Viewing the Tour de France in Paris



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Graham Sharman

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BlankAs we will be in UK on family business in July we are
going to the = TdF for the final 3 days with a Brit bus
tour company.

Do any of you learned and much traveled cycle sporting
veterans have any = tips and or advice as to the best places
to get a view and to eat and = celebrate as hopefully, Lance
comes into Paris with the sixth win ?

Last time in Paris was 25+ years ago and it was beautiful
but mostly = populated by cochons.

All serious advice gratefully accepted.

GS Too old to even be a wannabe.


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<DIV>As we will be in UK on family business in July
we are going to = the TdF=20 for the final 3
days with a Brit bus tour company.</DIV>
<DV> </DIV>
<DVI>Do any of you learned and much traveled cycle
sporting veterans = have any=20 tips and or advice as
to the best places to get a view and to eat and =
celebrate=20 as hopefully, Lance comes into Paris
with the sixth win ?</DIV>
<DVII> </DIV>
<DVIII>Last time in Paris was 25+ years ago and it was
beautiful but = mostly=20 populated by cochons.</DIV>
<DIX> </DIV>
<DX>All serious advice gratefully accepted.</DIV>
<DXI> </DIV>
<DXII>GS<BR>Too old to even be a wannabe.</DIV>
<DXIII> </DIV>
<DXIV> </DIV>
<DXV> </DIV>
<DXVI> </DIV>
<DXVII> </DIV>
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Blank "Graham Sharman" <[email protected]> wrote in
message = news:[email protected]... As we
will be in UK on family business in July we are going to the
TdF = for the final 3 days with a Brit bus tour company.

Do any of you learned and much traveled cycle sporting
veterans have =
any tips and or advice as to the best places to get a view
and to eat =
and celebrate as hopefully, Lance comes into Paris with the
sixth win ?

------------------------------------------------------------
-------------=
-------

Get yourself a spot down where you can see the large screen
so that you = can see what's going on on TV as well as live.
Take drinks and food with = you unless you want to risk
losing your position going to kiosks. Also = get there many
hours ahead as the crowds are about four deep. I go on the
Eastern side of the Champs and walk up to the Grand =
Boulevards via l'Op=E9ra afterwards, a lot of the riders
seem to cycle = that way as well in order to avoid the
traffic.=20 All the best Dan Gregory
PS I always go to Chartier (rue du Faubourg Montmartre) for
dinner = too.... Don't know what you mean by "cochons"
but most Parisiens are away on = holiday in July so
people and traffic wise it is not very Parigot...

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PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT:
#000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DV>"Graham Sharman" <<A=20 href=3D"mailto:g.sharma-
[email protected]">[email protected]</A>> =
wrote in=20 message <A=20
=
href=3D"news:[email protected]">news:rrmdn-
c2G7u748gjd4p2= [email protected]</A>...</DIV><LABEL=20
id=3DHbSession SessionId=3D"576572791"></LABEL>
<DVI>As we will be in UK on family business in July
we are going = to the=20 TdF for the final 3
days with a Brit bus tour company.</DIV>
<DVII> </DIV>
<DVIII>Do any of you learned and much traveled cycle
sporting veterans = have any=20 tips and or advice
as to the best places to get a view and to eat
and=20 celebrate as hopefully, Lance comes into
Paris with the sixth win=20
?</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV dir=3Dltr> <HR> </DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr>Get
yourself a spot down where you can
see the = large=20 screen so that you can see
what's going on on TV as well as live. Take =
drinks=20 and food with you unless you want to risk
losing your position going to = kiosks.=20 Also get
there many hours ahead as the crowds are about four
deep.</DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr>I go on the Eastern side
of the Champs and walk up to the = Grand=20
Boulevards via l'Op=E9ra afterwards, a lot of the
riders seem to cycle = that way as=20 well in order
to avoid the traffic. </DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr>All the
best</DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr>Dan Gregory</DIV> <DIV
dir=3Dltr>PS I always go to Chartier (rue du
Faubourg Montmartre) = for dinner=20 too....</DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr> Don't know what you mean by
"cochons" but most = Parisiens are=20 away on
holiday in July so people and traffic wise it is
not very=20 Parigot...</DIV>
<DIX> </DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr><BR>---<BR>Outgoing mail is
certified Virus = Free.<BR>Checked by AVG=20 anti-virus
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6..672 /=20 Virus Database: 434 - Release Date:
28/04/04</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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>Do any of you learned and much traveled cycle sporting
>veterans have = any tips and or advice as to the best
>places to get a view and to eat

There are places to eat everywhere, including some vendors
who follow the race around. But you won't be able to sit and
eat, and also watch, because of all the standees in front of
you. In fact, the real veterans show up with small step-
stools that allow them to see over the heads of the crowd.
When I watched on the Champs a few years ago, a few vendors
were selling some for the equivalent of about $15 US, and I
wish I had bought one.
 
Forget it. I was lucky enough at last year's prologue to find a cafe right
on the route at a corner uphill. A rare treat. For the last stage, there's
no such place. If you're lucky enough to get in the reviewing stands on the
Champs, it's a great view, there's a giant screen tv right across the
street, and aquarelle babes handing out free water. Too bad my friend at
France television, just got a new job. I'm back to standing with the
riffraff :(

Mapei81 wrote:
>> Do any of you learned and much traveled cycle sporting
>> veterans have
>> = any tips and or advice as to the best places to get a
>> = view and to
>> eat
>
> There are places to eat everywhere, including some vendors
> who follow the race around. But you won't be able to sit
> and eat, and also watch, because of all the standees in
> front of you. In fact, the real veterans show up with
> small step-stools that allow them to see over the heads of
> the crowd. When I watched on the Champs a few years ago, a
> few vendors were selling some for the equivalent of about
> $15 US, and I wish I had bought one.
 
One viewing place which is quite popular with the locals is
the West end of the Jardin du Tuilieres which overlooks the
Place de la Concorde. The only way into here after the roads
are closed is via the Louvre metro station. It is elevated
and you can watch the riders come out of Rue Rivoli and
across the Place de la Concorde, you can also see them as
they come back out of the Champs Elysees. Two years ago when
I was there I could also see the big screen on the far side
of the Place de la Concorde.

You will still need to be there two or three hours before
race arrival for a front place. There are chairs in the
park that you can move to the wall and wait in comfort!!
Take a sunhat...

Enjoy it.

Pete

"trg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Forget it. I was lucky enough at last year's prologue to
> find a cafe right on the route at a corner uphill. A rare
> treat. For the last stage, there's no such place. If
> you're lucky enough to get in the reviewing stands on
the
> Champs, it's a great view, there's a giant screen tv right
> across the street, and aquarelle babes handing out free
> water. Too bad my friend at France television, just got a
> new job. I'm back to standing with the riffraff :(
>
> Mapei81 wrote:
> >> Do any of you learned and much traveled cycle sporting
> >> veterans have
> >> = any tips and or advice as to the best places to get a
> >> = view and to
> >> eat
> >
> > There are places to eat everywhere, including some
> > vendors who follow the race around. But you won't be
> > able to sit and eat, and also watch, because of all the
> > standees in front of you. In fact, the real veterans
> > show up with small step-stools that allow them to see
> > over the heads of the crowd. When I watched on the
> > Champs a few years ago, a few vendors were selling some
> > for the equivalent of about $15 US, and I wish I had
> > bought one.
 
"trg" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Forget it. I was lucky enough at last year's prologue to
> find a cafe right on the route at a corner uphill. A rare
> treat. For the last stage, there's no such place. If
> you're lucky enough to get in the reviewing stands on the
> Champs, it's a great view, there's a giant screen tv right
> across the street, and aquarelle babes handing out free
> water. Too bad my friend at France television, just got a
> new job. I'm back to standing with the riffraff :(

Last year, you could get a good view of the riders when they
did the two long laps before getting to the final circuit.
As far as I'm concerned, going to the final circuit is worse
than nothing, and it is much better to watch the TV
coverage. I don't know if there will be long laps this year
(I couldn't find any of the stage routes on the official
website which seemed to emphasize the sponsoring cities).

As for coffee houses, there is a Starbucks opening across
the street from my house, so I should be able to get my
Orange Mocha Frappuccino after experiencing all the
excitment from my living room.

-ilan
 
[email protected] (Ilan Vardi) writes:

> As for coffee houses, there is a Starbucks opening across
> the street from my house, so I should be able to get my
> Orange Mocha Frappuccino after experiencing all the
> excitment from my living room.

Totally off topic, but: that's something I love about Italy.
Instead of burning tires in the street and driving tractors
into McDonalds, they simply don't *go* to places like
McDonalds or Starbucks, and as a consequence, those
establishments don't have many branches here.

--
David N. Welton Consulting: http://www.dedasys.com/
Personal: http://www.dedasys.com/davidw/ Free Software:
http://www.dedasys.com/freesoftware/ Apache Tcl:
http://tcl.apache.org/
 
Ilan Vardi wrote:
> I don't know if there will be long laps this year (I
> couldn't find any of the stage routes on the official
> website which seemed to emphasize the sponsoring cities).

Apparently not. They're making the approach via Joinville
and Charenton-le-Pont, then Bastille, and down the Rue de
Rivoli to Concorde.
 
David N. Welton wrote:

> [email protected] (Ilan Vardi) writes:
>
>
>>As for coffee houses, there is a Starbucks opening across
>>the street from my house, so I should be able to get my
>>Orange Mocha Frappuccino after experiencing all the
>>excitment from my living room.
>
>
> Totally off topic, but: that's something I love about
> Italy. Instead of burning tires in the street and driving
> tractors into McDonalds, they simply don't *go* to places
> like McDonalds or Starbucks, and as a consequence, those
> establishments don't have many branches here.
>

McDonalds filled a need in the French market for junk food
but Starbucks in Paris... it's like selling ice to the
eskimos. Jeez Starbucks coffee is the most godawful stuff,
you end up having to buy a Beurkberry Muffin just to take
the taste away. Still Ilan was corrupted by his time in
the States.

The Starbucks off the Champs is not doing that well,
apparently.

David

ps The French claim it is only tourists that go to
McDonalds, but this is not true.
 
David Off wrote:
> David N. Welton wrote:
>
>> [email protected] (Ilan Vardi) writes:
>>
>>
>>> As for coffee houses, there is a Starbucks opening
>>> across the street from my house, so I should be able to
>>> get my Orange Mocha Frappuccino after experiencing all
>>> the excitment from my living room.
>>
>>
>> Totally off topic, but: that's something I love about
>> Italy. Instead of burning tires in the street and driving
>> tractors into McDonalds, they simply don't *go* to places
>> like McDonalds or Starbucks, and as a consequence, those
>> establishments don't have many branches here.
>>
>
> McDonalds filled a need in the French market for junk food
> but Starbucks in Paris... it's like selling ice to the
> eskimos. Jeez Starbucks coffee is the most godawful stuff,
> you end up having to buy a Beurkberry Muffin just to take
> the taste away. Still Ilan was corrupted by his time in
> the States.
>
> The Starbucks off the Champs is not doing that well,
> apparently.
>
> David
>
> ps The French claim it is only tourists that go to
> McDonalds, but this is not true.

However, that's probably the case for the 3 or 4 starbucks
in Paris. They're located in tourist spots.
 
David Off <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
> McDonalds filled a need in the French market for junk food
> but Starbucks in Paris... it's like selling ice to the
> eskimos. Jeez Starbucks coffee is the most godawful stuff,
> you end up having to buy a Beurkberry Muffin just to take
> the taste away. Still Ilan was corrupted by his time in
> the States.

The worst coffee I've had in Paris is at the Cafe de Flore,
which is also the most famous cafe in Paris (and third most
expensive, after Fouquets and Cafe de la Paix). Otherwise,
Starbucks is the only place (along with Colombus Coffee),
where you can get a decent capuccino, in my opinion.

American type coffee places do have one distinct advantage
over the classical Paris places which is that you can get
decent bread based pastries any time of day. The typical
French cafe (Brioche Doree is an exception) will only stock
croissants and similar items in the morning. I get around
this by buying these at a bakery and taking my coffee at the
cafe, which is universally accepted, except for the
aformentioned Cafe de Flore. However, most tourists won't
know to do this, so Starbucks is a good option if you want
an afternoon snack.

> The Starbucks off the Champs is not doing that well,
> apparently.

The ones at Opera and Montparnasse were doing OK when I went
there. Speaking of which, it seems like a good idea to tank
up on Starbucks coffee before doing the Friday Night Skate.

-ilan
 
Ilan Vardi wrote:
> The ones at Opera and Montparnasse were doing OK when I
> went there. Speaking of which, it seems like a good idea
> to tank up on Starbucks coffee before doing the Friday
> Night Skate.

agggh I'll check it out next time I skate... or cycle for
that matter. Broke my ankle a few days after cycling up
l'Alpe and am in a cast for 6 weeks! I always thought Chris
Boardman was a wimp for not getting back on his bike in the
prologue where he did the same, but it really is quite
painful and the joint pretty useless once broken.

I'd wanted to give last years TdF prologue a go early one
Saturday but I will now be so unfit even Jan Ullrich could
pass me :)
 
"David Off" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
>
> I'd wanted to give last years TdF prologue a go early one
> Saturday but I will now be so unfit even Jan Ullrich could
> pass me :)

Speaking of last year's prologue, is Hermann Maier giving it
a go again this year?
 
David Off <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
> agggh I'll check it out next time I skate... or cycle for
> that matter. Broke my ankle a few days after cycling up
> l'Alpe and am in a cast for 6 weeks! I always thought
> Chris Boardman was a wimp for not getting back on his bike
> in the prologue where he did the same, but it really is
> quite painful and the joint pretty useless once broken.

That sounds tough. Didn't you break your wrist a couple of
years ago?

> I'd wanted to give last years TdF prologue a go early one
> Saturday but I will now be so unfit even Jan Ullrich could
> pass me :)

If you have a wheel chair I can push you during the Friday
Night Skate, on the condition that you promise to do the
same to me when I'm old and useless, which shouldn't be too
far off since I'm now middle aged and useless.

-ilan
 
You could also give this year's Paris-Nice stage a try. It's
a bit more challenging and longer than last year's prologue.
Plus, probably less traffic (especially in
Chaville/meudon/Issy/Vanves than in the middle of Paris.

1David Off wrote:
> Ilan Vardi wrote:
>> The ones at Opera and Montparnasse were doing OK when I
>> went there. Speaking of which, it seems like a good idea
>> to tank up on Starbucks coffee before doing the Friday
>> Night Skate.
>
> agggh I'll check it out next time I skate... or cycle for
> that matter. Broke my ankle a few days after cycling up
> l'Alpe and am in a cast for 6 weeks! I always thought
> Chris Boardman was a wimp for not getting back on his bike
> in the prologue where he did the same, but it really is
> quite painful and the joint pretty useless once broken.
>
> I'd wanted to give last years TdF prologue a go early one
> Saturday but I will now be so unfit even Jan Ullrich could
> pass me :)
 
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