Published by Lyn on 18 July 2014
The Dordogne will host two key stages of this year’s Tour de France on July 25-26 – here’s how to get in on the action. By Lynette Eyb. (Originally written for Living Magazine).
The Yellow Jersey of Alberto Contador in action during the 2010 time trial that started in Bordeaux. Photo: zahikel
And you won’t be the only one. The Tour de France draws millions of people to the roads of France every year, with millions more glued to TV screens and livestreams around the world.
That translates into lucrative tourism dollars for the towns and cities savvy enough to secure ville étape du Tour status.
La Grande Boucle
Coinciding with what is now routinely described as a golden age of British cycling, the 2014 Tour will started with much fanfare in Leeds on July 5, before heading south towards London. It crossed the Channel on July 8 for its first French stage from Le Touquet to Lille.
But it’s the later stages that will decide the ultimate outcome, with two key stages taking place in Aquitaine.
After three gruelling days in the Pyrénées, Stage 19 on July 25 sees the peloton head north from Maubourguet, through Gers and the Lot Valley and into the heart of the Dordogne.
Riders will follow the D933 through Eymet before taking a detour around the vineyards of Monbazillac. If all goes according to plan, there should be a sprint finish in Bergerac, some 208km after leaving Maubourguet.
The colour of the Tour de France publicity caravan in 2010 in Bordeaux. Photo: Thomas Valadon
It will be the first time since 1995 that the Tour has visited the Dordogne, having also featured in 1961, 1964, 1985 and 1994. That last year is significant because the Individual Time Trial stage set down for July 26 is loosely based on the same one ridden 20 years ago. This time, however, riders will race the clock in reverse, starting the 54km stage in Bergerac instead of Périgueux.
If the General Classification is tight coming out of the Pyrénées, the leading contenders will be looking to put as many seconds into their opponents as possible on the way out of Bergerac, meaning this penultimate stage could be crucial in deciding who wins the Tour.
Twenty years ago, the great Miguel Indurain won the Dordogne Time Trial on his way to wearing the Yellow Jersey in Paris. This year, whoever claims Yellow in Périgueux will almost certainly ride into Paris the following day as the winner of the 2014 Tour de France.
Watching the Tour de France
For the uninitiated, watching a professional bike race generally involves hours of standing around in order to see a few bikes take a split second – two if you’re lucky – to pass by.
Where you watch the Tour is largely a matter of personal preference because anywhere is essentially a good place to be.
The great thing is that it’s free and the course is long, which means there’s plenty of room for everyone. That said, you want to get it right because the peloton only passes once (unless, as with the Bergerac-Périgueux stage, it’s a time trial, in which case you get to see every rider go by one-by-one).
But, be warned: you still need to arrive early to get the best spot. This is especially true for prime positions near the start and finish lines, where it can get very crowded. Many people prefer to watch from villages or rural roadsides, where the crowds are sparser and the chances of engaging with the locals are higher.
Time trial specialist Fabian Cancellara in action in 2010. Photo: Justin Balog
In the Dordogne, anywhere along the D933 should be a good place to set up on the Friday. There are lots of smaller feeder roads linking into the route here, meaning that it shouldn’t be too difficult to access even after the D933 itself has closed.
The roads around Monbazillac may be more problematic, but the contours of the hills and the vines should make this section one of the most spectacular, and well worth the effort of going early.
The Saturday provides an opportunity to see each rider in action as they race against the clock, departing one-by-one from Bergerac. The route follows the D709 and then the D4 up through Villamblard.
The route may close to traffic several hours before the Publicity Caravan – a procession of garishly vehicles representing sponsors and advertisers – comes through, some two hours before the riders themselves set out. Road closure information is usually available from local mairies and tourist offices in the days before.
No matter where you’re watching, be prepared to park up and walk if you’re arriving by car; alternatively, cycle in as this can make getting around a lot easier.
Stage 19 maps and info for the ride into Bergerac, July 25.
Stage 20 maps and info for the Bergerac to Perigueux time trial, July 26.
Official Tour de France site: www.letour.fr
What to take
- Camera
- Food, water, wine (once you find that perfect spot, you won’t want to leave to search for lunch)
- Sunscreen and hat (or poncho/raincoat if the Meteo forecast is bleak)
- Lightweight fold-up chair or blanket
See also our Watching the Tour de France article.
The lingo
le parcours: the route
peloton: main bunch of riders
la tête de course: stage leader
un échappé: breakaway rider:
What time will the road close?
La route sera fermée (barrée) à quelle heure?
What time will the road open?
La route ouvrira à quelle heure?
Do you know what time the caravan arrives?
Vous savez à quelle heure arrive / passe la caravane?
When will the first riders arrive?
Quand est-ce que les coureurs arriveront?
I'm going for Porte! Go for it Porte!
Je suis pour Porte! Vas-y Porte!
Tour classifications – riders to watch
Yellow Jersey: The overall leader – or general classification leader. Has taken the least cumulative time over all of the stages.
Green Jersey: Points classification – points are awarded at various times throughout the race for sprint sections of the course.
Polka Dot Jersey: Worn by the best climber, or the King of the Mountains. Points are awarded at various stages of the race for mountain sections of the course.
White Jersey: Best Young Rider 25 years or younger.
Accommodation watching the Tour de France in the Dordogne
If you are lucky, some of the places on the map below *might* still have accommodation available. You can also browse this list to see options.
This article was originally written for Living Magazine, a monthly English-language title that serves south-west France.
