Spectator Final Week

Welcome to France! We will be picking up at the Avignon TGV train station in the early afternoon.

Our next stop will be an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge and World Heritage site, Pont du Gard. The Pont du Gard is an outstanding example of bridges built in ancient times. We’ll have time to tour the area before heading to our 4-star hotel in the city of Avignon. Our hotel is ideally located next to the Palace of the Popes.

Tonight we’ll enjoy our welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant. In addition to meeting our fellow travel guests at dinner, we’ll go over the itinerary for our trip. Each guest will receive a gift from Custom Getaways and from the Tour de France. You will also receive a discount card to be used on official le Tour merchandise.

After breakfast we will head to the town of Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, the Start Village of today’s stage. You will love the energy of the start of this year’s Tour de France. You will have VIP access to the Start Village with coffee, snacks, tour officials and merchandise tents. You will also be able to see the riders interviewed at the sign-in stage before they begin today’s stage. It is said that Stages that start in Saint-Paul-Trois-Ch.teaux are usually the scene for intense battles. We will confirm that the racers are ready for today’s battle.

Another great feature of the start village is that you will have access to the team bus paddock. You can walk around the team busses and cars before the race begins. However, you need to be careful as the racers will ride around you to get to the sign-in stage and to the starting line…a really cool experience!

Once the racers depart, we will grab a light lunch and drive to the Chateauneuf du Pape for a winery tour and tasting. This is one of the best wine regions in France and learning about their process is fascinating.

Dinner is not included tonight, so it is a perfect opportunity to explore Avignon and find a cool place for local cuisine.

This morning we start with a tour of Avignon’s Palace of the Popes. This castle was used by Popes who fled to Avignon to escape the dangerous environment of the Vatican many hundreds of years ago. The architecture and history are quite interesting.

After the tour, we will have a quick lunch and make our drive to the hills north of Cannes. Grasse, is a town on the French Riviera and is known for its long-established perfume industry and lavender fields.

We’ll be able to enjoy the resort before the chef prepares our group dinner.

Good morning. After a relaxing breakfast, we’ll check-out of the hotel before driving to the Isola 2000 ski resort for the finish of today’s stage. We will walk across the finish line. Once across the finish line, we’ll tour the official podium and have pictures taken individually and as a group.

Today’s stage viewing will be in the Izoard VIP venue. TV’s are located within the Izoard venue where we will watch the racers climb above 2,000m on three occasions, the biggest test being the climb to the summit of La Bonette, the highest road in France at an altitude of 2,802m.

Once the race enters Isola 2000, we’ll witness the race pass us as they head towards the finish. This venue is a great way to see the race with snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, water, TVs and private restrooms. Champagne will be served to toast the stage winner.

After the stage ends, we will transfer to our final destination…Nice. Our hotel is a prime location on the Promenade des Anglais and will be home for three nights as we get closer to the finale in Nice. There will be no group dinner tonight so a great chance to explore Nice and its many restaurants.

Rise and shine. The city will be buzzing this morning as today’s stage begins in Nice before it finishes on Col de la Couillole. Before we head to our VIP, you’ll have time this morning to dip your toes in the sea or visit the Tour de France fun park area.

Our VIP venue, known as Relais Etape and is located along the course and serves an excellent 4-course meal for lunch. It also offers snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee and water. Once the race finishes, champagne will be served to toast the stage winner. Another nice feature of this venue is that it has TV’s to watch the race until the racers pass right in front of us. The caravan parade will also pass in front of our venue prior to the racers passing. The caravan pumps up the crowds with colorful floats and the tossing of small prizes. Each Relais Etape guest will receive a gift from le Tour.

After the stage ends, we will head back to Nice. Our farewell dinner will consist of comradery, local cuisine and views of the Mediterranean.

You will finally have some free time this morning to enjoy the city of Nice. In the afternoon, we will meet as a group and walk to our VIP venue to view the final stage of this year’s Tour de France. This day is a very rare final stage time trial from Monaco to Nice, so the winner will likely be determined today!

Your trip includes the Base des Anges VIP venue, the most prestigious in Nice from which to view the final stage. This venue features gourmet French food in the afternoon and for dinner, soft drinks, an open bar and champagne to enjoy while watching the Time Trial on TV’s before the racers arrive in Nice and pass in front of us. There is comfortable table seating and private restrooms for your comfort. The caravan will also make an appearance before the race arrives.

Following the race, you’ll be on your own to enjoy the sights and sounds of Nice.

Check out of your hotel by noon or extend your stay in Nissa la Bella/Nice the Beautiful.

You are responsible for your transfer from the hotel.

Custom Getaways hopes you have amazing memories of this unique experience. We hope to see you again soon.

Au revoir!