http://www.letour.fr/2012/TDF/COURSE/us/1800/etape_par_etape.html

I will be in France and staying about 30 mins from Cahors, so will be heading out to watch Stage 18.

Anyone know any primo spots in this area to watch the tour pass through, or any recommendations on what to take, what to expect? Will be there with family – parents, kids… everyone!!

I’m not familiar with that area, however what I will say is plan your day in advance, be well prepared and get there early, especially if you are driving as the roads often get closed first thing in the morning.

I know this from experience having had to walk up the Col de Peyresourde loaded up like a mule because the gendarmes wouldn’t let me up the road a full 5 hours before the riders were due . . .

Years ago I watched a stage finish in Cahors. Up the hill in the town centre. Won by Jean Paul van Popple if I recall correctly. Wide street with plenty of trees to shelter from the sun and that is something to consider if you’ve got alot of hanging about. Also in the town there will be easy access to drinks, food, toilets etc which might be useful. There might even be a big screen (but generally only at finishes). That’ll be balanced against grannys (viciously) fighting you for the best position and any water bottles thrown from the peloton. Having watch in the countryside and towns it’s great but as manoirdelourde says plan and go early.

watched on col de madelaeine 2 years ago. drove up the night before at about 9pm and by then there were 0 parking spaces on the ENTIRE mountain.

given the mountain is 26km long you can imagine how busy it was!

eventually left the van hanging half of a cliff and slept in it overnight through a thunderstorm.

this was followed by a ride up the hill at first light, and then about 8 or 9 hours of waiting in 30+ degrees heat.

once the tour comes through the road is re-opened and is campervan bedlam!

absolutely amazing 24hrs, had a cracking time with some PROPER fanatics of various nations, weas also well impressed by a proper french bread van doing the rounds at 7am delivering to the campers!

but… i really, really wouldn’t have liked to have a family onboard.

no bogs, scorching hot, sleeping in van etc etc.

this experience is probably limited to the high mountain passes only mind..

The depart wasn’t far from where the folks live in France and although they weren’t there, the neighbours had no problem going to watch the race pass but that was on a bit where theres not much by way of hills etc. I guess it’s like the Olympic route. There won’t be any problem on the bits they barrel past at 40kmph, but as soon as it gets interesting you’ll need to plan.

Expect a long wait, some crowd cheering, whooping at various false dawns, then the caravan will go past, then you wait and wait and wait and wait and wait then the peleton barrells past of 40kph and then a few stragglers, then the team cars, then you go home.

Best place to watch is on a climb or catch the start (as the tour village is truly a sight to behold) – ends to races are crowded affairs also

awesome fun tho.

make sure you have a big enough flag to get people’s attention

We watched a stage finish near Morzine a few years ago. Lucky enough to get there fairly early, but still not early enough to get up the mountains, they’d closed the roads and wouldn’t even let us ride up there. So we went to the finish instead, found a reasonably shady spot in view of the big screen.

Take food, water, umbrella, suncream and some sort of folding stool/chair if possible. Enjoy the atmosphere. And if it’s one of the signature mountains, be prepared to spend anything up to 3 days there to get a good spot and then get out again – traffic afterwards is absolute carnage!

I know the area really really well. On the rare occasion they go this way they normally run along the Lot valley to the East past the beautiful St Cirq but not this year. So I’d go for the climb to the North of Cahors if it was me. I’ll be in that area a couple of days after they pass through so I won’t be there.

Thanks doctor. Thats good advice on going to North Cahors – can you be any more specific?

Im staying in Tournon D’agenais with the family. the family have been in the area for the last 15 yrs but there not cyclists!

The timings suggest it will be passing though the main Boulevard Léon Gambetta which has a gradient and a lot of tree shade but won’t slow them down much. Cahors can be difficult to park at the best of times.

How old are the kids?

The D820 to the north is the old main road to Paris, wide and smooth and not that steep but climbs to a decent height. It’ll be peleton tastic that early in the race.

I’d probably watch on the the main boulevard, I’ve changed my mind since looking closely at the timings. I was thinking about going to the top on the backroad rue pape jean because it would be easy to park. But if the whole family are going, stick with the town I’d say.