Happy Halloween! I'm back in France and while I'll miss trick-or-treating in Canada, I'm here for a reason. Tomorrow (Sunday) I hit the road heading to the Pyrenees and Bordeaux to put the final touches on our 2010 Tour de France trips. Many former Spyns clients have called and emailed asking about how we put a TDF trip together so I'll be providing updates through this blog to give them an inside view.
Here are just a few things that are on the menu:
1. Meeting with our new regional manager (e-introduction to follow) in Pau.
2. While in the Pyrenees, reviewing our cycling routes in detail with Alan Leng, former director of the British Cycling Association. Alan lives in the Pyrenees, is an avid cyclist, and takes tour groups there year-round so I want his expert input concerning our rides and viewing areas for the stages. Alan's wife will be making her world-famous roast!
3. Riding the routes with our lead guides for the trips (e-intros to follow).
4. Setting the final menus for our dinners.
5. Confirming and double-checking all of our non-riding activities so that people will have as much fun without even touching their bikes.
6. Meeting with city officials in Pau and Bordeaux to determine the Tour de France routes so that we can finalize our viewing areas.
7. Giving our hotel partners the final rooming lists and double-checking the room allocations, beds, special needs etc.
Phillipa J. is one of our lead guides for the area and she very astutely suggested having some French cyclists from her cycling club act as "shepherds" for the longer rides. I think it's an excellent idea because last year we had a group of riders turn right when they should have gone left while cycling the Col de Croix de Fer in the Alps. It would also be a lot of fun to mix the cultures and perhaps get everyone together for a nice lunch on the mountain.
More updates to follow via the blog and please send me your questions or comments.
Here are just a few things that are on the menu:
1. Meeting with our new regional manager (e-introduction to follow) in Pau.
2. While in the Pyrenees, reviewing our cycling routes in detail with Alan Leng, former director of the British Cycling Association. Alan lives in the Pyrenees, is an avid cyclist, and takes tour groups there year-round so I want his expert input concerning our rides and viewing areas for the stages. Alan's wife will be making her world-famous roast!
3. Riding the routes with our lead guides for the trips (e-intros to follow).
4. Setting the final menus for our dinners.
5. Confirming and double-checking all of our non-riding activities so that people will have as much fun without even touching their bikes.
6. Meeting with city officials in Pau and Bordeaux to determine the Tour de France routes so that we can finalize our viewing areas.
7. Giving our hotel partners the final rooming lists and double-checking the room allocations, beds, special needs etc.
Phillipa J. is one of our lead guides for the area and she very astutely suggested having some French cyclists from her cycling club act as "shepherds" for the longer rides. I think it's an excellent idea because last year we had a group of riders turn right when they should have gone left while cycling the Col de Croix de Fer in the Alps. It would also be a lot of fun to mix the cultures and perhaps get everyone together for a nice lunch on the mountain.
More updates to follow via the blog and please send me your questions or comments.
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For more information about Spyns Tour de France tours, or to request references from Spyns former Tour de France clients, please visit our website http://www.tdf-tours.com/ or call us toll-free at 1.888.825.4720.
