Tour de France 2019

The race is over 3 weeks and covers many parts of France, so which airport depends on which stages you view. Letour.fr denotes the stages, dates and which are the hill stages.

You will need to be in position early in the morning for the hill stages as the roads will be closed for hours before.

We can’t advise on towns to stay, as it depends which days/stages you see.

Thanks! I will check out the website.

Hi Pat. The tour changes course from year to year. We were fortunate enough to be in Carcassonne this year for the stage 15 finish. I was able to get a spot right near the finish line.
I was so close to the action I literally got sprayed with their sweat as they went past.
I had the big screen right in front of me so could watch the stage unfold before they arrived in town.
The sponsors continually paraded up and down in front of us throwing t shirts caps and all sorts of things into the crowd.
It was an amazing experience.
A couple that were staying in the same B & B rode out to a hilltop near Carcassonne and watched from there.
After the riders had finished we wandered down to the team buses and mingled with the riders. I got some great photos.

We have been twice. Much closer to the date, every single tiny road they will be on will be posted. That will help you figure out where to park (close to closed roads allows you to leave quickly). We watch a mix of stages: an ending town, a hilly area included. Roads close about an hour before they arrive. A caravan with cool swag cones through. Then about an hour later you will see helicopters, letting you know the cyclists are on their way.

I just studied the website. Mulhouse might be a good city for us based on our other travel plans. Any advice for Mulhouse?

I've never viewed a mountain stage but I have seen the finish in Paris twice and I also saw a time trial stage in Chartres one of those years. We were also close to Toulouse when they passed through on another stage but somehow, we missed it. For the time trial in Chartres, we got in and found parking just fine but getting out of there was another story. The finish is Paris is actually pretty cool even though they aren't racing at that point.

Rooms near starts and end stages and mountains fill up fast- between press, teams and fans. We always stayed near but not in those towns.

Hi, Pat,
Over the years I’ve been to a number of starts as well as uphill climbs. The July 11 stage from Mulhouse to Planche des Belles Filles should be exciting. It’s the first serous stage for the climbers ending with the famous Planche des Belles Filles.

If you want to see the riders up close, see the sign-in, and meet some of them, then Mulhouse would be best. And you can see the depart.

If on the other hand, you would like to be part of the excitement on the climb of the Planche des Belles Filles, it requires more planning. Try to find a b&b in one of the small towns on the way up to the Planche route. For this it might be more convenient to approach fron Dijon or Besançon. Plan on booking at least 2 nights, so you can arrive early afternoon on the 10th and figure out the best parking along the route, and get the road closure times for the 11th. Book a room as soon as you can.

Have a wonderful day with the Tour! Once the road is closed behind you, there is a lovely camaraderie among the people with their blankets and coolers spread out along the route, waiting for the sound of the helicopters.

Mulhouse is not a particularly attractive city but has the French national museums of cars and railways, both of which are world-class must visits if either form of transport is an interest for you.

Alternatively, if you want something more conventionally picturesque, try the nearby city of Colmar which has a far more attractive city centre.

Can anyone recommend a B&B that might be along the route from Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles?

This will be the highest tour on record with 20 high mountain passes. You will need food and drink for the day. Don't forget about restrooms or the lack there of. I have seen one finish and one start. They both were amazing experiences. Enjoy!

Hi, Pat,
I’m so excited you decided to go for the Planche! Just spent some time sorting out the exact route approaching the Planche des Belles Filles. If I were you I’d stay near Plancher les Mines, which is at the base of the final climb. There is a charming looking b&b nearby called Clos Fleuri, but you might find something even closer to Plancher. Although they are taking online bookings, perhaps contact them directly. When the Tour visits, they may require at least 2 nights July 10 and 11, checkout the 12th.

After you check in, your hosts will hopefully have some info on when and where the road closes beyond the town of Plancher les Mines.

If you have time, the day before, think about driving up the route beyond where the highest barrier will be, and check out all the people camping, putting up flags, etc. We have also used this drive to decide about how far up the mountain we want to walk and maybe even scope out a vantage point that might be shady in the afternoon.. Normally we leave the room just after sunrise to park as close to the barrier as possible. Because of the long hike and lack of facilities, we took mostly water and protein bars and lots of sun screen.
I hope this helps!

Mo' Pak,

Your experience sounds amazing! How early did arrive to the finish area that day? We are planning for 3 stages at the tour this year.

Thanks!!