Follow the Tour de France for the Ultimate Tour Vacation!
With your tour guide,
Anne P. Mitchell
| Summary: Want to travel France? Want a unique and fun tour? Take your cues from the Tour de France and follow along, staying in the same towns through which the Tour de France runs! |
For an experience of a lifetime, why not plan to visit France during the upcoming Tour de France 2006? Beginning in Strasbourg on July 1st and finishing in Paris on July 23rd, next year’s Tour de France will consist of a small prologue and 20 grueling stages which will cover a distance of 3,600 kilometers. Some of the larger cities along the way will be St-Quentin, Caen, Rennes, Bordeaux, Carcassone, Montelimar, Macon and, of course, Paris.
And what’s the best way to plan such an adventure? You could follow the entire Tour de France if you wish, of course, but stop and consider just how long and how involved this race actually is: 9 flat stages, 4 medium mountain stages, 5 mountain stages and 2 individual time-trail stages. It is much more realistic if you book for just a few nights among a few choice locations.
Even without taking part in the “Grand Depart” in Alsace on July 1st, Strasbourg is always worth a visit. Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region, a beautiful university town, and well-known for its excellent cuisine. It has both a French and German “flavor” to it, sitting as it does on the border between the two countries. For Europeans the name is synonymous with the European Union; the plenary sessions of the European Parliament are held here.
Caen (July 6th) is the administrative capital of the Calvados region and located in the gentle, rolling green hills of Normandy. Famous for its orchards, cream, cheeses and its apple-derived drinks like Calvados and Pommeau, Normandy is of course also home to the beaches upon which the Battle of Normandy was fought in World War II. A visit to these nearby beaches is easy to undertake and too fascinating an opportunity to miss while enjoying the Tour.
Bordeaux (July 10th), also referred to as the Paris of the south, is French Acquitaine’s capital on the Garrone. This gorgeous city and world wine capital is surrounded by beautiful mountains and forests and is just a stone’s throw away from the Atlantic. After you’ve finished cheering on the cyclists here, take a leisurely journey through the surrounding wine region. Why not take the short trip to St. Emilion and enjoy a fabulous French wine tasting?
Located 90 kilometers south-east of Toulouse, the famous walled city of Carcassonne (July 12th) will be filling the Tour’s gap between the Pyrenees and France’s Massif Central. It is a fascinating and living example of a medieval fortified town with its massive defenses encircling a grand castle and a Gothic cathedral. This breathtaking city has been almost completely restored to its original state and is an absolute must-see during your tour with the Tour.
And what better place could there be to finish your Tour de France adventure than in Paris (July 23rd), the finish line itself? The City of Lights’ dazzling beauty and indescribable cultural variety might be a bit much to take in, especially if you haven’t allowed yourself the time to get a good look at it, but once you’ve successfully cheered on your favorite along the Champs-Elysees, you’ve deserved a few days of “rest” now, haven’t you?
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