Tour de France 2010

Since Tour founder Henri Desgrange first decided to include 'serious mountains' in the Tour route in 1910, the high passes and mountaintop villages of the Pyrenees have been the spiritual home of 'the steep stuff' in the world's greatest bike race.

So tough were the conditions in the early days that 1910 winner Octive Lapize called the organisers "assassins" as he crested the unmade road summit of the Aubisque that year. 1911 winner Gustave Garrigou won a special prize as the first man ever to climb the Tourmalet without getting off to walk!

Since then, great names like Coppi, Bahamontes, Anquetil, Poulidor, Merckx, Van Impe, Hinault, Lemond, Indurain, Pantani and Armstrong have ridden their way to famous victories in the Pyrenees and the iconic climbs have become a mecca to Tour enthusiasts. There are few more stirring experiences for the knowledgeable Tour spectator than witnessing the great climbers go head-to-head in these magnificent mountains.

Join PyrActif for a week of great riding and 'heart of the action' roadside spectating opportunities as the Tour comes to the Pyrenees in 2010. With a series of 'classic' stages scheduled between the 18th and 22nd July, the Pyrenees look set to be the decisive battle grounds of this Centenary Tour.

18th July - while thousands of amateurs tackle the Etape du Tour between Pau and Tourmalet, we will warm up with a more relaxing ride over nearby Category 3 Tour climbs and we'll retire for the day in mid-afternoon to watch the summit finish at Ax-3-Domaines on TV in an atmospheric cafe.

19th July - as the pro's head 'almost past our front door' in Bertren, we'll ride to the magnificent vantage points afforded us on the mighty HC climb of the Port de Bales. Any breakaway on this climb will need to skilfully negotiate the testing descent into Luchon if they're to take the victor's spoils for the day.

20th July - today the race re-enacts a slimmed down version of the first 'epic' Pyrenean stage from 1910. As they did a century ago, the riders will tackle the four 'Monument' climbs of the Pyrenees - the Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet and Aubisque - in rapid succession. Today, there will be no place to hide. We shall ride to the summit of the Aspin to watch the race pass over one of the most beautiful cols in the mountain range. A superb descent will put us in range of a selection of cafes & bars where we can then watch the GC contenders slug it out over the Tourmalet & Aubisque.

22nd July - potentially the decisive day of the 2010 Tour de France as the race climbs the Marie Blanque, Soulor and (for the second time this year) the Tourmalet. Who will attack? Who will crack? With only the individual TT two days later remaining to materially effect the final podium, legends could be made on the Tourmalet today. We'll transfer by minibus to get ourselves into rideable range and then we will climb 'The Giant of the Pyrenees' ourselves to take our places in the huge crowds who will be massed on its slopes. Wear your Euskatel shirt if you want to get a particularly rousing reception from the hordes of Basque roadside spectators as you ride by!

This trip is now fully booked, but if you're already planning a trip to the Tour in 2011, contact us for more details.

The Tour de France motorway service station

With the Tour set for a Southern start in 2009, we have two different W