Tour de France: Travel Tips You Need to Know

With the Tour de France officially en route and not long to go until the 2024 Paris Olympics, it’s all happening in France this year. If it’s your first time travelling through Paris for the Tour de France, doing your research is a must. Paris is crowded on a regular day, and with the recent news on the French government’s strategy to tackle overtourism, you can only imagine just how busy the city is going to be while hosting some of the world’s major sporting events – in the same month. So to help you get around Paris during what could be their busiest month on record, we’ve done the research for you. Here’s your guide to the Tour de France, featuring all the tips and tricks you need to know before starting your journey.

1. Book your flights and accommodation early. because the early bird gets the worm! If you can be organised and get in a year in advance, you’ll be able to find some reasonable early bird deals on flights. These deals are always subject to availability of course, so knowing when to keep your eye out is essential. And the same goes for accommodation. If you’re finding the search for the best rate overwhelming, our experienced team of leisure consultants at Pulse Travel can help you find best fare to suits your needs – just in get in touch here. 
2. Know the timetable. Knowing when to be where is obviously a no brainer. Once your international flights are sorted, you can start planning your internal flights and car or bike hire around France and Italy. The timetable gets released on the official Tour de France website usually a few weeks prior to each stage and will feature the expected arrival time in each town. 
3. Bike hire. If you’re planning to zoom around on two wheels to tail the pros, make sure you also get in early for bike hire. Plan your ride routes ahead of time and download maps to your cycling computer before you start your journey to avoid losing connection in those smaller towns.  
4. Plan your route and arrive early. Pro tip: avoid the tourist hotspots if you’d like to see some cycling. Often the crowds can get in your way of catching a glimpse and it can be surprisingly difficult to get from one side of the road to the other. Thankfully this year the Tour have partnered with Waze to launch a new functionality that will be able to provide you with all the road closures, detours and also even send alerts on closure based on where you are! Roads tend to close around 3 hours before the race comes through so plan to get into position early to not miss out – especially for those of us who are a little vertically challenged. 
5. Check the weather forecast. Yes, it may still be summer in Europe, but don’t overestimate the weather forecast. France can be sunny one day and rainy the next, so it’s best to be overprepared with everything ranging from sunscreen to umbrellas, jumpers and of course, snacks. When you’ve secured a prime spectating position, the last thing you want to do is give up your spot because someone’s hungry or cold. 
6. Travel in small groups. Obviously don’t leave your mates behind, but where possible, keep your travel companions to a minimum. Whether it’s trying to weave your way through the spectators, or even just getting a last-minute dinner reservation, travelling in a smaller group will make things just that little bit easier. 
7. Don’t try to move with the tour every day. As experienced travellers ourselves, the best piece of advice we can give you is – don’t try to replicate the Tour de France timetable in your travel itinerary. The worst mistake you can make while travelling is making every day a travel day. You’ll end up wasting most of the time in your car and end your holiday feeling more exhausted than when you began. Station yourself in a town that you’re interested in exploring so that you can make the most of both worlds. 
8. Book restaurants in advance. It may seem like overkill, but especially if you’re a foodie not wanting to waste a good meal while abroad, book your dinners in advance as the quaint bistrots fill up quick and some kitchens close earlier than expected. Especially in the smaller towns, calling is usually the best way to make a reservation. Don’t forget to attempt some French while you’re at it and they’ll love you even more! 
9. Good coffee? Don’t be silly. Unfortunately for us Australian coffee snobs, finding a good coffee in France is shockingly more challenging than you’d expect. Especially in the rural towns, don’t even try asking for a flat white or long black. Either pack your own Nespresso machine or maybe even challenge yourself to a coffee detox. 

That may be a long list to take in, but taking these handy Tour de France travel tips on board now will help make your trip a breeze. If you’d like someone to take care of your travel plans so that you can sit back and spectate the Tour de France stress-free, Pulse Travel has you covered. Get in touch with one of our experienced travel managers here and we’ll make sure you have a bon voyage!