Cycling Classics Challenge Tours

Goodbye Blog, Hello Newsletter

2011-02-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, especially to our loyal followers, but this is the last blog entry for Cycling Classics Challenge Tours. We have enjoyed bringing you news about our company, tours, France, the TDF, and other cycling events. We appreciate everyone’s interest in our posts and comments.

Fortunately, every cloud has a silver lining and so do we. Starting in March 2011 we will begin sending a monthly email newsletter with tour highlights, cycling tips and more. This newsletter is geared towards cycling enthusiasts interested in getting their adrenaline pumping while conquering the legendary classic climbs in France and Spain. Make sure you “don’t get dropped” and subscribe today.

Continue to follow us on Discover France’s blog and our facebook page, where we will post, along with our current content, information about Cycling Classics, the tours and the pro Grand Tours. Our Discover France and Pure Adventures monthly newsletters are other great ways to stay involved and keep up with the latest happening in France and Europe.

Carnivals and Cycling in Nice

2011-02-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

Springtime in Nice

As the weather begins to warm up, your legs can’t wait to do the same. Why not roll out your winter hibernated legs in Nice? Many professional athletes enjoy the early training in this part of France because it not only is warmer than the rest of the country it also has great hills and mountains in the interior countryside. Our Nice and French Riviera tour is a perfect way to start training as soon as possible.

The Nice area is well known worldwide for the sun and beaches and cycling, especially the off season training that a lot of athletes do here. While Nice is a big city, the hills and mountains in the interior countryside make great training grounds and it is where we go to enjoy some awesome early season rides. These tours are guided and in conjunction with the Paris Nice pro race and Milan-St Remo, unfortunately there is no VIP access like our Tour de France tours.

The 2011 dates for this tour are March 6-13 and March 18-25. What adds to this exciting tour is the option to go a day early and attend the 127^th Nice Carnival starting February 18 until March 8. The carnival consists of 20 floats, 30 giant puppets, and 200 entertainers from around the world. On the last night, as tradition has it, King Carnival parades alone, before being burned at the stake. A firework display to music then takes place over the Baie des Anges and the castle mount comes ablaze as if in response. How amazing would it be to get to be there for this spectacular event? We can help make this once in a lifetime dream trip a reality.

Take a look at the Nice and French Riviera tour itinerary and then contact us with any questions or bite the bullet and book this tour.

Why Cycle the Pyrenees?

2011-02-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

5 Reasons to Cycle the Pyrenees

Buried within the high mountains in the Midi-Pyrenees region of France there is history to unveil, towns to explore and exquisite meals to try. This region, widely known for its Tour de France appearances, is a treasure for cyclists looking for tough climbs and superb scenery. Less advanced riders will enjoy biking along rivers running through charming towns and enjoy seeing the magnificent architecture dating back centuries. Like all regions in France, the Midi-Pyrenees has more to offer travelers than one could imagine, including these five:

Roots of Tour de France

The Pyrenees cols were introduced in the Tour de France itinerary in 1910 at the insistence of Tour organizer Henri Desgrange’s colleague. These cols have played an influential role in deciding the outcome of the tour in previous years. The most note-worthy of these is the Col de Tourmalet, which has set the record for tour appearances with 75 summit crossings. The road to the peak can be reached from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan on the east or from Luz-Saint-Sauveur on the west. Both difficult routes have been cycled by biking fanatics who relish in seeing the statue of Octave Lapize, first competitor over the summit in 1910, at the top of the Tourmalet.

Toulouse

Toulouse, referred to as Ville Rose (pink city) for its buildings made of pink brick that seem to change color as the day passes, has a great deal to explore and discover.

Museums, with one-of-a-kind collections, are in no short supply in this city. A few worth visiting include Contemporary Art Museum featuring works by many of the most famous artists, Musée St Raymond with art and archaeology dating up to the Middle Ages, and Musée du Vieux Toulouse devoted to the history of Toulouse.
While visiting be sure to cycle down the banks of the Garonne River lined with trees giving you the perfect opportunity to escape from the city commotion. The river passes by the charming “old Toulouse” where grand houses dating back to the 18^th century line the streets.
Toulouse is filled with famous sights as well. For example, the Place du Capitole, located in the middle of the city, houses the town hall, an opera theater and tourist center. The Saint-Sernin church, widely recognized by its octagonal five-level tower, has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Canal du Midi.

Lourdes

Lourdes is a town of Roman Catholic pilgrimage and alleged miraculous healings. Once reports of the Virgin Mary, referred to as Our Lady of Lourdes, appearing to a young peasant girl numerous times went public, millions of people began migrating to Lourdes in search of a spiritual encounter. For this reason, Lourdes is filled with countless churches and sanctuaries which are worth visiting if not for the holy aspect, than for the sheer beauty. The Basilica of Saint Pius X seats 25,000 people, making it one of the biggest in the world. Le Pic du Jer has a large cross that is accessed by a chair lift providing you with wonderful views of the Midi-Pyrenees region. However, spiritual experiences are not all Lourdes has to offer, many tourists enjoy the mountain biking trails as well as cycling along the lake in the town’s center.

Cassoulet

The Midi-Pyrenees region is known for many things, one of which being their cuisine, particularly their cassoulets. The cassoulet is not only one of the most popular dishes in France, but also one of the oldest dating back to the 100 Years War. Many visitors enjoy finding different variations of cassoulets because the possibilities are endless. Most ingredients include white beans, pure pork sausages, and duck confit. Lamb and goose confit are also well-liked components of this delicious stew. This timeless favorite is a must-try for all food-lovers.

Cordes-Sur-Siel

Located in the Tarn department of the Midi-Pyrenees, this hilltop town emerges from the clouds in the valley below taking your breath away at first sight. The town’s narrow streets offer visitors more than they could imagine. With many local art and craft shops ranging from pictures to sculptures to glasswork, no one will leave empty-handed. This town is a sweet-lover’s paradise with its Museum of the Art of Sugar and Chocolate. Cordes-Sur-Siel festivals like the Medieval Festival of the Grand Fauconnier, the Classical Music Festival and the Jousting Tournament will entertain any traveler.

Millions of travelers journey to the Midi-Pyrenees region every year, for numerous reasons. Some enjoy the unique towns and their history, like Lourdes and Toulouse, while others take pleasure in the views at the top of famous summits, like the Col du Toumalet. No matter what the reason for going, everyone leaves the same way, in awe at everything they experienced.

Cyclosportives No One Should Miss

2011-01-26T13:07:00.000-08:00

Over the years, more and more people have wanted to ride the routes of the Grand Tours and feel the exhilaration the pros experience when reaching the top of a 2000 meter col. For this reason, we have been seeing an increase of cyclosportive, which Wikipedia describes as a long distance, organized, mass-participation cycling event typically held annually. One of the most popular is the Etape du Tour, covering a different stage of the Tour de France each year. ASO, Amaury Sport Organization, has added another Etape for 2011, since the number of attendees has been dramatically increasing since the first event in 1993.

The Etape du Tour, though the most popular, is not the only cyclosportive event amateurs can participate in. More are being added every year in different locations.

Paris-Roubaix

April 9, 2011

For the first time in history, amateurs get to ride the famous cobblestones of France in the Paris-Roubaix cyclosportive. This race, nicknamed “A Sunday in Hell,” originally started in Paris and ended in Roubaix, the course has been modified over the years, but one thing that doesn’t change is the strenuous kilometers of cobblestones you must endure to reach the finish. Discover France is offering a VIP Guided Paris-Roubaix Tour for those up to the challenge.

Haute Route

August 21-27, 2011

The Haute Route is the highest and one of the most difficult cyclosportive bike races in Europe, challenging riders over 14 legendary Alpine Cols. This event is stretched out over the course of 7 days, cycling 720 km, including 17,000 meters of climbing. Riders can race it individually, as a pair, or as a team (minimum 4 members, maximum of 9). The course starts in Geneva, Switzerland and finishes in Nice, France. The route will provide beautiful views, exciting rides through Europe, and bragging rights to last a lifetime.

La Roue d’Or des Pyrenees

May 22, 2011

Cycle the Hautes-Pyrenees with legendary champs in your slipstream. Roger Walkowiak, Eddy Merckx - Bernard Thevenet, Bernard Hinault, Pedro Delgado, and Miguel Indurain will be present at the event. The race in Argeles-Gazost will have 3 courses to better serve participants cycling ability. The Torny is 129 km, The Surprising is 86 km, and The Sweet is 52km. The passes include Col des Bordères, Col du Soulor, and Col de Spandelles. Although these climbs are not as renowned as Tourmalet or Alpe d’Huez, their difficulties, environment and landscapes will not leave riders disappointed.

Don't Forget About Nice This Year

2011-01-13T08:55:00.000-08:00

It's All Happening in Nice

As the weather begins to warm up, your legs can't wait to do the same. Why not roll out your winter hibernated legs in Nice? Many professional athletes enjoy the early training in this part of France because it not only is warmer than the rest of the country it also has great hills and mountains in the interior countryside. Our Nice and French Riviera tour is a perfect way to start training as soon as possible.

Take a look at the Nice and French Riviera tour itinerary and then contact us with any questions or bite the bullet and book this tour.

Velo Passion Magazine Photo Shoot

2011-01-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

While Loren was in France this past December, he had the opportunity to attend a photo shoot for French magazine Velo Passion. Here is a picture from the event (taken as apart of Loren’s own personal photo shoot) and what he reported:

Thomas and Jerome

This was on a day in the Montpellier countryside, actually along a route our clients ride on the Languedoc Multisport trip. Thomas is with former World Champion mountain biker Jerome Chiotti. We were on site for a magazine photo shoot. The magazine needed some local people to come out to ride and model some bikes they were reviewing. The magazine is Velo Passion; French and will come out in February including an article on the great rides of this area of the department l’Herault.

Jerome Chiotti is famous in France because he admitted to the widespread drug use in cycling during his time and he was quickly marginalized for talking about it and his own doping experience. He was world champion in 1996 and French National Champion in 99 and 01.

Loire Valley Chateaux

2010-12-29T14:29:00.000-08:00

The Beautiful Castles of Loire

Of all the places on Earth to visit for sightseeing and adventure travel, France is perhaps the most popular. The challenging terrain, breathtaking scenery and the country’s rich history create the perfect environment to meet any traveler’s needs. And although there are countless trails and tours to choose from, those that include visits to the Loire Valley Chateaux are by far among the most famous.

The following are five castles that are featured in our Loire Valley Classic 7 Night Tour, and are a must for any visitor’s itinerary.

Chateau de Chambord – One of the most recognized castles in the world, this is also the largest chateau of the Loire Valley. People come from across the globe to witness this massive building’s amazing architecture, which perfectly combines both traditional French and classic Italian style.

Chateau d’Usse – Over the past several centuries, this incredible castle has been destroyed and rebuilt several times to arrive at the breathtaking modern-day version that we visit today. It is often referred to as the “Sleeping Beauty” castle because of its picturesque fairy tale appearance. In fact, it is said to have been one of Walt Disney’s inspirations in his creation of several Disney castles.

Chateau de Chaumont – Famous for the summertime garden festival held here, this beautiful castle has been classified as a Monument Historique since 1840 by the French Ministry of Culture. The views from this chateau are nothing short of amazing, mainly due to its prime location, right on the banks of the Loire River. Visitors here enjoy stunning panoramic views from all areas of the castle.

Chateau de Villandry – Known for its incredible sprawling gardens, the Chateau de Villandry is one of the most visited castles in France. Strategically planted and laid out in formal patterns, the famous gardens here include a water garden, ornamental flower gardens, and vegetable gardens. They are certainly a unique sight to see, and something not to be forgotten.

Chateau de Chenonceau – Built along the banks of the Cher River, this amazing superstructure is known for its breathtakingly beautiful architecture, both inside and out. It is home to an enormous library and several large halls big enough to entertain hundreds of visitors, as well as a lovely garden. The Chateau de Chenonceau also has an intriguing history, as it is rumored to have been given as a gift to King Henry’s mistress. This castle is one of our favorites and is included in seven of our Loire Valley tours.

A trip to France simply wouldn’t be complete without a visit to these world famous buildings. With the exception of Chaumont, all of them are a part of The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Join us for one of our Loire Valley tours and experience these incredible and unforgettable pieces of ancient history for yourself.

10 Rules for Safe Biking

2010-12-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

We want everyone to have a fun and safe holiday season. Check out these 10 rules to keep in mind while on the road.

http://www.ecovelo.info/2010/11/09/a-kinder-gentler-%E2%80%9C10-rules%E2%80%9D/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Happy holidays and enjoy the ride!!

The Towns of the 2011 Etape

2010-12-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the Ride and the Towns

Two Etape du Tours this year!! By now, everyone is familiar with the routes dates, distance, and difficulty, but have you researched deeper into the towns visited? Both locations have amazing, but different things to offer.

Act 1: Modane to Alpe d’Huez

Both these towns are exceptional places to visit and the ride from each location is exhilarating, but does take a great deal of endurance while battling the high peaks of the Rhone-Alpes department. Modane being a border town has many Italian features seen in the culture and monuments. The town has many fabulous sights to see including the Chapel of Our Lady of Chairmax, the Leaning House, and the Fountain of Modane. Although a remote area, its scenery is nothing short of stunning and will please any visitor.

Alpe d’Huez has been heard around the world with its famous 21 hairpins appearing in numerous Tour de France races. This area draws athletes of all types. Biking to the summit is a must whether it is on the road or on the mountain trails, but there is also great hiking as well as other activities from dog sledding to hang gliding. The possibilities are endless in this region.

Our guided and self-guided tours in the Rhone-Alpes region offer you an experience of a lifetime. Feel the sting when climbing the steep hills, the accomplishment when you reach the summit, the thrill as you race down the mountain, all while enjoying one of the best views in France.

Act 2: Issoire to St. Flour

This course, which stretches 208 km, begins in Issoire and finishes in St Flour. The first thing that usually pops into people’s mind is, “where the heck is Issoire and St Flour?” Both are in the Auvergne region, almost in the center of France, west of the Rhone-Alpes region and north of the Midi-Pyrenees region. Although off the beaten path, this area has much to offer travelers, specifically cyclists.

Everyone will want to take a stroll in the town square of Issoire lined with painted houses and joined by winding narrow streets. The Church of Saint-Austremoine exemplifying Roman style architecture is a unbelievable sight inside and out. Different from many churches, the interior is almost all painted with patterns of different colors. This isn’t the only site to see; along your route to St Flour make sure you visit the Chateau d'Alleuze and Viaduc de Garabit while taking in the magnificent landscape.

St Flour is situated between two volcanic mountains in the Massif Central department of the Auvergne region. The town itself is actually perched on top of the volcanic outcrops giving visitors a view of the surrounding countryside unlike any other. Take time to visit the museums of the town as well as the Cathedral of St. Pierre made of black basalt with its life-sized wooden black Christ statue.

St Flour knows a few things about gastronomy, so don’t miss the opportunity to try Tripoux, a stew of tripe and sheep feet tied in parcels…when in France right?

Both Issoire and St Flour have many adventures to offer cyclists. Many travelers overlook the Auvergne region, but with it being so close to the Pyrenees, Rhone-Alpes, Loire Valley and Provence regions it has many similar features from all of them making it the perfect getaway. The Etape Act 2 gives you the ideal excuse to explore these towns.

Discover France and Cyrpeo Awards

2010-12-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

Discover France has been fortunate to be recognized many times this year for all their hard work. The past 3 months have been especially exciting with awards:

At the annual ATOUT FRANCE French Affairs convention held in San Francisco, CA in October 2011, DF happily accepted the “Most Creative Tour Operator on Social Media” award. Wondering what the ATOUT FRANCE is? ATOUT FRANCE is France’s national tourism board. For seven years now this 2 day event has provided tour operators and suppliers in France a unique chance to connect face to face and also includes presentations, panels, lectures, activities, and trade shows. As you can see, this event is very well attended and this is a prestigious award. Discover France was also nominated for the “Most Extensive Offer,” but unfortunately did not take home the trophy for that award. The whole team was very excited. Below is a picture of the Scottsdale office with the award:

A few days later, but thousands of miles away, the France office and Cyrpeo, Discover France bike shop and bike school in southern France, was accepting another award: the “Lead” category award at the 8th edition of the Tres Petite Enterprise / Small Company. This rewards good company management, organization of the company leader amongst other requirements. However, this was only the preliminary award; fear not, a month later Cyrpeo locked in the overall award.

Cyrpeo was awarded Small Business of the Year in the Herault Department for 2010 (TPE 2010). Thomas Boutin, the France General Manager, and Loren Siekman, the USA General Manager, were present in Montpellier on Wednesday night for the presentation. Thomas accepted the award on behalf of the French staff and business generated for the department by the operations of Cyrpeo. This is a very important award, and great recognition for the efforts to develop cycling and cycling travel in the south of France. The local offices of tourism are very proud and numerous business people came to offer their congratulations. Below are pictures of the award ceremony:

As you can see this has been a very exciting time for Discover France. None of these awards could have been won without the continued support from their clients. Thanks to all the fans that follow and interact with the company on Facebook, twitter, the blog, and other social media sites because you make it easy to be creative and have fun with the postings.

5 Best Cols to Climb in France

2010-12-10T07:57:00.002-08:00

It’s certainly no secret that the country of France boasts some of the most beautiful and captivating landscapes on earth. It also happens to be home to some of the world’s most incredible bike adventures, perhaps the most famous being the Tour de France. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional cyclist to experience the noteworthy climbs of this grueling race. For those seeking a climb that will test your legs and mind until the sweet reward of reaching the top, France is the place to ride with a variety of cols certain to please any cycling enthusiast.

There are five cols in particular that top the list, all of which are featured in our King of the Mountains Tour.

Mont Ventoux – the last Alpine mountain ridge before the Rhône plain, this climb is particularly challenging because of its height and the elements cyclers face here. Nicknamed the “Giant of Provence”, it’s sometimes referred to as the “windy mountain” and is considered one of the toughest in the region. It can be climbed by 3 routes and has appeared in the TDF 14 times, 8 of which were stage finishes at the summit. Cyclers can conquer this challenge either by guided or self guided tour.

Alpe d’Huez – one of the Tour de France’s most famous mountain climbs, this is actually one of the least difficult. It certainly has its challenges, however, as this climb features 21 switchbacks and can also be tackled via self-guided and guided tours. Watch for both the TDF and the Etape du Tour to visit this mountain. For those interested, Discover France Adventures offers VIP tours and entry to the Etape.

Col du Galibier – this pass is considered one of the toughest Alpe cols in cycling history mainly because it can only be reached after the Col du Télégraphe or the Col du Lautaret and has an ascent of 34.9 km long over which some 1,924 height meters are climbed. The Col du Galibier is one of the features in our King of the Mountains Tour.

Col du Tourmalet – situated in Midi-Pyrenees, this mountain is one of the most famous climbs in the Tour de France. Bikers who make it to the summit will see a statue of famous cyclist Octave Lapize sitting atop his bike. The Etape du Tour rode this mountain in 2010, for which we offered a tour.

Hautacam – also situated in Midi-Pyrenees, this ascent starts from Argelès Gazost. Because it is unusual in its varying ascents and descents, this climb poses quite a challenge to those who take it on, though certainly a worthwhile one. It is one of the harder climbs we feature in our King of the Mountains tour.

If a cycling adventure is on your itinerary, France is the place to go to experience the very best. Most of these cols are offered in guided and self-guided tours and all have been climbed numerous times by the pros in the TDF. Additionally, all five have been rated “Top 20 Most Climbed Cols” by Climbbybike.com. So, what are you waiting for? The mountains are beckoning.

Dawn to Dusk Mountain Bike Race

2010-12-06T12:57:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Cycling Classics has mountain biking tours? Of course, riding the roads of the famous cols in France is everyone's dream, but what about the dirt trails not many people get to experience. We have tours in the Alpes and Provence regions.

Mountain biking offers an experience like nothing anyone has experienced. This past weekend, Loren (owner of Discover France), reconnected with the trails in Arizona at mountain bike race Dawn to Dusk. The Discover France corporate team clenched 1st place!! Check out the highlights of the race...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wB7o1EUWr8

Cycling Mont Ventoux

2010-12-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

The Giant of Provence - Mont Ventoux - is a legendary cycling destination. As I prepare to visit France I started reminiscing about that great climbs I've gotten to do there, especially the Mont Ventoux.

Mont Ventoux stands out above Provence and is a point of reference for all around. ON clear days you can see the Mediterranean and way off into the Pre-Alps of Haute Provence. Because it rises up from the plain, it is famous as a difficult climb. From Carpentras you can slowly cross the plain gently rising up to the town of Bedoin where the real climbing starts. Bedoin is one of 3 access points to the summit of Ventoux, and this route is considered the hardest.

On Monday mornings Bedoin has its village market, and it is a good one! Bedoin is also one of those very charming provencale villages that you would picture in all the travel guides to Provence. Stone houses, village square with Plane trees, little cafes and restaurants, and nearby an surprisingly good number of excellent wines! So, I arrive on Monday morning, park in a municipal lot and unload the bike. I mount, and after crossing the village, follow the detour around the market and I'm climbing. 22 kilometers to the summit. I make a mental note of the distance and basically think about nothing else as I continue; constantly calculating how many more kilometers to go!

The thing is, Mont Ventoux is steep. Grades from Bedoin vary from a few percentages at first, to mostly grades of 9% to 11% throughout. Oh, and its not like you go up 500 meters and then cross a flat for 100 meters of relief; nope, its all up. Only 50 meters perhaps of relief about 2 km below Chalet Reynard at the 6 km to go sign.

I started early, and soon found myself alone on the roads. This was May 1, so fairly early in the season, and the morning air was brisk. I rode with pull on sleeves, but in shorts, and was never cold. After passing Chalet Reynard, I did ride along a number of snow drifts alongside the road now up above tree line. The ride from Chalet Reynard is much easier than the previous part; and I managed about 14km/hour on this last stetch. Making it to the summit in 1 hour 40 minutes. A personal best, but 44 very long minutes behind Iban Mayo who set the record at last year's Dauphine Libere Tour.

At the summit, I reached for my camera, against the gale force winds and found my batteries had died. Well, a little extra dead weight never hurt, but I was pissed. Since I was too early in the season to find any of the services open at the summit, I went back down, passing a great number of cyclists coming up, and was at the Bedoin market 25 minutes later. I loaded up my bike, went back to our rented farmhouse, and was on the beach at La Courronne 3 hours later. On the drive back, I could barely make out Ventoux in the way off distance and imagined my little speck self at the top earlier that day. There were probably many specs at the top now!

Want to try it? Go for it! Here are some additional thoughts:

Train - meaning push until it hurts. Ride hills until you are dying for air. Climbing Ventoux won't come to you any other way.

Apart from that; you just need to get to France. Cycling Classics, one of our companies, does offer a tour at Mont Ventoux. We also offer bike rentals for use on our tour, or for your own personal use on something you may book and plan for yourself separately. Some good hotels in the area include the Hotel des Pins at Bedoin and the deluxe Hostellerie du Crillon le Brave about 6 km away from Bedoin. Nearby trains from Carpentras and Avignon or Orange connect to Paris and the TGV. Car rentals are available in both Orange and Avignon. Also, another big attraction around Ventoux is the lavender. Nearby Sault is in the heart of Provence lavender country and offers some beautiful riding, including a trip through the Gorges de la Nesque. Don't forget the wines; appellation of Cotes du Ventoux, and nearby Gigondas, Chateauneuf du Pape, and others.

The restaurant at Chalet Reynard is open year round and a good place to break up the ride, although I probably wouldn't advise it until coming down. There is a place to get water from a well just next to the restaurant as you start up the hill.

Every cyclists should get to experience this climb once in their life. Check out our tours when your time comes.

Life Lessons From the Dirt Trails

2010-11-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

What has mountain biking taught you about life? Cycling Classics offers guided mountain biking tours in France. Grab your bike and discover a little something about yourself and life on the trails. www.cyclingclassics.com/mtb_tours

20. Boldness pays.
19. Desperation breeds mistakes.
18. The hardest parts are also the loneliest.
17. There's fresh horse flop in the trail ahead.
16. Balance is first among the virtues; momentum is second.
15. Success requires confidence, but cockiness invites failure.
14. Sometimes, the best way past an obstacle is straight through it.
13. Some people get lucky at parts; nobody gets lucky at everything.
12. It's all about the being and the going, not the having and the arriving.
11. At each intersection, there's the easy way and the hard, rewarding way.
10. It's tempting to focus on the immediate problem to the exclusion of the big picture.
9. The thing that nails you is the one you don't see coming.
8. It's worth stopping for a breather to see where you are.
7. Thousands of tiny decisions shape the trip.
6. The fun starts when you push the limits.
5. You can get hurt, heal and go again.
4. Ups are followed by downs.
3. Practice makes you better.
2. No quitting allowed.
1. Love hurts (but don't let that stop you from falling in love.)

List comes from http://sacredridesmtb.blogspot.com/2010/11/20-things-mountain-biking-teaches-you.html

Cycling Classics Alpes Tour in Outside Magazine

2010-09-22T11:32:00.001-07:00

Our Alpes Oisan Valley Cycling Tour is on the Outside Magazine Life List just out this month! Climbing Alpe d'Huez is for many cyclists one of the biggest experiences to have; thus a life list achievement! It is very accessible to anyone who can get themself to France as the article points out; but you gotta have the legs and the lungs! Check it out:
http://outsideonline.com/travel/travel-ta-road-biking-france-outfitted-travel-sidwcmdev_151354.html

Etape

2010-07-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

The Etape du Tour riders could not possibly have asked for a more beautiful day to ride 181 kilometers from Pau to La Mongie. We got up before dawn to get on the bus from our hotels to get to the early morning start. The 3:30 a.m. wake-up call was brutal, I’m sure! And the reward was getting to most of the stage that the Tour de France riders will cover tomorrow. That means pedaling over the Col de Marie-Blanque, 9.5 kilometers averaging 7.5%, the Col du Soulor, 22k averaging just under 5%, and finishing up the Tourmalet, 19k averaging 7.5%. It was a long day in the saddle, but what an accomplishment! The first riders came in around in 6 hours… Lots were still coming in around 10 hours and more. Then, after crossing the finish line and getting their medals, the riders had to climb up one more hill to get their lunch!

Our self-guided Pyrenees riders got their first day on the bikes today, too. We set them off on a gorgeous, blue-sky day (a nice change from yesterday’s fog and cold!). Most pedaled away from the Etape ride, but they still got to climb the Tourmalet to get home to the hotel. All in all, a great day on the mountain! More photos posted on Facebook fan page

VIP Day Les Rousses

2010-07-11T16:16:00.001-07:00

VIP Day #1
"Allez! Allez!" Can't tell you how many times we heard that today, since we got to ride the last 50k of today's Tour de France route that ended in La Rousses. Most of the group climbed Col de la Croix de la Serra and the Col de l'Amoura, . It was hot, hot, hot; in fact the bike computers were showing 99 degrees F, but everybody rode strong. When we got into La Rousses, our Discover France VIP group got to ride across the finish line AND stand on the winners' podium. They got a behind-the-scenes tour and got to watch Sylvain Chavanel take another stage win just a few yards from the finish line.
It was a pretty cool day, made even cooler by the television interviews we did for SBS Television in Australia. The news team was doing a story on fans at the Tour. They shot video of us taking pictures of each other on the podium, and interviewed two of our 4 Aussies. And another of our guests did an interview for National Public Radio. Discover France making news on two continents. Ha!
Getting out of the stage finish area was no easy feat though... Negotiating barricaded roads and tens out thousands of people made our exit.. challenging.. but we did get to experience a HUGE French storm complete with hurricane winds and hail. Tomorrow: Another VIP day at the Morzine finish, and we'll probably tackle a Category One climb.
Hoping to get some rest tonight for another big Tour de France Day.

See More Images and daily updates: http://www.discoverfrance.com/blog/

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Annecy Starts VIP Alpes

2010-07-09T10:58:00.001-07:00

And the Alpes adventure begins! Michel and I drove from Lunel to Annecy this afternoon and met our 16 VIP guests at the Imperial Palace Hotel (which is just as palatial as you might think). We got everybody set up on bikes and briefed them on the rides and Tour de France experiences they're about to enjoy. This group has folks from all over the world; lots of Americans, from Portland to Florida, a South African, and four Aussies (although one lives in Singapore)! We got to know each other a little better over a 3-hour (!) dinner at the Imperial Palace terrace, which overlooks the lake and the mountains. Absolutely gorgeous.

Tomorrow, we'll be up bright and early to get on the bikes, take a spin around most of last year's Tour de France time trial course and climb Col de la Forclaz, about 9 kilometers of steep that reaches a grade of about 13 percent at the top. From the top, you can see Mont Blanc off in the distance. Then, of course, the descent will be the pay-off, always is. Everyone is very excited about getting on bike in France.
More to follow!

The Adventure Begins - Off to the Alpes

2010-07-08T07:11:00.001-07:00

It’s Go Time at the Discover France operation in Lunel! Last night, the Discover France team got together at the bike shop for a gigantic bon voyage dinner of paella (appropriate, as Spain won its quarter final game in the World Cup!) We’ve spent days, weeks, MONTHS (years!!) getting the framework done so the next 18 days at the Tour de France are fantastique for our guests! The adventure of a bike tour following an event as huge as the Tour de France is that even the surest plans can and do change! To borrow a cliche, expect the unexpected and you won’t be disappointed.
By now, Michel and I are on the way to Annecy to meet our first group, our VIP Alpes crew, which is mostly American. You’ll get to live their adventures vicariously through the blog, so check back here every day for updates and photos. We’ve put together some amazing and unforgettable rides for them.
Ciao for now,
Wendy

TDF July 6

2010-07-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Wow! Take a look at the vans we'll be using for some of our Tour de France tours! We just got them back from the automotive detailing company, and they look fantastic, don't you think? Our Discover France guests will be riding in style, when they're not riding their bikes!
The Tour de France riders left Belgium and crossed into France this afternoon. The cobbles wreaked havoc, just as everybody expected.
In sympathy, I rode my the Verargues-to-St. Christol version of pave early this morning, before the sun started searing the earth (93F today!). These photos were taken around 6:30 a.m.... The sun seems to come up way before 6 here, and doesn't set til after ten at night. I don't think I've fallen asleep in the dark for weeks.
We are getting really excited for our first Discover France trip to start, our Alpes VIP group meets on Thursday in Annecy. Lots to do before then, but we're on it!

Ciao for now
Wendy

p.s. follow our adventures with a shortcut, on twitter, i'm cyclefrance

Tour de France Day 2 - Monday

2010-07-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

Day 2 of the Tour brought slippery roads, more crashes. and a new yellow jersey rider! Hopefully Tuesday's stage won't bring more rain for the riders, as it's already promising to be a pretty treacherous day on the pave. Also, hopefully, there won't be a lot of abandon's after so many hard falls the last couple of days. We want there to be some riders left when we get to the raceW I've been watching the Tour de France on my MAC! It's pretty good, and I've been able to find a couple of pages where there are announcers who speak English. The announcers on the French sites talk too quickly for me to understand everything (Yesterday, all I needed to know was "tomber," which means 'to fall!)
Here are a few more things that make me love being in France:
- Camargue horses, from this region of Southern France. They are born dark brown or black, and turn white around age four. Really. I didn't believe it either, so I googled it. It's true.
-A couple next to me at breakfast at the hotel brought their little bird in a cage and sat it right on the table.
-Navigating on French roads is hard. We'll have Garmin GPS systems on our tours, but before then, I'm improvising with my Tom Tom for my car and hair bands. Laugh, but it works

Eating & Le Tour Start

2010-07-04T07:58:00.001-07:00

Le Tour commence! The Tour de France begins! And what a great beginning it was. Lance looked strong, and I don't think I'm the only one who got pleasure from him beating Alberto Contador either! Right now, we're still watching the Tour on television, which is interesting, as, of course, it's in french. It's still exciting, and i still watch every second, but I'd be lying if I said I don't miss Phil, Paul, and all the Bob Rollisms. Riders on our VIP tours get to hang out with media covering the Tour one afternoon; I'm hoping we'll get to say 'hello' to the VS TV gang.

What's also begun is the return of getting to eat amazing French food.
I don't know what it is, but the French can take a few simple ingredients and make them into food that is really special. Who am I kidding? I think they just use a lot of BEURRE (butter. everything is, and should be, a butter delivery system). Of course, it's more than
that: Even at my little traditional family hotel in Lunel-Viel, I see the owners bringing in fresh bread and vegetables and meats every day.
I certainly do my part, by cleaning my plate every night! And one more
thing: Why don't restauants in America bring you hot milk for your hot coffee like they do here? I'd been looking forward to that for weeks before I got on the plane. Not disappointed.

Follow me on twitter for 140 letter updates at cyclefrance.

Ciao for now.
W

p.s. GO LANCE!

Riding to warm up for the Tour!

2010-07-03T21:58:00.001-07:00

How does riding on narrow country roads through beautiful small towns on a beautiful misty morning sound? That's how my day started. The riding in France is really good, as (most) drivers are considerate of cyclists (good thing, because when I say the roads are narrow, they are NARROW!). Even when the ride is described as 'flat,' don't expect Florida flat. It's more like Maryland flat, with nice-sized rollers. I will say that for the somewhat directionally-challenged, like me, a GPS is a necessity, not an option. There's a little bit of trial and
error, to get from here to there sometimes, but it's all part of the
adventure.

Heading to Cyrpeo-Discover France, bike shop home base, to put the last of the bike racks on the van and work on bike route for our VIP Alpes guests.
Little cooler today, maybe? Nah.

Ciao,
W

p.s. follow me on twitter, i'm cyclefrance!

Eve of the Tour

2010-07-02T16:13:00.001-07:00

The Tour de France starts tomorrow in Rotterdam! Here in Lunel, the Discover France team is getting everything ready for our guests to follow the Tour, beginning in Annecy in just a few short days. The racks are on the vans, the bikes that many of our guests have rented are tuned up and ready to go, and, as you can see, we're putting together some Powerbar goodies, to help our riders get started on fueling up for big days on the road.

It's going to be a scorcher for the Tour riders AND ours: It's been over 90 F every day this week! I took the bike out on the road before 7 am this morning, and it was getting hot within an hour. Note to self: sun screen, light-colored kits, and very dark sunglasses.

Follow me on twitter at cyclefrance for quicker reading!

Ciao,
Wendy

Last preparations under way for TDF2010

2010-07-02T16:10:00.001-07:00

Bonjour from Lunel, Southern France headquarters for Discover France Adventures and Cycling Classics! It's 2 days til the Tour de France, and the team here is working hard to get ready for our tours. I'm Wendy, and I'll be keeping you up-to-date with all the cool adventures we'll be having along this year's Tour de France route. Lance Armstrong (Team Radioshack, of course) just announced this will be his last TdF, so it's bound to be a memorable, exciting, AND historic Tour. You may know that we usually will have three simultaneous TdF tours running: Self-guided, Domestique, and VIP. Thomas, Michel, and I will be on the VIP Alpes trip, which begins in exactly one week in the beautiful town of Annecy. Wait til you see photos of Lac d'Annecy; it's one of the most beautiful lakes I've ever seen (especially from the top of the Col when you're done climbing and are drinking a Coca Light!). But for now, we are getting everything ready for the trips: preparing bikes and gift bags and vans, etc, to make this the best Tour de France experience ever! You can check back here for daily reports and photos, or for quicker reading, follow me on twitter; I'm cyclefrance.
Ciao for now!

Wendy Chioji

Tour Updates Starting NOW

2010-07-01T12:20:00.001-07:00

Bonjour from Lunel, Southern France headquarters for Discover France Adventures and Cycling Classics! It's four days til the Tour de France, and the team here is working hard to get ready for our tours. I'm Wendy, and I'll be keeping you up-to-date with all the cool adventures we'll be having along this year's Tour de France route. Lance Armstrong (Team Radioshack, of course) just announced this will be his last TdF, so it's bound to be a memorable, exciting, AND historic Tour. You can check back here for daily reports once we put the rubber to the road, or for quicker reading, follow me on twitter; I'm cyclefrance.
Ciao for now!
w

2010-05-26T22:18:00.001-07:00

Last places now available for our Tour de France tours. We had a few cancellations in the last weeks, and we have some 'remnant' hotel space we are selling in key locations like La Mongie and Bordeaux for those last few stages:

Pyrenees VIP - 2 spaces now available, open due to cancellation

Pyrenees Domestique - 2 spaces

Pyrenees & Bordeaux - hotel package, from 495 euros

Hotel Only - Etape du Tour

Self Guided Pyrenees - 4 spaces

5 Good Things to Know Before Cycling in France

2010-04-22T13:59:00.001-07:00

5 Things to Know Before you Cycle in France

Watch the Signs

The French drive on the right-hand side of the road and some major road signs resemble those in North America. Stop signs say "STOP." Remember that any measurements will use the metric system (France being its birthplace thus kilometers). There may be some that you don't recognize but as a cyclist many of these won't concern you anyway. Signs can be confusing sometimes when following road numbers; in that case, just stick to following the name of the town. Note: blue signs indicate autoroutes - avoid that color! Red signs indicate national roads - avoid those too if they tell you how to get to a town. Yellow/white signs are smaller roads - so follow that color with the town name when in doubt.

Road Rules

Roads in France are generally well marked, paved and maintained. That said, the traffic you encounter can be horrendous if you happen to find yourself on the wrong road. As a cyclist you should make every effort to put yourself on the best cycling roads, even if they take you a little out of your way. Far better to take a little longer to get on a route that is safer and scenic. After all, you're there to enjoy yourself!

Avoid all "A" (Autoroute / toll roads) and as much as possible all "N" (national highway) roads. "D" (departemental) roads are smaller and well suited to cyclists but look carefully at your map; some can be busy. Even smaller are "C" roads and "D" roads and their subsets like D213a, for example, which would be a branch of D213.

Garçon,..? Service?

Breakdowns happen. On a cycle trip of any considerable length, this is something that you may have to contend with. Even if you don't end up snapping a chain or bending a derailleur out of shape, you may want a quick performance tune up while you stop to have lunch. Keep an eye out for the velociste or a magasin de vélo. Note that many bike shops also service motorcycles and mopeds or scooters.

Myriad Maps

The word cartography, the science or practice of drawing maps, comes from the French word carte (for map). As a cyclist you may be overwhelmed with your choice of maps -- there are tons! Whichever ones you choose, be sure to go with a scale size of no more than 1:250,000. IGN, France's equivalent of the UK's Ordnance Survey, makes some really exceptional maps at 1:100,000 and 1:50,000 that are perfect for cyclists.
Lock It Up

Unless you plan on never letting your bike out of your sight, a top quality lock is an absolute must. Don't skimp here on a cheap chain or wire lock. Spend the extra money and get something sturdy. Petty theft is rampant in France and an estimated 400,000 bicycles are stolen every year. Your shiny, unlocked bike won't be sitting there very long if left unlocked and unattended.

Last Call - Tour de France 2010

2010-04-06T14:12:00.001-07:00

A final push to fill Alpes trips is on here at Discover France Adventures. We have mostly filled our Pyrenees and Paris trips, but a few places are still open there. We expect everything to be sold by mid May. Some new opportunities have come up too including:

New Hotel Only option in La Mongie for the big stage of Pau-Tourmalet; and space in Paris in a 3 star hotel combined with grand stand seating on the final stage. We have also opened a few remnant rooms for self contained cycling in the Pyrenees. After this, the Alpes is now what remains. A press release just went out yesterday about this, which was also posted earlier, and it is being picked up by many outlets. I did a radio interview today with KPAM in Portland, OR and I'm scheduled to do another radio interview this weekend on a nationally syndicated broadcast. (details posted later!)

Below is the content of a letter sent by 'enews'. If you or anyone you know has an interest in going to the Tour this summer, April is really getting down to the end of available space with official tour operators.

*****BELOW sent by Enews*****
Imagine riding in your own personal peloton in the French Alps, where the climbing starts in earnest in the 2010 Tour! You’ll not only ride in the wake of the pros, you’ll also mingle with them thanks to our special VIP access to the race.

We have a very limited number of spaces available on both our 9-day Alpes VIP & and Alpes Domestique tours; both tours begin July 8 in beautiful Annecy and end on July 16 in Grenoble (after a final ride to Valence to watch the arrival of the Tour in Bourg les Valence).
We designed both the VIP and Domestique tours for strong cyclists who crave big mountain climbs…and both itineraries include a climb of the legendary Alpe d'Huez! And both are led by professional licensed cycling guides.

The VIP tour includes deluxe 4-star hotels, souvenir kit and special access to the pro teams and race, including ‘D-Day’ at Les Rousses - the first mountain stage of the 2010 Tour. If you’d like a lower cost option, our Domestique tour does not include the special access VIP package. For both tours, we can also arrange other special services, including helicopter tours, extra nights before or after the tour and hotel accommodations in Paris. A more affordable option also exists with our Self Guided Alpes trips.

Please call us today at 1.800.960.2221 to reserve your spot or if you’d like more information about either tour. My staff and I will be on-site for the entire Tour and we’d love to extend our award-winning “Maillot Jaune” service to you.
###

Best regards - Loren

Book the 2011 Tour de France Now!

2010-03-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

No, really, it isn't too early! No risk reservations are going to be accepted starting April 1, 2010 -in a few weeks! No risk, because you can hold without a deposit and cancel later this year when a deposit will be required. Want to know a little about the 2011 Tour? We do already know that the Grand Depart 2011 will be in the area of France known as the Vendee; part of central Western France bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The first stage will be a 180km road race and stage 2 is a Team Time Trial! Quite a start indeed!

So, what's up with the 2010 bookings? The Pyrenees and our Paris packages are nearly sold out. Some self guided space remains.

The Alpes is now where the space still remains. VIP, Domestique, and Self Guided places are still available in the Alpes. See details at this page.

Custom Group Cycling Tours - You Can Do It!

2010-03-12T15:41:00.000-08:00

For our Cycling Classics hard core cyclists - we are organizing a number of custom groups already in 2010. We are able to do custom groups for as few as 4 persons! Our award winning Trans Pyrenees Trip has received numerous requests for custom guided and self guided groups. We have enough interest that we have started to gather names of individuals and we are forming departures. Anyone interested in joining a Trans-Pyrenees trip in 2010, please contact us! 800-960-2221 USA/Canada or 09.53.18.94.99 in France.

Tour de France Tour Updates

2010-03-02T12:23:00.000-08:00

We have made changes to our tour offers and have sold a great deal of space in the Pyrenees, not much left there!

More Self Guided Options!

Our Pyrenees Self Guided Trip sold so quickly that we added more rooms now and offer a La Mongie Self Guided Part II .

Self Contained - hotel, breakfast, dinner, route maps/ride itineraries - 499 euros/person for 4 nights based in Argeles sur Gazost - heart of the Pyrenees Tour routes!

Hotel Only - Argeles sur Gazost, 3 star hotel, 18-21 July, 3 nights. Contact us for quotes!

Provence-Pyrenees VIP Trip - down to 4 spaces only remaining!!

Pyrenees VIP Trip - 5 spaces remaining!

Bordeaux-Paris VIP Guided - 2 spaces remaining!

Hot Deal: Tour de France Trip & Etape du Tour

2010-02-08T16:26:00.001-08:00

Priced at 499 euros; this is a smokin deal for truly independent types: Self Contained Pyrenees Cycling Tour at the Tour de France. This package was just added today as we modified our Etape du Tour offers. At 4 nights, the charming little hotel is in the key town of Argeles sur Gazost and right at the foot of Aubisque and Hautacam. Not too much further to Tourmalet or Luz Ardiden or even Pau, this is an excellent location. These places will not last long!
ETAPE du Tour - A full stage of the Tour de France over closed roads! Our Short Etape du Tour program has sold better (990 euros with guide and vehicle!) and we sold almost all of our Etape entries to custom groups (about 40 people combined). So, we have up to 7 remaining places for Etape du Tour for this short trip, which is a guided program to make handling the logistics of Etape really easy. If you have the time, you can add on the self contained program above for a week that is under 1500 euros for 7 nights at the Tour de France and experience you'll never forget!

Paris Nice 2010

2010-02-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

The program has been announced on the 29th of January, and can be viewed at:
http://www.letour.fr/indexPNC_us.html

The route bends a little west this year through the Loire Region to Limoges before turning back to the east in a gradual descent down the country of France and into the "Cote d'Azur" at Nice. That's a trip through some typically cold country late winter to the warm and sunny Med coast. 7 stages and a prologue that see over 200km in just about every stage. There is some climbing too! The race starts March 7 just outside Paris and finishes in Nice on March 14.

Not coincidentally, but specifically in conjunction with Paris-Nice, we are offering some early season guided cycling tours on the French Riviera to ride the sunny region and see the end of Paris-Nice. Check out the program on this page of our Cycling Classics Site: http://www.cyclingclassics.com/riviera.php This trip is a guided program and priced at an amazing price of 1595 euros! It is low season, airfares are cheap, and the Mediterranean coast is usually a nice warm place to be in March!

Lance Armstrong Helps Haiti

2010-01-14T17:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/2010-01-13-lance-armstrong-haiti_N.htm

Nice job! That is very generous, way to go Lance!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T11:52:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone!

From all of us at Discover France Adventures, Pure Adventures, Cycling Classics, GoToParis; we wish you a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year in 2010!

Dollar on Strong Roll to Euro

2009-12-17T07:55:00.001-08:00

Lots of turmoil in the currency market today and since this week. It is likely to continue next week before it turns around. Many analysts see the dollar much weaker than it is today during 2010. We are locking down forward contracts on currency to hedge against 2010 increase. We encourage any readers planning a 2010 vacation to consider prepaying their trip or get connected to the market news.

Here is a good place to read up:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/markets/currencies.html

Happy Holidays!

New Guided Alpes to Mont Ventoux

2009-12-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to announce that we have finally posted this new guided trip for 2010; Alpe d'Huez to Mont Ventoux!

This trip is open for booking on the following dates: June 13-20, June 26-July 3, August 21-28, & September 19-26; this tour is guided, or can be available upon request for any group of minimum of 6 persons on any date you choose; subject to hotel availability.

Highlights of the cycling include:

Alpe d'Huez
Col de la Croix de Fer
Col de Galibier
Col d'Izoard
Mont Ventoux

The trip is very nicely priced at 1595 euros with 6 participant minimum basis!
It is a 7 night trip and includes all the following in this price:

lodging in mostly 3 stars and 1 2 star hotel, most dinners as shown in the itinerary, picnic lunches, daily buffet breakfast, arrival and departure transfers and all interim transportation, welcome orientation and drink, road book with maps and cue sheets, luggage handling, 1 professional guide for 8 persons and 1 support van with roof mounted bike carrier, energy bars, drink mix, souvenir Discover France jersey.

Call us at 800-960-2221/480-905-1235 or in France at 04.67.71.16.09
email: info@cyclingclassics.com
OFFER: Subscribers to this feed or our Enews can take a 75 euros per person discount if booked before January 31!

Discover France Announces 2010 Tour de France Tours

2009-11-09T15:52:00.001-08:00

Discover France Adventures, official Tour Operator to the Tour de France, has now posted all of their tour offers for the 2010 race. The offers vary from VIP guided tours with full on insider access to media, the teams, and rides on the closed race course as well as podium access. At the other end of the offers are the self guided tours which give independent do-it-yourselfers excellent locations to see several stages of the 2010 Tour. Discover France is also offering what they call their "Domestique" tours - fully guided tours with excellent lodging and professional guides without the price tag of the VIP access.

If you are cyclists, how about riding a full stage of the Tour de France yourself? That is what Etape du Tour is all about and Discover France has packages to do just that.

The cycling isn't only for strong cyclists! Discover France also offers a VIP tour with moderate cycling distances that will suit perfectly for couples and persons who also want to take in more of the French culture and heritage. This trip starts in Aix en Provence on Bastille Day - what a great way to start!

For those who follow the Tour de France but don't have time to give to a complete cycling tour, there are the Paris only and Bordeaux+Paris offers available. These all include special Tribune seating for the final stage that finishes on the Champs Elysees in Paris. There is nothing like reserved seating for this stage as the streets surrounding are at least 10 people deep!

Custom requests are still being accepted. Numerous groups are organized already, so don't wait, hotel space is getting harder to have. Contact us by email to request a quote.

Discover France Official Tour Operator to the Tour de France

2009-10-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

Now posted live on the official tour website: www.letour.fr

Pricing and details will be posted live within a few days timeframe on our sites:

www.discoverfrance.com
www.cyclingclassics.com

Crossing the Pyrenees is BEST TRIP FOR 2010!

2009-10-28T16:54:00.001-07:00

National Geographic Adventure has selected another Discover France tour for their annual award list known as the "25 Best New Trips for 2010". The November issue is now on news stands and the online article can be found at this link: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/2009/11/best-new-trips-2010/trips-text

The trip chosen is our new Crossing the Pyrenees Trip which is actually listed on the Cycling Classics Website at this page: http://www.cyclingclassics.com/pyrenees_traverse.php
This is a challenging trip as it involves cycling from the Atlantic Coast to the Mediterrean Coast over the passes and through the famous Pyrenees Mountain chain. It is however a dream trip for strong cyclists and long distance riders who love to get away from it all! The big draw and main selling feature in selecting this trip for this prestigious list is the fact that the Pyrenees remain a true natural setting that have gone largely unnoticed by mass tourism development.

Small villages that depend on agriculture and livestock as well as a few small industries still keep people in these remote and wildly picturesque hill sides. This is still France and so food is an important tradition everywhere in France. Cycling all day is rewarded with comfortable lodging, a warm welcome, and hearty traditional cuisine!

We referred to this trip as an 'expedition' style trip of days gone by. Imagine leaving the glitzy Atlantic coast at Biarritz behind and riding into the 'unknown'?! Passing from small village to small village and crossing quiet lands and soaking up raw mountain beauty creates anticipation and a bit of concern. The cycling is hard - so participants need to be ready! We offer guided and self guided options to do this tour; prices are posted on the link above!

Tour de France 2010 - Oct 14

2009-10-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

The route of the 2010 Tour de France is to be announced next week in Paris, October 14. We are naturally watching very closely to see exactly how the Tour route will shape up for 2010, but we have a few ideas and a major announcement that is forthcoming:

First, we are pleased to pre-announce that Discover France Adventures, owners of the brand Cycling Classics, will be an Official Tour Operator for the Tour de France in 2010 ! This is very exciting news and following meetings with Amaury Sports Organization (ASO) last week in Paris, we are pleased to be selected by ASO in this exclusive representation! Only 5 companies worldwide share this distinction! We are already planning for the official announcement.

One important bit of information that does NOT come with our official tour operator status is any early knowledge of the upcoming Tour route. So, like most, even we have to wait to October 14 to know for sure. However, we have been busy at work booking hotels in various places throughout France. What we can say for sure is this:

The Pyrenees are going to play a big role in 2010. This is the 100th anniversary of the Tourmalet and the Tour de France; so we expect a number of stages in the Pyrenees, including a Tourmalet stage. We also expect to see Etape du Tour in the Pyrenees again this year - possibly including the Tourmalet.

We expect huge numbers for the places we will have to offer in 2010. We will offer VIP trips with privilged access on the Tour and of course our traditional Tour trips without all the same VIP access but still privileged info and always professional support. We hope to announce our tours in full detail by the end of October. Early booking is possible with the option to cancel (without any penalty); see this page of our site for info: Tour de France 2010

New Guided Alpes Trips for 2010

2009-09-04T12:01:00.001-07:00

Currently in the works:

New Alpes Trip: Stay at Alpe d'Huez for a few nights, ride on to St Martin en Maurienne following the route of the Marmotte; then to Briancon to bag the Galibier and Izoard.

New Alpes to Ventoux: following the above route we continue on to Mont Ventoux.

Dates are in process now. Groups of 6 or more can have a custom guided tour date - let us know soon as guides, vans, and equipment are already being booked up.

Tour de France followers - here is a cool blog that can keep you up to date on what the latest speculations are for 2010:

New Jerseys & Shirts are Here

2009-08-24T15:31:00.001-07:00

The new Discover France Adventures 'kits' are in! Jerseys, shorts, and bib shorts are available at prices just over cost. This is not a profit center item, we want jerseys on the road so we are just covering costs; so the prices are very good. This is high quality gear made by Sugoi, the same company that outfits our top rated amateur youth development team, Team Waste Management.

The design is very cool too! We use our custom logos and unique logo color combination but we have kept the graphics to a minimum. For fun, we stuck a baguette, wine bottle, and camembert (cheese) in the back pockets! Its France afterall!! On the collar it says Bonjour and Au Revoir! The material is lightweight and light colors so will keep you cool; and looking very cool!

Also on this page that is linked above are some new T-shirts! Of course they too are very stylish and sold at just over cost. Different options are available. Some nice white Ts to our blue/green T, and our night club black T.

Enjoy!

Tour de France & Etape 2010

2009-08-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Tour is a few weeks in the bag now and already the inquiries for 2010 are upon us! In fact, we already have bookings! (Pic: Our client David Towne with his favorite play by play guy!)

What we know - the 2010 Tour will see some new teams and potentially a new rivalry: Contador who is trying to get away from Astana and possibly go with a new Spanish team; Lance going to Radioshack and forming a team. There is no doubt that the news and dramas of pro cycling will keep us glued until next year.

This year we had some great trips and feedback was very good. So, in order to get people booked and confortable, we are going to accept advance bookings now with a fully refundable option until December this year. When we know the full Tour program for 2010 in late October, we will announce some tours. This is a NO RISK way to lock up some space.

Why our tours? They are for cyclists - some come along if you want to do a lot of riding! We use only professional guides - which means Frenchmen who have years of cycling education, a diploma certifying their ability to lead people which includes safety, first aid, insurance, mechanics, group dynamics, and more. Not to mention that our guides are also bilingual, friendly, fun, and all strong cyclists themselves! Last - Price; very few can offer a better value. Being based in France and USA gives us a unique cost advantage - we don't have to subcontract services - so no layers of margin in our tours! Keep that in mind when you shop!

Check out the details at our site: 2010 French Grand Tour

Below are some pics submitted by clients from this year:

Team Astana Rocks TTT

2009-07-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

Life is sweet.
Today, I had a day of so I was able to see the Tour de France in my own city: Montpellier, close to the French office.
From my flat, I could hear the people and the helicopters used for TV. The atmosphere was dedicated to bicycle.
So, of course, the crowd was fantastic and very enthusiastic. People were from all over the planet.
But guess who get the best welcome? Lance for sure!
The only guys who draw something on the road were Lance fans, they wrote “Allez Lance” (Go Lance) just in front of me. Even if there are quite a lot of stars, everyone was overwhelmed by Lance.
He has a huge charisma, he moves the audience.
I am so happy to finally get to see him even if they are so fast that you just cannot believe it!

The race is on, enjoy it…

Photos and video posted on Facebook

Tom.

New Transpyrenees Challenge Tour

2009-06-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

We have just operated this tour for 28 people on 2 different groups but in reverse order. This tour has been in the works for 6 months now and is posted for 2010. However, we can offer it for private groups in August and September this year as well. Here is a short description and link to the full tour info:

Trip: Cycling Across The Pyrenees

http://www.cyclingclassics.com/pyrenees_traverse.php

Location: France, From Biarritz to Collioure

Dates: TBD – open from Mid May to Mid October

9 Nights/10 Days

Guided, Self Guided, Custom Groups

1790 euros Self Guided

2435 euros Guided

This tour is going new on our site but we have actually run it a few times this year for some private groups; so it is tested. Our guides just returned last week and they were overwhelmed with the amazing beauty of the region. Our guides are French and they were still impressed. The region is one of only a few places in France that is more or less undisturbed. Traditions and an old way of life continue on. There are many tiny villages but no big cities. Wildlife still inhabit the region in their natural environment. The peaks of the Pyrenees make you feel like you are on top of the world but are really only about 8000 ft in elevation. The dining is informal and hardy in the local tradition, and the people couldn’t be more sweet and welcoming. They are proud of their space and are thrilled to have travelers come to see it.

We are presenting this trip to clients as if they were explorers; setting off on an expedition. The challenge of the cycling and the wild, quiet, and relatively unknown countryside ahead gives a great sense of anticipation. The clients start with 1 foot in the harsh Atlantic surf and finish with the other in the mild Mediterranean calm. This is a trip of a lifetime for people who will do it.

We believe it is a great value for a 10 day trip. It is priced in euros, as is our policy, but converted to $US at today’s rates is in the $3300 range based on 6 persons. You will note that the tour price can change with group size – so more participation can lower the costs per person. Also, you will note that this trip can be done self guided too for about $2500.

Tour de France - Day by Day Details

2009-06-11T17:55:00.001-07:00

The Tour de France website now has the details of each stage posted. You can see stage by stage the map/route, sometimes profiles when it isn't a flat stage, also the time schedule which I think is really great info. There are nice pictures and info of the stage start towns and finish towns. If you are going to the race, the Time Schedule is very useful for planning. The race runs almost exactly as they have it posted!

http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/100/etape_par_etape.html

Last Minute Tour de France Tours

2009-05-29T11:28:00.001-07:00

The Giro is almost over and the Tour is just about a month away. Where will you be? In front of your TV or on site?! We have a couple spaces left to offer, so readers, check it out quickly. Airlines have been doing funky last minute things, maybe you can score a good fare; and if so, get on it and maybe you can join one of our trips! Prices are the best you will find!

2 space left: Alpes-Mont Ventoux, July 19-26. We had a cancellation and can take a couple or 2 friends.

1 space left: Alpes-Mont Ventoux II; July 19-26. Your own room, or you can share on 2 nights of the trip with another.

Why go on these? Ride the big mountains of Alpe d'Huez, Galibier, Ventoux. See the time trial in Annecy; stage finish on Ventoux where the winner WILL be determined! Oh yeah, did I mention our price is about as good as you can find anywhere?!

Finally - moderate cycling option to see the first week of the race; Monaco to Provence. Catch the opening and then the Team Time Trial.

All details at www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour.php

LAST CHANCE - contact us to get in! info@cyclingclassics.com

New Extreme Challenge Event in France

2009-04-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

Merrell Oxygen Challenge
http://www.oxygenchallenge.com/index_us.htm

A new program in Challenge events, or better yet, Extreme events, this is the first year for the event and will take place in May. The organization behind is well know, ASO, the same organization that runs the Tour de France, Paris Marathon, and many others.

This unique event offers an 'a la carte' composition of trail runs and mountain bike rides over 4 days. Several thousand people are expected this year according to the site. This might be a perfect way to tie in a road riding trip to France and do it all in 10 days! 2010!

L

Tour de France - French Riviera

2009-04-10T10:22:00.001-07:00

So, the Tour starts in Monaco this year which is very unique in the history of the tour. The Principalite of Monaco is an independent country but it might as well be France. Situated just next to Nice on the Cote d'Azur, this is the perfect start for the tour we are offering to enjoy some of the best southern France countryside and the greatest bicycle race in the world!

To know more about the opening events and activities for the race, visit this page of the Tour's website: http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/COURSE/us/grand_depart_2009.html

We are offering a chance to ride along the French Riviera and then continue on to the southern beaches of Provence to see the all important Team Time Trial. Among all the hard core cycling tours we offer at the Tour, this trip is not meant to be a hard core trip. In fact, it is a moderate trip that is open to good cyclists who love to follow the race but would also like to enjoy some Provence countryside and Mediterranean beaches. There is no heavy climbing and the ride distances are moderate with options to go long for those who need more miles.

To see full details about this trip, please see our website at http://www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour01.php

Last Minute Bookings - New Norm?

2009-04-01T08:36:00.001-07:00

Hotels and airlines are willing to undercut themselves and their advance planning customers in order to fill unsold space. The trend has been around for a while, but it seemed like only a lucky few or those who were very flexible could get a last minute deal in the past. For example, being single gives you a whole lot of flexibility that a family of 4 may not have. According to the Wall Street Journal today, this last minute trend may be something of the new norm.

Of course new norms change all the time. The examples cited in the article show that currently this does pay off. I think this can only work with airlines and individual hotel bookings, however the cruise industry seems to be doing the same thing. Well, I personally don't care much about what the cruise industry is doing and frankly all these 'travel products' have become commodities. My concern is how this mentality transfers over into the tour business.

As a company that sells mostly self-guided trips, we can handle it. In fact, we can prosper from it where I am sure many guided/group tour programs with fixed departure dates cannot. We will happily take bookings at the last minute and organize the whole tour to start any date; that is our offer anyway, so if more people go to booking last minute then we can be there for them. How can a group departure do that?

The majority of people who book 'tours' are booking group, guided programs with fixed departure dates. These trips are organized by companies that have to lock up hotel rooms and services very far in advance. Often the hotels don't like to tie up rooms without some guarantees and so comes the non-refundable deposits, etc. These tours need early bookings to assure departures and hold space. If minimum numbers are not met far enough in advance, a tour company has to decide to either cancel the space to avoid lost non-refundable deposits to the hotels, or raise prices on those who book in advance to keep the trip. The latter is almost never the solution. These same hotels that would discount to last minute travelers booking direct impose higher restrictions and standards on the tour companies that market their product and bring them groups.

So, I would expect to see more group tours with fixed departure dates to start canceling. This may leave some people who booked in advance out in the cold - with airline tickets and no tour. We have been able to help many of these people in the past who are willing to go to a self guided trip, but for those who aren't - well, tough luck. Therefore, who wants to book a guided group tour with fixed departure date in advance??

Tour companies, including ourselves, are pushing hotels and other service providers to be more flexible in their terms, but when the demand for direct bookings is so strong (and more profitable to the hotel), why should they? This could mean quite some changes for the tour industry.

L

Spain self guided for the Tour de France

2009-03-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Tour de France goes into Spain this year, specifically to Catalonia including Girona and Barcelona. It coincidentally crosses that part of Spain where we offer our cycling tours. And so, we are offering a slightly adapted version of our 'Challenge Tour' during the Tour's passthrough. The full program can be found at http://www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour03.php

Starting on July 8th in Girona with the arrival of the race into town, you plunge into the ambiance that is Le Tour! Next day see the departure for Barcelona and then head out on rides of your own.

We price this self guided program at 795 euros for 7 days! Smokin deal! See the link above for all info.

OTHER TDF announcement: 6 space remain on Alpes+Ventoux; and 4 spaces for Monaco-Provence. see www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour.php

New Mountain Bikes

2009-03-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of the brand Focus? It is a German company and they are aggressively hitting the market this year. http://www.focus-bikes.com/index.asp

In fact, Team Milram will ride Focus bikes this year on the pro tour. We almost went with Focus road bikes in our new fleet but opted for Look instead. However, we did go with Focus mountain bikes. Thomas, who runs the shop in Lunel and is a former top 10 France MTB/VTT champion rides Focus.

We are making these bikes available for rent as well, just like our road and hybrid bikes. They are listed on the site at www.cyclingclassics.com/rental_bikes03.php

So far, the feedback is really good. We understand that Focus wants to take it to the big time this year so they are really discounting their bikes to get people to try them. So, a good deal may be had out there for a very good bike.

New Tour de France Trip

2009-02-24T05:15:00.001-08:00

We will be announcing in the coming days a 2nd trip during the Tour de France that includes the Alpes and Mont Ventoux. We are going to cancel our Pyrenees+Ventoux trip where there has been very little interest in favor of this 2nd program where all the interest is.

If you want to be informed, please send an email.

This trip is now posted at: http://www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour05.php

This will be a small group of either 8 persons or max 12 persons and it will sell out. info@cyclingclassics.com

Look 566 - The New Road Rental

2009-02-17T15:03:00.000-08:00

If you happen to be on our print newsletter distribution, then you should have received the latest edition recently. In there, we introduced our new road bike for 2009. Look really went on the offensive last fall and gave their sales people great tools to lock up team and fleet deals. We couldn't resist! In fact, as treasurer for a USA based amateur racing on the National Racing Calendar, our team even bought the same bike!! While we put DA on the amateur team bikes and added ultra light Ritchey wheels, stems, bars, and seat posts, we didn't have that luxury for our rental fleet. Nonetheless, the rental comes with a triple chainring, 105 groupo, that still weighs very little. As a rental, we believe we have about the best thing going! Here is a description from our rental page:

The Look 566 carbon road bike is featured on all of the Cycling Classics tours. They are brand new in 2009. Of note: the 566 is an entry level yet high quality carbon frame bike. From the Look website, you can read about the high quality carbon used in this model as well as the geometry and design features. The frame weighs in at 1100 grams and the carbon fork is another 350 grams! Total 1450 grams or 1.45kg (about 3 lbs!) The geometry as described by Look offers a taller head tube and shorter sloping top tube - a compact design to allow for more comfort for going longer and faster. We have all sizes: S, M, L, XL for people comfortably up to 1m93 (about 6ft-4in) See The Look website for more info.
http://www.cyclingclassics.com/rental_bike01.php

Bike rental only can be booked from the link above as well. But, we prefer to rent you this bike on one of our tours! Rental rates for tour clients are less than rental only. If you plan to rent in July then we encourage you to book it fast!

L

Tour de France Tours

2009-02-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

We have our first sell out situation! Our Alpes-Ventoux guided trip from July 19-26 is full. Not surprisingly really, we expected it to go first. So, there is some good news for readers who might thinking to go:

1. We have a hotel on Lake Annecy that we can offer on a "hotel booking" only basis. 3 Nights, 2 star hotel, 90 euros/person per night including breakfast and dinner daily. It sits about 15km from Annecy center and is directly on the beautiful lake of Annecy. Perfect for viewing the TDF time trial and also riding up to Grand Bornand for the stage finish. Contact me if interested. This will go out in an enews to other subscribers in a few days so not likely to last!

2. Pyrenees to Ventoux: I like this trip and we put it in knowing that it would not sell before the Alpes. It is wide open, but now it is likely to get more attention. I like this trip because it offers challenging cycling in the famous cols of the Pyrenees just after the 09 TDF passes, so the crowds are gone but you can test yourself on the same routes. Then, you can go join the madness at Mont VEntoux for the big finish. Best of both worlds!

3. Provence-Cote d'Azur: We only blocked space for up to 8 persons. It is guided, and is possible for people a little less strong to join and have fun. We will see the opening stages, the team time trial, and of course enjoy the beach and Provencale lifestyle. The price is right too!

Here is the link to the tour options: http://www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour.php

How to Take Your Non Riding Spouse on a Trip!

2009-01-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

We have all kinds of travelers; male and female; triathletes, roadies, mountain bikers, weekend warriors, masters racers, etc. Many of these exceptional athletes have a spouse who is not as passionate about the sport or activity as the other. So, how does one go on a trip to fabulous France and not take a spouse?

The most common way is probably to go as a guys or girls trip and then let your spouse do the same thing with their affinity pals another time. But, why not both go to 'Fabulous France' and do your own thing? It is possible.

IN a self guided offer it may not be so evident, but still very possible. For example, several of our trips are relatively short at 4 nights. So, a week trip could be 3 nights in Paris and then 4 nights on a cycling trip. The Paris part is obvious, but here's how your spouse who doesn't care to ride big cols can come along.

1. In the Alpes: the location is pretty remote, so if your spouse isn't an outdoor person at all the best is to let him/her find activities in a nearby town or city for 4 nights. For example: Annecy or Lyon offer arts, culture, museusm, shopping. If your spouse is outdoor oriented, but not a big cyclist; then how about some hiking, glacier skiing, rafting. Or even simply very tame but spectacular is to take the various gondolas that operate in the ski areas up to the high peaks to see the panoramas and have lunch/coffee and perhaps be inspired to write, read, draw, etc.

2. Mont Ventoux - its Provence, there is much to do away from the cycling. Lavender museums and producers, wine related visits, antique markets, arts and culture of many types. From Avignon you can join numerous guided minivan trips that are single day tours. Private drivers exist for a personal day tour.

Just some examples. Another even more complete idea is to get your friends where your non-riding spouses are also friends. We can organize two separate groups and you can hook up at the end of the day, or at the end of 4 days or 7 days.

Everyone can go, nobody feels guilty, and all have a good time! What more is there?!

L

Goodbye 2008!

2008-12-31T12:01:00.000-08:00

Anyone sad to say goodbye to 2008? Today, the 31st of December is the last chance to talk about the best of 2008 and what to do in 2009, so articles are everywhere.

For travel, the predictions seem to be that 2009 will be a tough year. Airlines will continue to struggle (as if that mattered to anyone's travel plans anyway!); and credit will be tight. However, when I talk to people, especially people in the know like CPA's and other business and tax advisors, the overarching thing seems to be fear. There are problems out there, but there seems to be money on the sidelines and a pent up demand for services and goods that is not breaking free for now due to fear.

Travel consulting firm Xola believes that 'pent up' demand will continue to rise in 2009 and then explode in 2010 when the overal 'global climate' improves. What most are predicting is a slow 2009 and then late in the year things will start to change. Demand will take off in 2010 and so then will all associated services. What will make this change? Perception mostly, but that will be rooted in the general 'feeling' of businesses and consumers. Banks that feel ok to lend again will help business get rolling which will then reinvest and spend and when the media starts talking about these good things the consumer will start to feel like its safe to go out again. That is when the money will start to flow again.

So, that's the perception issue. How can you get a deal in 2009 if you want to go? I can only address what I think is applicable for Europe since that is what we study and sell. Will I go to Europe in 2009? You betcha. I plan to be at the Tour de France and ok, its business, but I will take the family too. So, I'm putting my money where my mouth is. I'm also lining up my air tickets now. Space and routing is the factor; and I'm going to know exactly what that is going to cost me now and then work on the rest over the next 6 months and find ways to save.

What can people do? The euro is back up again from previous lows; so be aware of what the valuations are and watch for a time to lock in some services. Just 3 weeks ago services could have been had, and prepaid, at 10% less than today. So, know what is a good rate. For 2009, I would say anything below 1.33 dollars US to Euros is good. Canadians, Aussies - you have to know your market likewise.

Deals will abound this year. Suppliers are cutting margins just to cover costs and 'stay alive'. Another idea, suggested by me - a tour operator/supplier: book the pre-packaged tour! The more customization requested, the more costs have to be increased to adapt and pass on. We offer self guided trips that can go any date; if you book a package as we offer it, you will get our best price which is posted. We spread certain costs of support and route development out and once its created, we have lower costs to reproduce it. If we have to create something new, then costs are higher. Now, perhaps it sounds less 'unique' to book the package off the shelf, but speaking of our product which is mostly self-guided, that couldn't be less true. Its not like 5000 people per week are doing this, like some stomp up the Eiffel Tower. You will most likely encounter very few others doing it on the same dates and so it will feel like your own personal program. Et voila, yet another reason Self Guided is superior. Don't forget that the cost is WAY less than a guided trip.

Bring on 2009! Happy New Year!

L

Crossing the Alpes or Pyrenees

2008-12-18T06:47:00.001-08:00

As if cycling up the famous climbs of Oisans area or Mont Ventoux wasn't enough; we are coming out with 2 trips for crossing the entire range of the French Alpes or French Pyrenees!

First, crossing the Pyrenees; this is the site which we support with tour services. We will offer this on a guided basis as well composed uniquely of foreigners in English. The site below also offers some guided dates in French; and the possibility to go self guided.

http://www.routepyrenees.com/groupes.htm

Now, for the Traversee des Alpes; or crossing the Alpes! We are using a known itinerary and organizing one group guided date. See the first bit of info at this link: http://www.cyclingclassics.com/french_alps02.php

These trips are hard. No way around it; you have to like climbing! The scenery and the challenge as well as the reward are incomparable! Stay tuned for more details or if you have an interest; shoot me an email: info@cyclingclassics.com

Armstrong Confirms for Tour de France

2008-12-02T15:27:00.001-08:00

USA Today and Velo News are reporting, as is everyone else, that Lance Armstrong has confirmed he will race the Tour de France in 2009. The Astana Website has an announcement: http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/index.html

I particularly liked the story by the LA Times Online for the way it addressed the way this has played out in the press over the last weeks. Its great to have Armstrong finally take a decision on this; who knows what may have been discussed in back channels, but lets get on with it. This announcement is great for all concerned parties, regardless of the result - save one. (no doping allegations or dramas)

Now we can let the anticipation begin, the hype for a really big Tour de France with Contador and Armstrong and a powerful Astana looking for redemption. It should be fun, and I will be there to catch it - will you?? www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour.php

L

Tour de France Visits Spain in 2009

2008-12-02T04:02:00.000-08:00

The Tour de France is making an important visit to the Spanish region of Cataluyna in 2009 with a stage from Girona to Barcelona and a stage from Barcelona to Andorra. Not only is Barcelona one of the biggest tourist markets in Spain and in Europe, but Girona has become associated with professional cycling for the number of athletes who have called the city home. There are a number of professional races as well in the Cataluyna region that are highly regarded by the pro teams as well, and so now the Tour de France will bring the worldwide attention it generates as well!

Under our brand Pure Adventures, we have been offering and continue to offer cycling tours in the Girona area, mostly along the coast (Costa Brava) but we also offer a "challenging cycling" tour that covers the rolling hill country and goes into the Spanish Pyrenees. This tour is shown on our website at www.cyclingclassics.com/girona.php .

Now, for the Tour's visit in 2009, we have organized a special weeklong trip that combines viewing a few stages of this big event with the challenging cycling routes we offer in our 'challenge' tour. See full details of the new program at http://www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour03.php

The New York Times ran a story in 2005 about cycling in Girona and the "buzz" given this town by Lance Armstrong. See the story and our company mention at http://travel.nytimes.com/2005/06/12/travel/12girona.html

French Grand Tour 2009

2008-11-06T09:05:00.001-08:00

Want to see the best cyclists duking it out on the most beautiful roads anywhere? We have finally posted our 2009 tours to follow the French Grand Tour, aka Le Tour, across France next July!

In case you missed the release of the route about 2 weeks ago, check it out on the official website at http://www.letour.fr/ Some really great and surprising changes we made for the 2009 edition. This route allows us to offer a number of tours in conjunction, some that will challenge the strongest cyclists and one that will accommodate more moderate cycling.

Our tours are VERY well priced too! We are pretty proud of the fact we are able to offer fully guided trips, quality accommodations, and sell it at the rates we do. Of course, we are supplying services to wholesalers around the world, but in this case you go direct to the source!

We have trips that cover the Alpes, the Pyrenees, Mont Ventoux, Spain, and the French Riviera to Provence. These are truly the best places to ride and take in the race. The Euro has lost value over the last month so that it is more and more affordable. Contact us with questions, the groups are small, and will fill up quickly. First come, first served!

All tours are listed in detail here:

http://www.cyclingclassics.com/grand_tour.php

Le Tour 2009 - Its here!

2008-10-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

What; world economic collapse? Stocks down the drain? College & retirement funds worth half? Well, no fear, the 2009 Tour route has been announced and is the perfect reason to NOT watch the news! Official Website of Le Tour

Many of you who subscribe to this feed are looking for tours to follow this race, "The French Grand Tour". We are working on them! We had a few surprises with the announcement today, but had it mostly correct. Here are some teasers about what we will announce:

4 Open Tours for Booking:

Group 1: start in Nice/Monte Carlo to watch the Opening, then move on to Provence and base ourselves on the beach near Montpellier and watch the various stages and enjoy life in the southern Provencal coast with some rides and race ambiance! This trip will be a combination of moderate and challenging rides - so good for some people who aren't as strong as their spouses!

Group 2: Spain Bebe! Meet in Barcelona, start on the coast and take in the early stages of Barcelona and Girona. We'll ride into the Pyrenees and up to the Vallter - about 2000 meters in elevation. Return to Girona. Challenging cycling!

Group 3: Alpes + Ventoux - get started with Alpe d'Huez and the Galibier before we move on to Annecy area for the stages in Grand Bornand and Annecy. Then we'll get south for the famous Mont Ventoux and the extraordinary "final race day" of the tour.

Group 4: Like Group 3 above, except with the French Pyrenees and then Mont Ventoux.

Details are coming...

But, what about this 2009 route that was released today??!! I think its GREAT ! Why? First, I love the fact that the first week isn't in the rainy and cold north. The French Riviera, Provence and then Spain - perfecto! What is shocking is the very little coverage for the French Pyrenees and the traditional routes of the Alpes. I don't know when Pau was left off a TDF! The next few days after the Pyrenees could be a little less interesting as the route moves north, but it will get fun again as it turns south. There is no Alpe d'Huez this year, no Galibier, and some of the other 'usual suspects' of the Oisans area. That too is schocking, but there is the Tourmalet! Then, the agent of change Mr Prudhomme, has put in the grand daddy Mont Ventoux as the final stage before TGV back to Paris and the ceremonial final stage. WOW!

I like the fact that the team time trial is back, and also a prologue TT that is a bit more than ceremonial at 15 km. The Tour will really be decided on July 23 and July 25: Annecy time trial and then Mont Ventoux. Can a time trialist put in enough time at Annecy to hold off a climber? Or can a climber put in a good enough TT to be in position for the Ventoux?? I have no idea who this favors, but I would think Contador is a favorite given his performances this year and last.

Finally, lets hope Team Astana is not overlooked. ASO can deliver a very dramatic and FUN 2009 tour if they invite Astana. If they don't, well, sorry to the rest of the peloton, but it just wouldn't be that serious and the victor could hardly be considered the best of the best.

L

Etape du Tour & Cyclosportives

2008-10-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

What is Etape du Tour? First, perhaps I should discuss the 'cyclosportive'. Wikipedia actually has a great description/definition and then lots of links. See the link below. (photo: yours truly at the 2007 Etape)

Etape du Tour and La Marmotte are among the most popular cyclosportives. They are both mass start cycling events that travel over closed roads with timing chips, water and food stations as well as limited technical support. They are great events, professionally organized, and extremely well attended. Etape du Tour draws about 8000 participants. Both the Marmotte and Etape take place in July. La Marmotte is always the same course in the Alpes from Bourg d'Oisans around the big climbs of Croix de Fer, Galibier and finishes up at Alpe d'Huez. L'Etape is always a stage of the Tour de France (stage = etape in French). So, its 'stage of the tour'. Therefore it changes every year. Its usually a well kept secret what the route will be until about the same time as the Tour de France route is released. The official website of the Etape is this:

http://www.letapedutour.com/

For 2009 we are running trips for several private groups at Etape du Tour and depending on final numbers we may have some extra places available. We plan to coordinate the Etape experience with some cycling to also catch the 'French Grand Tour' (as we call it). To see updated info about La Marmotte in 2009, see below. Depending on dates and how it may lay out for a combination with L'Etape, we may have programs available to do both.

We do currently have some educated and informed guesses about the Etape route and we are making plans. We will announce programs after the official release later this month.

Links:

http://www.sportcommunication.com/ - click on Epreuves to find La Marmotte

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclosportive

http://www.discoverfrance-adventures.com/2007_07_01_archive.html - an archive recount of the 2007 Etape

http://www.discoverfrance-adventures.com/2006_07_01_archive.html - an archive recount of the 2006 Etape

Mont Ventoux and Truffle Hunting

2008-10-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

We've had some late season inquiries recently; so here is a unique adventure idea for this November and December:

Truffle Hunting and Cycling In the Mont Ventoux area of the Vaucluse! The Chateau de Mazan is organizing some truffle hunting excursions at the end of November and into December. We can add on some cycling routes if you are hardy enough to endure the possible cold, windy, and potentially wet weather!

As the Chateau de Mazan is a luxury chateau hotel, you will have plenty of comfort to come back to after a nice autumn ride. Dinners are gastronomic affairs and are sure to make you warm and comfortable.

Truffles - you aren't sure? Well, yes, they are mushrooms, but not just any mushroom. Sometimes called black diamonds, they are worth about as much as real diamonds. They are rare, hard to find, and delicious! The truffle hunter who leads the hunt brings along his dog to sniff out the diamonds!

Contact us for info! info@cyclingclassics.com

Tours Preview for 2009 TDF

2008-09-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

We are looking at some early information that says Mont Ventoux will be on the 2009 Tour route - FINALLLY! We are holding tight to the dates and so on we have pieced together for now, but we are looking to propose 4 tours because of the way the route will go. Each of these tours will be small groups, supported, guided, and affordable! We hope to cover more of the race this way without killing everyone in the process. The route we see makes this manageable. Here is a brief outline of our plans:

Week 1 - Opening of the TDF in Monte Carlo
We'll offer a trip here for the start and then move on to the Provence/Languedoc area. We believe that with a start in the sunny and beautiful French Riviera region we will have more interest. That as opposed to more traditional starts and a first week over flat and relatively less attractive ride routes.

Week 2 - Stay in the South of France, maybe cross over into Spain and the Pyrenees

Week 3 - 2 tours; one starting from the French Pyrenees and one starting in the French Alpes and both converging at Mont Ventoux before going to Paris.

Minimum group sizes will be 6 persons, max group size 12. A number of private groups and past travelers are already in line for what we are working on. Lance Armstrong has given a boost - of course - to the race and more people are relooking at coming to France in 09!

L

Armstrong to Astana

2008-09-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

Its official, and we can let the frenzy begin. And why not! Lance Armstrong is a star - clearly - and its just fine because cycling benefits and Lance gets to promote his cancer message.

Today it has been confirmed that Armstrong will race for Team Astana, the same team of Alberto Contador who just claimed his own thunder in the Vuelta and at 25 looks to be a future cycling star in his own right for many years to come. So, undoubtedly they are talking about tensions between Armstrong and Contador. There has to be some drama somewhere doesn't there?!

So, what will be available to watch Astana and Lance Armstrong in 2009? It starts with the Tour Down Under in Australia, in January. Velonews reported previously that the list of races targeted would also include Paris-Nice, the Dauphine Libere, and of course the Tour.

Anyone interested in attending any of these races as part of a tour group to do some hard core cycling at the same time, please contact us with your interest. We are holding space and will be forming tour groups to announce later when dates and events are confirmed.

Go Lance!

Loren

Lance is Back

2008-09-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

New blog starting; transferring content from the Discover France Adventures blog over to this for when it pertains to Challenge Tours in France.

Yes, OMG, Lance has announced his return! Its great news for cycling fans and travel companies for sure. Since the rumor on Monday and the official news on Tuesday, our inquiries for going to see the Tour in 2009 have taken a 5 fold increase in a few days.
So, to add momentum to the mounting frenzy, here is the best place to get info on the 2009 Tour - what we know for the moment:
http://www.letour.fr/2008/TDF/COURSE/us/grand_depart_2009.html
The Tour will start in Monaco on July 4th and do a 2nd stage on July 5th. Team presentations and lots of activities will preceed the July 4th start. The first 2 stages will be impressive with a beautiful seaside city of royalty hosting including the use of part of the Monaco Grand Prix course. Oh, and it isn't flat on that coastline!
The rest of the route remains a mystery until it is announced officially at the end of October in Paris. We are making advance preparations, including the blocking of space, but there is still time to quote and book private group trips. There are a number of ways to see the Tour, and we have some ideas on how to do it without it being too exhausting.
All of our tours for 2009 at the "French Grand Tour" will be cycling tours. We have no plans to offer spectator tours. Contact us if you have a private group and want to quote a program, or if you want to join a group and need details about what will be available.
info@cyclingclassics.com
Alright now, can we be patient and wait til the end of October?
Regards,
Loren
www.cyclingclassics.com
800-960-2221