Alps to Paris July, 20-27

Premium package - Limited to 20 places

From Monday, July 20th to Monday, July 27th 
8 days and 7 nights in three-star and four star hotel.

• 3 Exclusive VIP access to mountain stage Bourg Saint Maurice, Le Grand Bornand,  and Aubenas stage finish.
• Ride the stage of the Tour de France (BourgouinJallieu/Aubenas and the time trial   of Annecy).
• Ride the Giant of Provence, the MONT VENTOUX.
• Access to an official Tour de France Champs Elysée Grandstand in front of the finish line.                                                                                                                    • Test riding a LOOK  carbon pro-level bicycle for the whole Tour.

Once at the airport in Lyon, our bus will take you to the 3* Hôtel Roma in Albertville, where you will spend your first 3 nights on half board basis (Bed, Dinner and Breakfast). The hotel offers the following amenities: a pool, a tennis court, a sauna, a Jacuzzi, a gym, a traditional restaurant, an Italian restaurant and free Wi-Fi.

Airport/Albertville: 80 miles by highway.

If you wish, you will have the time to make any adjustment on your bikes and go for an easy ride.

In the early evening, at the hotel’s restaurant, a welcoming champagne cocktail will be served before the dinner.

3 * Hotel Roma at Albertville

The week you will experience will be spectacular and rich in emotion, as the program of the riders of the Tour de France will include: 2 high mountain stages, 1 time trial and the mythical climb of the Mont Ventoux the day before the riders’ arrival in Paris.

The riders arrive in the French Alps, after a well deserved day off, through the Col du Grand Saint Bernard and the Col du Petit Saint Bernard.

After breakfast, you will leave the hotel as a group to get to the day’s route. For our first cycling ride together, we will ride to the day’s finish (Bourg Saint Maurice) along the small roads of the Vallée de la Maurienne.

Our accredited Ronan Pensec Travel support vehicle as well as our three staff riders will accompany you during the ride.

We will provide you with an exclusive accreditation from Ronan Pensec Travel, which will allow you to have lunch at the private caterer of Ronan Pensec Travel in the technical zone. You will have the previlege of visiting the compound, T.V. and media broadcasting area, of meeting former Tour de France champions who are working now for the TV (Paul Shewen, Bob Roll, Phil Liggett, Bernard Hinault…) and of collecting autographs and taking some pictures.

While standing just in front of the finish line, you will watch the famous“caravane publicitaire” passing by before the riders cross the finish line.

The persons who choose not to ride their bike will leave with the bus to go to Bourg Saint Maurice and visit the TV and media broadcasting area.

After the end of the stage, our bus will take you back to the hotel, where you will have dinner.

Bourg Saint Maurice/Hotel: 34 miles
3 * Hotel Roma at Albertville

The 17th stage of the Tour will be an important one, since the arrival is located after the difficult Col de la Colombière, one of the last opportunities for the climbers to express themselves.
The Col des Aravis is a mountain pass in the French Alps that connects the towns of La Clusaz in Haute-Savoie with La Giettaz in Savoie. At 1486 m. it is the lowest pass in the Aravis Range of mountains.
The pass is often used as part of the route in the Tour de France, and was used recently in 2002 and 2006 races.
After breakfast, you will leave the hotel to climb the Col des Aravis, (5, 9 Kms 3, 6 miles, 4, 9 %) before going to the arrival at Grand Bornand.

A Ronan Pensec Travel accredited vehicle driven by the mechanic and 2 staff riders will accompany you through the ride.

The persons who are not riding bikes will leave by bus to go to Le Grand Bornand and visit this typical mountain village.

Once you get to the finish area of the day’s stage, you will have access to the technical zone where you will be able to visit the TV and media broadcasting area, as well as the finish line.

From there, you will see the famous “caravane publicitaire”, and the finish of the Tour de France’s 18th stage. You will have the privilege to stand just in front of the finish line.

Afterwards, our bus will take you back to the hotel, where you will have dinner.

Grand Bornand/Hotel: 28,5 miles

3 * Hotel Roma at Albertville

The last time trial of this 96th Tour de France will take place in an absolutely superb setting. The racers will ride around the beautiful Annecy Lake, a distance of 27 miles.

The course the riders will follow will be flat during the beginning phase. Then, because it borders the lake, the route evolves into a hilly and winding path on the way back.

We hope to assist at a great finale with the final victory dispute between Lance Armstrong, Cadel Evans and Alberto Contador.

You will leave the hotel as a group after breakfast by bike to ride the last time trial.
You will have the chance to ride the last TT in Annecy where you may have the opportunity to meet pro-riders doing their warm-up.

Then we will visit the start area reserved for the teams. That way, you will see the teams’ equipment and fleet, such as buses, motor homes, etc. You will also see how your favorite riders warm up for the last time trial of the 2009 Tour de France.

During this time you will be in the heart of the TDF and enjoy the “behind the scenes” that is reserved to accredited visitors.

The departure area and the finish area will be separated by only few hundred meters. You will have access to both areas.

In the finish area, you will have access to the technical from where you will see, from the finish line, the final of the important stage.

After the podium we shall leave Annecy and travel to Valence where we shall spend the next night at a three stars hotel on half board basis (Dinner, Bed & breakfast).

Annecy / Valence: 124 miles by highway

The 3 * Hôtel Valsud in Valence is equipped with a pool, a fitness room and free Wi-Fi.

Dinner will be served at the hotel’s restaurant.

This stage will be free of any major difficulty; the fighters will have the opportunity to express themselves today, while the favourites for the final victory will stay warm in the peloton, in preparation for the big day tomorrow.

After breakfast, you will leave the hotel as a group to get to the day’s route. You will ride the 65 last kilometers (40 miles) of the stage to the finish in Aubenas on a route without any difficulty.

Each group will be accompanied by a staff rider and a back-up vehicle with a technician and supplies (food and drink).

   

You will receive an exclusive accreditation from Ronan Pensec Travel, which will allow you to have lunch at our private caterer in the technical zone.

While standing just in front of the finish line, you will watch the “caravane publicitaire” passing by before the riders cross the finish line.

Once the day’s stage is over, our bus will take you back to the hotel in Avignon where you will have dinner. The Hôtel All Season in Avignon is a 4* hotel equipped with a pool, a fitness room and free Wi-Fi.

Aubenas/Avignon: 74 miles, 49 miles thereof on highway.

4 * Hôtel All season at Avignon

The day will be under high tension.
This is the stage you do not want to miss in any case; the stage from which you will later say: “I was there”.
This is the stage of all dangers for the favourites of the Tour, today the Tour can be WON or LOST.
Will this stage mark the 8th victory for Lance Armstrong or the consecration of another rider?

You’ll leave the hotel as a group after breakfast. The start of the climb is 8.5 miles from the hotel. This will be your warm-up before facing the famous climb. Those not feeling up to climbing the entire Mt Ventoux will take the bus up to the “Chalet Reynard” and ride the last 5 km up to the summit.

Those who wish not to ride their bike will be taken by the bus to the top of the Mont Ventoux, from where they will overlook the whole area.

The “Giant of Provence” - Mont Ventoux. This route will take you up from Bedoin: 22 km over 1912 m in altitude. This is the most famous and difficult ascent. The road to the summit has an average grade of 7.6%.

Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km north-east of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north-side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald Mountain".
As the name might suggest (venteux means windy in French), it can get windy at the summit, especially with the mistral; windspeeds as high as 320 km/h (193 mph) have been recorded. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds.
Mont Ventoux, although geologically part of the Alps, is often considered to be separate from them, due to the lack of mountains of a similar height nearby. Its isolated position overlooking the valley of the Rhône ensures that it dominates the entire region and can be seen from many miles away on a clear day. The view from the top is superb.
As usual, you will be accompanied through the ride by a Ronan Pensec Travel accredited vehicle and our 3 staff riders.

After the stage’s arrival, you will head for the train station from where you will travel 1st class with the TGV (the world’s fastest train) to Paris. The dinner will be at your convenience in the train. Once in the city of lights, you will check in at your 4-star hotel, right in the centre of the golden triangle (avenue Montaigne, avenue des Champs -Elysées, avenue Georges V).

After breakfast, you will walk to the Champs-Elysées. Lunch will be served there in a typical French brasserie, and you will have access to the prestigious grandstand seats from where you will watch the riders zip by 8 times, before they cross the finish line  of the 96th Tour de France for the last time.
After the end of the race, you will return to your hotel and will be free until 8 PM.

In the evening, you will have 2 options.

Option 1:
You will enjoy a champagne dinner-show (formal dress) at the Lido, the world-famous Parisian cabaret (www.lido.fr).
Located on the prestigious Avenue des Champs Elysées, the Lido has been a venue for the finest shows since 1946 and has welcomed the greatest artists such as Shirley MacLaine or Elton John.

We will offer you to attend an unforgettable champagne dinner show with 42 dancers, 23 sets, hundreds of sumptuous costumes and breathtaking scenes.

After the show, around 11:30 PM, the night will be yours.

Option 2:

Free evening to discover Paris by night

4-star hotel

After breakfast, it will be time to say goodbye as this year’s Tour de France tour will be over.
Our coach will take you back to Paris-CDG Airport and our staff will be available to help you, should you have any question or request, and to wish you a nice trip back home.

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Price : €2600                  Extra charge for single : €460 

The price includes:

• Accommodation for 7 nights: 4 in three-star hotels and 3 in 4 star hotels: Double rooms with private bathroom including toilets, and a tub and/or a shower.
• 7 breakfasts and 6 dinners (drinks wine and water included at each dinner).
• Lunches for day 2, day 3, day 5 and day 7.
• 2 English-speaking support riders who will accompany the group during the whole week and an English-speaking mechanic who will drive the technical car.
• Fruit, energy bars, drinks for each day’s ride.
• Test riding a LOOK  carbon pro-level bicycle for the whole Tour.
• Exclusive VIP access to, stage finish day 2 Bourg saint Maurice and day 3, le Grand Bornand . Exclusive visit of the Tour de France finish areas, technical zones & media broadcasting area.
• Exclusive VIP access to the riders’ enclosure at Annecy’s time trial stage’s start on day 4.
• Riding with the time trial , Annecy/Annecy, the stage 18 of the Tour de France on day 4.
• Riding the last 40 miles Bourgouin Jallieu/Aubenas stage 19 of the Tour de France on day 5.
• Climb the “Giant of Provence”, the Mont Ventoux.
• Access to an official Tour de France Champs Elysée Grandstand in front of the finish line, on day 7.
• Tour de France Welcome package (T-shirt, Cap, and Back-Pack).
• Ronan Pensec cycling Kit (jersey, short).
• Daily travel in luxury private coach.
• Daily luggage transport.
• Bikes’ trailer for the safe transport of your bikes.
• The official Road Book of the tour de France with detailed maps and daily stage routes.
• The official Tour de France tourists’ guide.
• Discounts at the Tour de France official store.
• Repatriation insurance (except in the framework of sport practising).
• Local taxes.
• Airport shuttle                                                                                                   • TGV train (High Speed Train) transfer from Avignon to Paris - 1st Class ticket.


The price does not include:

• Airfare.
• Cancellation and luggage insurances.
• Lunches from day 1, day 4 and day 6.
• Dinner day 6 in the train.
• Option: Champagne dinner-show at the LIDO on day 7.
• The extra charge for single room.
• Personal expenses, aperitifs.
• Liability insurance for, sporting activities and against theft of material.

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Extra supplements:
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Dinner champagne-show at the Lido : €140