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July 2002 Tour de France
Paris Travel Event ( Press Release )
RIDE THE TOUR DE FRANCE WITH
DISCOVER FRANCE: THE CYCLING EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
Get on the Course Ahead of the Racers; Cheer As They
Finish Stages; Hobnob with Teams. Only Discover France
Offers Personal Experience of World Famous Bike Race.
Paris, France. February 1, 2002 -- Discover France, specialists in active vacations in
France, is offering an extraordinary group cycling vacation in tandem with the
Tour de France.
Package Features
Cycling enthusiasts on this trip will experience the thrill of riding segments of the
Tour de France on the days that the race is in progress. The Discover France
cyclists will be on the course each morning, two to three hours before the racers.
Later in the day they will watch the end of the day's racing, or stage -- and will
have the opportunity to meet some of the racers.
To ride in advance of the Tour de France teams is the French equivalent of playing
an inning at Yankee Stadium prior to the World Series -- and meeting Derek Jeter
after the day's game.
Every July towns and villages all over France wait with great
anticipation as the Tour de France approaches. The most grueling sporting event in
the world and the highlight of the cycling year, the Tour de France is an
unparalleled, three-week test of physical and mental toughness. Traditionally more
of a European sport, cycling has recently gained popularity in North America,
especially since an American, Lance Armstrong, has won the Tour for the last
three years and is contending for an incredible fourth in 2002.
This innovative package is an expression of Discover France's meticulous
planning, imagination and extensive resources. Making the arrangements and
obtaining the needed permissions have taken literally years.
Touring with the Tour de France
Discover France will take three separate groups, each consisting of 20 to 24
participants, along different parts of the course during the July 2002 Tour de
France.The general plan of the trip is the same for all three groups, though the
actual experience will differ somewhat as the groups will be cycling through
different regions and over varying terrain. Each group will be led by a professional
French guide and will be accompanied by a bicycle mechanic and a van. As with
all Discover France trips, the support is excellent and comprehensive.
The Discover France package combines the excitement of the Tour de France with
the traditional pleasures of a biking vacation, seeing the countryside at first hand,
gaining a personal experience of the people and the culture. This approach is
consistent with Discover France's philosophy, that France is best appreciated up
close and personal, not through a bus window.
Package Dates
The package is a nine-day/eight-night trip and participants will ride on most days.
On riding days, the morning will begin with a hearty breakfast, after which the
Discover France cyclists will head out on the official Tour de France route. The
Discover France group will ride for about three hours, stopping for lunch, which
will be a catered picnic in the countryside or at a restaurant chosen for its typical
regional ambiance. (The van will carry a change of clothing so riders can get out
of their cycling gear.) Much of the afternoon will be devoted to seeing the local
sights and cultural attractions before heading for the finish line to see the stage's
end. Dinner will be in carefully selected restaurants or hotels serving regional
food. Because the towns and villages on the Tour de France route are crowded
with spectators, the Discover France groups will generally stay in nearby villages.
The hotels vary from the two-star to the four-star level, always with private bath.
The Groups' Itineraries
As mentioned, each of the three groups will cover a different segment of the Tour
de France route, which traverses much of the country. After beginning in
Luxembourg, the race goes through northern France, then heads west and south
before going through the Pyrenees, and turning east into the Alps, ending with a
dramatic sprint up the Champs Elysees in Paris.
The Champagne and Normandy group (July 5 to July 13) starts from Luxembourg
and bikes through such northern French cities as Metz in the Lorraine region, the
cathedral city of Reims, Rouen, and through the heart of the beautiful Champagne
region. The group will observe individual and team time trials. The trip ends in the
Norman town of Alen‡‡on.
The second group (July 13 to July 21) traverses the magnificently scenic Bordeaux
wine country, Gascony and the Mediterranean region of Languedoc-Roussillon.
There are stops at Pau, in the Pyrenees; at Lanemazan; in the historic city of
B‚‚ziers; and in the regional capital of Montpellier, one of the most attractive
cities in all France. Languedoc-Roussillon, less well known to Americans than
Provence, is a southern region of dramatic topography with an eventful history.
The third group (July 21 to July 29) covers France's eastern regions, including the
French Alps, and is possibly the most difficult part of the Tour de France. This
group will cycle through Aime, Cluses and Bourg-en-Bresse -- much of this is
dramatic countryside -- before heading into Paris to watch the race's exciting
finale at the Arc de Triomphe.
Those interested in taking this trip should consider the terrain of each segment
before deciding which group to join. Parts of the Tour de France are over rolling
countryside but others are in difficult, mountainous country. Everyone who joins
this Discover France trip should be an experienced cyclist and should bring their
own bicycle. That having been said, the professional leadership and excellent
support will be a constant presence.
Discover France
Established in 1994, Discover France specializes exclusively in travel to France.
The company offers self-guided and guided biking and walking tours designed to
provide travelers with real insight into life in France's diverse regions. From the
south's torrid Mediterranean climate to the snow-capped Alps in the east and the
Spanish-inflected southwest, France is a tapestry of changing colors and tastes.
Discover France helps travelers sample local abundance and meet artisans who are
continuing the traditional agricultural practices and crafts that have enriched
French life for centuries. The Tour de France package is another example of the
company's innovative approach to tourism in France.
Some Additional Details
Participants in Discover France's Tour de France program will have the
opportunity to mingle with some of the Tour de France racers. There is no
guarantee which team and riders will participate as that partly depends on
developments during the race.
The package includes accommodations, all meals, entrance fees, and group
transportation from morning to night, and guide services. Clients are expected to
bring their own bicycle; it may be possible to arrange rentals but the quality of
rental bicycles cannot be guaranteed.
The package does not include airfare but does include transfers to and from the
rendezvous points (Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris or the nearest major train
station, for example).
Package Rates
The price of this package is US$2,695 per person, double occupancy for Groups 2
and 3, and US$2,545 for Group 1. There are limited single supplements. Group
size will vary from 20 to 24 participants.
For reservations or additional information, contact Discover France, tel: 480-905-
1235 or 800-960-2221 (US only); Internet site: Discover France
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