Take A Trip Of A Lifetime!

TOUR DE FRANCE
JULY 13 – 25, 2005

Trip at a Glance

12 Days in France

View 8 Stages

11 Hotel Nights

Daily Breakfasts

3 Dinners

Air from Chicago

Expert English Speaking Tour Guides

7 Days of Riding, About 520 Km ( 325 Miles)

Claus Claussen, owner of Des Peres Travel, is an avid cyclist (USCF Cat. 3) and occasionally competes in age group races. Born in Germany, Claus has lived in St. Louis since 1985. Before coming to St. Louis, he lived 20 years in France. He speaks German, French, Portuguese and English fluently (with his German accent). He has organized many bike races for the St. Louis Cycling Club, was a well race director for the 1983 Masters National Championships, and race director in 1984 for the Olympic Festival in St. Louis. Last year, he watched the 2004 Tour de France and witnessed the historic sixth win of Lance Armstrong in Paris.

Wednesday
July 13

Depart Chicago by Air France at 5:40 pm

Thursday
July 14

Arrive Paris at 8:50 am. Connect to AF 7662 at 10:45 am, arriving in Marseille at 12:10 pm. Our bus will bring us to hotel MERCURE in the center of Montpellier. Mercure is a fine 3-4 Star hotel. The drive is about 2 hours and we should arrive between 3 and 4 pm. We will take it easy, assemble our bicycles, relax for the remainder of the day, and have a glimpse of the interesting city.

 

Friday
July 15

After breakfast, we will take a leisurely ride of 40 miles into the Camargue to stretch our legs from the long flight and to relax. The ride is totally flat and a mixture of seaboard, swamps and wild horses. After returning to the hotel and checking-out, we witness the finish of flat Stage #13 from Miramas.

Then, we take our bus and go on to Carcassonne (100 Mi), the oldest walled city in Europe with its 2,000-year history.

Panoramic view of the medieval city

We check into our hotel, the MERCURE Porte de la Cite (3-Star).
 

At 7:30 pm, we have our official Welcome Dinner in the Auberge des Lices within the old Cite, a few minutes walk from our hotel. The walled city of Carcassonne is spectacular!!!

Saturday
July 16

After breakfast, we ride to witness a big climb of the Tour.

First, we check-out of our hotel and your empty bike cases will be shipped from here to our hotel in Paris.

Our ride will bring us on a small gentle country road thru wine yards to St. Hilaire, where the Champaign has been invented by Monk Perignon, who later moved to the Champagne area, where he created the real Champagne. A 1,000 ft climb brings us to Limoux over a beautiful country road. From here, we follow the raging Aude River, climbing very gently (1-2%). In Couita, after 25 miles so far, we join the TdF course to Quillan, Axat. Shortly after Axat, we pass thru the Gorges (throat) de St. George Canyon, still following the Aude. At km 75 (45 mi), the 2,000 m Port de Pailheres starts to climb. You might want to climb as much as you desire or can, to watch the professionals climb the biggest climb so far in the Pyrenees (15 km at 8%). Once the peloton and last vehicles passed, you return to Axat (slightly downhill) to meet our bus in Axat.

We go directly to Lourdes, where we will stay in the same hotel for 4 nights: CITOTEL DE LA VALLEE (3 Star) – the driving distance is 220 km (140 Mi) – hopefully we can do it in 4 hours. We should arrive by 8 pm, dinner on your own.
 

Citotel De La Valle

 

Sunday
July 17

A big Tour stage in the Pyrenees, the biggest!!!

After Breakfast, we leave from Lourdes to Bagneres and Arreau (60 km). We have to deal with the 4,000 ft Col d’Aspin pass. From here, you have 3 options to view the Tour:
►Col de Peyresourde (13 km climb at 7%) – 25 km from Arreau
►Col d’Azet (5.5 km climb at 8%) – 15 km from Arreau
►St.Lary (Finish) (11 km climb at 8%) – 12 km from Arreau

View Of Col de Peyresourde

View of Col d'Azet

Return by bike to Lourdes or optional pick-up by our bus in Arreau

Monday
July 18

The Tour has a rest day, we don’t – we tour the area
We tour in the foothills of the Pyrenees East of Lourdes from about 30 mi with a magnificent view of the Pyrenees.

Dinner at the hotel (included)
 

Tuesday
July 19

We approach the Tour from the back-side by Angeles-Gazost to the top of the Col de Soulor (2 km climb at 6%), return the same way (total 50 mi).
Dinner on your own.
 

Wednesday
July 20

We check-out from the hotel and go by bus to Pau to see the depart of Stage # 17 to Revel.. We head with our car to Mende (about 350 Miles). We check into the 3 Star Hotel URBAIN V, right in the Center.
 

Riders line up and leave from Pau

The Hotel Urbain V In Mende

Thursday
July 21

In the Morning, we ride South to St. Enimie in the Tarn valley. From here, we can go West into the Tarn Canyon (Gorges du Tarn), which will extend our ride by 30 miles, or return from St. Enimie to Mende, which will be a daily ride of 40 miles. Once we know all details of the TdF course, we can possibly see the riders pass somewhere, or go back to Mende to see the finish. After the Finish we take our bus ride to Chambon-sur-Lignon, a 60-mile drive, where we stay for two nights. This hotel is in a very small town, between the Le Puy (Stage # 19) and St. Etienne (Stage # 20-TT)  Hotel Clairmatin - Dinner at the Hotel (included)
 

Friday
July 22

We ride Northwest to Yssingeaux and Retournac into the Loire valley and towards the TdF course and Le Puy (Finish). Return by St.Julien total about 100 km (60 miles)

Saturday
July 23

We check out of the hotel and bike to St. Etienne (or take our bus) to see the Time Trial. (about 35 miles ride)

After the Time Trial, we take the bus to Paris......
 

Click Any image for a larger view
Eiffel Tower		Arc de Triomphe		The Louvre		Paris Skyline

We check into the Concorde Lafayette, a 5-Star very modern high rise at the Porte Maillot, across the Bois de Boulogne and 1-km walking distance from the Arc de Triomphe / Champs Elysees. Eiffel Tower Website
 

Paris - The greatest city in the world to walk and explore!
 

Sunday
July 24

We take it easy after breakfast, but we have to pack our bikes into our bike cases. However, there is time for you to take a little relaxing ride into the Bois de Boulogne, just across the hotel. By Noon, we stroll towards the Champs Elysees to explore and find a good spot. The riders arrive generally after 3:30 pm.
 

Witness the Peleton race through Paris - Click any image for a larger view

Monday
July 25

Our old bus has returned to Carcassonne already. A different bus from Paris will pick us up at the hotel at 9:00 am to arrive at the airport by 10:15 am. Our plane leaves at 1:15 pm, arriving in Chicago at 3:25 pm, where you connect to your hometown.

Group Size

The group size is limited to 30 people.

Bike Rides

We will ride on 7 days to approach the Tour’s course or to ride on the course. The daily distances will be 30 to 60 miles. At one occasion, you have the option to return by our bus. At other occasions, as per request. Riders must have training to be in intermediate shape.

Price

$ 4,200.00 PER PERSON BASED ON ROOM DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
$ 4,900,00 PER PERSON SINGLE OCCUPANCY

Included

►Airfare from Chicago to Marseille and return from Paris, taxes
►11 hotel nights in 3 to 4 Star hotels
►Daily Breakfasts
►3 Dinners
►Transportation from the Marseille airport to airport in Paris for departure
►Support
►Bike transportation
►Bike transportation on Air France is free, if the bike case is the 2nd piece of luggage not exceeding 70 lbs
►Free T-Shirt.

THE REMAINING SEATS OF MY GROUP CONTRACT WITH AIR FRANCE HAVE BEEN SURRENDERED.  THEREFORE, FOR FUTURE BOOKINGS, THE AMOUNT OF $ 800 WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THE PER PERSON PRICE - AND A NEW INDIVIDUAL AIRFARE FROM YOUR HOMETOWN WILL BE ESTABLISHED AND ADDED.

Not
Included

►All items not mentioned above
►Airfare from your hometown to Chicago
   (we can supply your ticket)
►All items of personal nature in hotels
   (such as drinks, mini bar, phone calls, laundry, etc)
►During dinners, all drinks not offered in our menu
►Bike charge, if you use a domestic airline to fly to Chicago on the Return,
   you luggage/bike can be checked directly to your hometown

Payment

$ 500 deposit per person due at reservation to confirm your booking.
Final payment: 90 days before departure (April 12, 2005). Failure to pay may result in cancellation of your reservation. We accept checks and credit cards.

Cancellation

Cancellation before April 12 - $ 250 penalty per person applies.
Cancellation penalty after full payment was paid:
  ● Before May 12 - 25% penalty per person
  ● From May 13 to July 12 - 100% penalty per person

Insurance

At booking, we will send you an insurance application from Travelex, We highly recommend getting insurance cancellation for luggage, trip interruption, illness, and injury.

Currency

Our price is based on the Internet rate of 1 Euro = US$1.32
Should the bank rate change more than 3% on April 1, 2005, we reserve the right to adjust the price.

Conditions

Des Peres Travel is not responsible for plane delays or cancellations or misconnections due to plane delays or cancellations or any unforeseen events.

The trip of a lifetime.
Now you can live the Experience!