Tour de France in the Pyrenees and the Alps

The official announcement for the 2011 TDF is supposed to be October 19.  Here is the best guess so far on the Alps and Pyrenees.

July 15 - Lourdes to the top of Luz Ardiden.

July 16 - Saint Gaudens for a mountain top finish at Plateau de Beille

July 22 - Modane to Alpe d Huez (Etape du Tour???)

July 23 - Col de la Croix de Fer 2067m Col du Télégraphe 1570 m Col du Galibier

It's looking more and more like Bert will not be there to defend his 2010 TDF title, assuming he still has a title to defend.

I looked to see when I bought my ticket to France for last summer. It was November 23. This means that I am going to wait a bit to buy might ticket for 2011 unless a REALLY good deal comes along. But I am definitely going to France this summer---probably for five weeks.

Here are some possible areas to ride.

Aravis Massif in the French Alps west of Annecy with the Col de Columbière, Col de Croix Fry, the Joux Plane.

Alsace in north eastern France with the Ballon d'Alsace and the Grand Ballon.

The Ariege Pyrenees. Les Deux Velos in Massat is a great place to stay. Col de Port, Col d'Agnes, and Plateau de Beille aren't too far away. Not much traffic and lots of great riding.

Ardeche in southern France is not far away from the Pyrenees. This is supposed to be great riding with not many cars.

Barcelonette in the southern Alps is a great little town surrounded by no less than seven major passes, including Col de la Bonette Restefond, the highest paved pass in Europe.

Le Bourg d'Oisans 40 km southeast of Grenoble. Alpe d'Huez and Col du Galibier. Need I say more? It's best to stay up the valley in Le Freney d'Oisans.

Chambéry in the western Alps with Col du Granier, Mont du Chat, and Mont Revard.

Provence has endless possibilities ranging from Mont Ventoux and the Luberon in the west to Haut Provence, Moustiers Ste Marie, and Casteliane in the east.

The Haut Pyrenees with the Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aubisque, Hautacam, and Luz Ariden. The Lantern Rouge in St Savin is the place to stay.

The Pyrenees-Orientales has some great riding and a bit of altitude. The climate is a bit drier too.

Other possibilities and Brittany, the Vercors, the Languedoc, and the Cévennes.

A car is a must in Le Bourg d'Oisans, Pyrenees-Orientales, Barcelonette, and parts of Provence. You can get by without one in the Ariege Pyrenees and the Haut Pyrenees. I'm not sure about the other places.

On a final note, the exchange rate is looking pretty dismal today.