Le Tour de France 2019
Stages 16 and 17 of the Tour De France 2019.
I was able to be in France to see stages 16 and 17 of the TDF. Stage 16 started and finished in Niemes.
My plan was to head them off at the Pont du Gard then cycle down back towards Niemes to see them again. It was going to be a super hot day and I did a recce the day before but there was not much in the way of shade on the route.I found my soot they gave me a view of them approaching the Pont Du Gard and then a view of them as they crossed over it. The actual viaduct was closed off to spectators.I imagined it to be super busy with people on the day so arrived very early and to my surprise the place was pretty empty. I cycled over from Saint Victor le cost partly on some of the route passing fans in mobile homes getting their banners and bbq’s ready.
I had chosen my spot I was happy with where I was. I them decided to have a look from the other side just to make sure. As I was on the other side confirming I had initiualy made the right decision they closed off going back to the other side as the peleton was approaching. I was stuck. I was too close to the riders for a good shot and now too far away from the shot I wanted on the Pont Du Gard. Lesson learnt!
Caleb Ewan sprints to victory, Alaphilippe keeps yellow. The 16th stage of the Tour was a predominantly flat out-and-back race in Nîmes.
Matteo Trentin deservedly won a relatively mundane stage 17 as Julian Alaphilippe retained the yellow jersey, with the leaders keeping their powder dry.
Itinerary
I travelled from London Gatwick to Nîmes on RyanAir with my Bike Box Alan. I stayed in St Victor la Coste near Avignon at an Airbnb. This was close to the Pont du Gard for stage 17 and a 40km ride into Nîmes for stage 16 start and finish.
RyanAir charge £60 each way for a bike box at a weight of 30kg. The cost is £75 if booked on the phone or at the airport. You are not supposed to pack anything other than the bike within the box but I add shoes, tools and my helmet. More info here
You could also get a Eurostar to Avignon. Taking a bike box on the Eurostar brings it’s own difficulties as there are size restrictions to the bike box you can take. To travel with your bike, you need to book a space separately to your train ticket. To make sure it travels on the same train as you, book in advance from £30. More info here.
From Marseilles I rented a car with Europcar. They are a little more expensive but it is worth the extra for the ease of pick up and no hidden charges. Always look out for deals and sometimes you can get a discount booking with the airline. EasyJet offer this . NEVER book with GOLDCAR!
Airbnb was at Chateau St Victor La Coste. There are a number of rooms to choose from here and they have a pool and local amenities.
Les Cycles D’uzes bike shop in Uzes caters for all needs including energy bars and a workshop.
