Travel around Tour de France
Sports Travel / Tourism
If you’re looking for a summer vacation that’s a little out of the ordinary, why not travel around the Tour de France? You can follow the race from start to finish, and even get a glimpse of the action up close.
I did that as a couple, way back in 2009. While my husband did it more from his love for the sport; I was happy with the travel part. You don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy the Tour de France. Yeh seriously! Though I did end up learning a bit about the sport in the process.
The Tour de France is one of the most iconic cycling events in the world. Every year, cyclists from all over the world come to France to compete in this gruelling race. The race is also a great opportunity to see some of the most beautiful scenery in France, explore local food and meet the locals.
If you’re looking for a great way to see the country, the Tour de France is the perfect event for you! Every year, millions of people flock to France to watch the world’s best cyclists compete in one of the most challenging races.
The way my husband planned it, we were to catch the riders in action, either at starting point, mid-point or finish line, on each day. We stood there with dedication for hours and hours, waiting to shout Allez, Allez, Allez as the riders went past us. 
This took us to various country sides, cities, hills and towns. The scenery was breathtaking and the memories for us, to keep for lifelong .
Tour de France 2022 started on 1st July from Copenhagen and will culminate in Paris Champs-Elysees, like every other year…..And that reminded me of, the media who spotted us, through the tour holding the Indian flag, and when they spotted us again at Champs-Elysees, one of them called out to us and said – “hey my crazy friends from India” 😊 …..
No one could understand why we were there, following the tour, with no Indian riders to root for! We even got interviewed by the French television! For some reason, if you are unable to view the above video, click here.
The Tour de France is an annual men’s multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries.
9 new stage town or sites that will be hosting the Tour for the first time:
- Copenhagen (start and finish of stage 1) – Denmark
- Roskilde (start of stage 2) – City in Denmark
- Nyborg (finish of stage 2) – City in Funen, Denmark
- Vejle (start of stage 3) – City in Jutland, Denmark
- Sønderborg (finish of stage 3) – Town in Als, Denmark
- Aigle (start of stage 9) -Town in Switzerland
- Castelnau-Magnoac (start of stage 19) – Commune in France
- Lacapelle-Marival (start of stage 20) – Commune in France
- Rocamadour (finish of stage 20) – Commune in France
For Live Streaming of Tour de France event, click here – Tiz Cycling
Some images from the web I picked, of places, this year the Tour de France will travel through. Aren’t they all stunning? 
Are you looking for a professional bike? Then explore trusted brands like Cannondale, Giant, BMC, Scott, Orbea, Cube, Yeti etc..,My husband uses a Giant bicycle and is very happy with it.
Facts about Tour de France
The Tour de France is the most prestigious and popular cycling race in the world. It is the world’s largest annual sporting event
It is held every July and last for three weeks, with 2 off days. The race is held in 21 stages. On off days, one can plan to travel to nearest city or town. We explored Lyon during our travel around Tour de France in 2009.
The race covers more than 3,500 kilometers (2,200 miles) and typically features around 170+ riders.
The race was first organized in 1903 to increase paper sales for the newspaper L’Auto and is currently run by the Amaury Sport Organisation.
Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France a record seven times consecutively from 1999-2005, but was later stripped… Irony of our story, our travel around Tour de France in 2009, was primarily to watch Lance Armstrong in action. This was the year he made a comeback after his illness.
The race is open to both professional and amateur cyclists
The race is televised in over 190 countries
16 things I learnt from Tour de France
- To stay positive…no matter what happens
- Enjoy the ride….the ride offers amazingly picturesque vista
- To push my limits
- To never give up
- The importance of teamwork – No one can do everything alone – you need a strong team to support you
- The importance of focus
- The importance of time management
- The importance of good nutrition
- The importance of being in good physical condition
- The importance of good mental condition
- The importance of training
- The importance of taking risks
- Perseverance….. You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it
- It’s okay to be scared, but don’t let that stop you from trying
- You will make mistakes, but learn from them and keep going
- The importance of resilience, strength and flexibility – Things can break easily when rigid. Be easy and supply and …..go with the flow
As I was scouring through the web for more images, I was filled with gratitude to the Universe, for the “Travel around Tour de France” experience way back in 2009. Kids are in school now, and taking off for more than 3 months, backpacking in Europe, yet again, feels like a dream. For now, I am happy I could live this dream for atleast once. I am thankful to my better half, for planning this amazing trip, and sharing my love for travel.
I leave you with three more images, of locations in France, that the tour takes its visitors to, this year (2022).
Au revoiur…..Dieu vous protège …..
