if the actual route is online!!!

[mangocrazy]

Dunno about La Plagne, but the Sunday 20th July stage from Carcassonne to Montpellier will almost certainly be coming close to our little corner of France. I feel a trip coming on...

[Sadlonelygit]

For those of you who haven't experienced a TdF stage.
Find a bit of non descript road, preferably without a toilet or any facilities.
Stand there for @7hours alongside someone who doesn't understand a word you are saying.
Wave at the odd car/truck going by.
Hear the TV helicopter overhead, get excited, wait for the entourage to arrive.
A few cars, motorbikes, then the pelaton bursts into view behind a wall of camera bikes and support vehicles.
Shhhhhhhhreeeeeeessssshhhhhhhhhhh
It's a bit like my sex life, massive build up and anticipation, 30 secs of action then a disappointing wait until the roads open car arrives.

[Noggin]

For those of you who haven't experienced a TdF stage.
Find a bit of non descript road, preferably without a toilet or any facilities.
Stand there for @7hours alongside someone who doesn't understand a word you are saying.
Wave at the odd car/truck going by.
Hear the TV helicopter overhead, get excited, wait for the entourage to arrive.
A few cars, motorbikes, then the pelaton bursts into view behind a wall of camera bikes and support vehicles.
Shhhhhhhhreeeeeeessssshhhhhhhhhhh
It's a bit like my sex life, massive build up and anticipation, 30 secs of action then a disappointing wait until the roads open car arrives.

You miserable old sod!! All of the bad points are exactly why I've suggested where I am - it's all surrounded by villages and with local knowledge facilities are way easier!! LOL

TBF, I've done the 7 hour wait on the side of the road (the year it finished in La Rosière) and it was only a short walk to the loos - and there were loads of brits around too if you prefer that to the locals

TBF, if it's not something you've seen, it's worth it.

I've seen a finish (well almost, we were about 2.5kms from the actual finish!) at the top, a mid way where they'd come down from the Cormet de Roselend and were heading up to (I think) Tignes and a few kms from the start where they HOONED through a village called Aime. Each time very different but the guys that do the TdF are total lunatics and if they are close by I'll go show some support.

Freaking ridiculous thing to do the tour, but bloody WOW that anyone does!! What totally awesome humans

[Ditchfinder]

For those of you who haven't experienced a TdF stage.
Find a bit of non descript road, preferably without a toilet or any facilities.
Stand there for @7hours alongside someone who doesn't understand a word you are saying.
Wave at the odd car/truck going by.
Hear the TV helicopter overhead, get excited, wait for the entourage to arrive.
A few cars, motorbikes, then the pelaton bursts into view behind a wall of camera bikes and support vehicles.
Shhhhhhhhreeeeeeessssshhhhhhhhhhh
It's a bit like my sex life, massive build up and anticipation, 30 secs of action then a disappointing wait until the roads open car arrives.

The tour de Yorkshire was a bigger disappointment

[Bigjawa]

Giro D'Italia in 2014 started in Belfast for some reason. TV cameras captured yours truly sitting outside his work getting quietly pissed.

Fuckers were doing some speed.

[JamJar]

If you want a better experience of the Tour (or any stage race for that matter), don't watch it on a flat section, go up one of the mountains. The riders pas more slowly and tend to be spread out and not in a big peloton and the atmosphere is better. I have seen about 30 or 40 stages of the Tour and the Giro, still need to go watch the Vuelta.

[mangocrazy]

If you want a better experience of the Tour (or any stage race for that matter), don't watch it on a flat section, go up one of the mountains. The riders pas more slowly and tend to be spread out and not in a big peloton and the atmosphere is better. I have seen about 30 or 40 stages of the Tour and the Giro, still need to go watch the Vuelta.

Definitely this. The speed with which they cover ground on the flat is amazing. Ideally you want a mix of steep climbs and hairpin bends so you can get a really good look at the riders. On the flat they pass in a blur. The riders passing (as opposed to all the support vehicles throwing out trinkets) all happens in well under 5 minutes - less if you're close to the start.

[weeksy]

The racing has little to do with the event in terms of watching. Me and @crust have been to the Belgian Spring Classics and it's far more about the atmosphere, the occasion, talking shit with other fans. We didn't care about seeing the action live, you see like 3s, but drinking, eating, laughing 100m from the finish line, is awesome

[crust]

The racing has little to do with the event in terms of watching. Me and @crust have been to the Belgian Spring Classics and it's far more about the atmosphere, the occasion, talking shit with other fans. We didn't care about seeing the action live, you see like 3s, but drinking, eating, laughing 100m from the finish line, is awesome

^This, especially in Belgium where it's probably the national sport and so gets loads of spectators plus beer tents and chips with mayonaise (optional).

Well worth the effort if you're local to see it.

[Whysub]

The Vuelta ran along the main h the road close to my place in 2022. It was just a flat section, no sprint or climb, so pretty much like a rest day for the riders.

But the peloton still came past me at a fair speed, very closely grouped, so about 15 seconds worth at most.

The police outriders seemed to enjoy their drag races along the closed road.

[mangocrazy]

The first time we spectated at the Tour it was on a fairly straight but uphill section of road, and they still absolutely flew past us. The next time we chose a spot on a tight corner in one of the local villages within staggering distance of shops and (more importantly) the local wine Co-op.

It's all about priorities. And trying to beat the local kids for the trinkets that get thrown like confetti by the support vehicles...

[Noggin]

Woohoooo

Courcheval the day before or the day after I think (haven’t looked yet - just got this message!!)

[mangocrazy]

Happy for @Noggin but looks like the Carcassonne to Montpellier section won't be happening, or more to the point will be a rest day. The only TDF-related action will be the support vehicles and teams driving from Carcassonne to Montpellier.

Boo, hiss...

TDF_2025.JPG (36.45 KiB) Viewed 274 times

And there was I about to offer free board and lodging to forum members for the event...!

(Subject to T&Cs...)

[Noggin]

Well, I'm pretty sure my boss will get some work out of this so as long as I pass my test, I'll be driving some of the day so not sure how much, if any, I'll get to see With a bit of luck he'll get a deal to ferry people up to resort so I can see a bit while waiting to drive them back down!! LOL

But it will be aces for a lot of people I know up here, so that's cool - side bonus for me is there'll be a bit more resurfacing done and as I hope to have my own (French) bike next summer, I will always appreciate a nice new road surface