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As the most well known bicycle race in the world, the Tour de France needs no introduction. Every year, for three weeks in July, millions of fans from across the globe travel to France or turn on their television to watch the action. Bike Basque is fortunate to be headquartered near the base of the Pyrenees, where some of the most famous Tour de France climbs can be found.
This year, we’ve got a special cycling tour planned to highlight some stages of the Tour de France in the beautiful Bearn region, our neighbor to the east. After, we’ll ride to Pau to watch the time trial action live, before climbing the legendary Tourmalet in order to watch our favorite professional racers on the stage 14, cresting the summit. Can you imagine the famous Tour caravan passing by and cheering along with thousands of other fans? We think it’s a bucket list experience for any cycling enthusiast!
While in the Bearn, we’ll have a chance to relax while riding the gentle rolling hills of this scenic region of medieval France (always with an exceptional panoramic view of the mountains on the horizon). In the evening, we’ll sleep well at the picturesque Chambres du Pont de la Légende, a comfortable cyclist-owned and cyclist-friendly bed and breakfast right on the banks of the Gave du Pau river. It’s the perfect place for a post-ride dip to refresh tired legs.
Bookending both ends of this amazing tour is the beautiful Basque Country and the dynamic city of Biarritz. Guests will have the chance to warm-up their climbing legs on our local “hills” that provide a significant enough challenge to be included in the 2019 Vuelta during the 11th stage from Saint Palais in France to Urdax in Navarra, Spain. Plenty of Tour history has been made along these roads. In 2018 the Pays Basque hosted Stage 20, a hilly time trial from Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to Espelette. You can still see the names of our local heroes painted on the course.
At the end of our Tour de France week, you’ll have the chance to spend a few extra days after the tour sightseeing or surfing or just watching the sunset on the beach. If you have any pre-tour needs, our friends at Capra Velo can offer a last-minute adjustment to your bike or just a few words of encouragement before you begin your Tour de France adventure. Forgot your cycling socks or chamois cream? They’ve got you covered.
If you’ve always dreamed of riding the same roads and climbs of your favorite professional road racers, why not join Bike Basque for a unique week in the Pyrenees and beyond and experience what makes the Tour de France so special. This well-balanced tour of big-name climbs and old-world France, race watching and downtime, high-quality hotels and memorable meals is perfect for the cyclist looking to enjoy their time in the saddle as well as the sidelines of France’s most beloved sporting event.
Feel free to contact us at x.lopez@bikebasque.co.uk
