The Tour de France has always been an incredibly popular sporting event in European countries, but its interest in the states has grown in recent years due almost entirely to the popularity of one Mr. Lance Armstrong. Just as his winning streak has grown, so has interest in Tour de France travel packages. Once you begin the sometimes confusing process of finding the perfect one, you will soon discover that no two Tour de France travel packages have been created equally.
Since the race covers several weeks and has several stages that take place all over the county, finding a Tour de France travel package that covers everything can be tricky. Most of these travel packages offer you different options for planning your trip around the stage of the tour you want to see or the part of the country you want to spend your time in. For instance, if you were interested in the part of the race that takes place in the French Alps, you would book a travel package that covers that particular stage of the race.
Tour de France travel packages often include hotel accommodations at some of the more plush hotels in the area as well as passes to see a leg of the race from some of the top viewing spots. You will generally stay at these hotels for several nights allowing you to unpack, sit back and relax. Meals, including welcome and departure dinners, are a staple and offer you the opportunity to socialize and discuss the events of the race with other Tour de France enthusiasts. Transportation to and from the events is included and convenient.
Since you will be traveling in a foreign country, obviously the currency will be different. When you book your Tour de France travel package, check with your travel agent. Your travel agent will be able to give you an idea of how much money you should carry for incidentals. You do need to carry some money on you, but never carry so much that if you were to be pick-pocketed your entire trip would be ruined.
It’s also a good idea to exchange your American currencies into Euros before you leave. This gives you the opportunity to pay for incidentals upon arrival with cash eliminating the need to find a bank or an ATM. Speaking of ATM’s, check with your bank before you go and make sure that your ATM card will work in the overseas machines. It may be that you need to set up a special PIN and finding out while you’re standing in front of a bank in Paris is not the time to discover that.
As with any travel package, a Tour de France travel package can vary greatly in price depending on the level of luxury you wish to travel in. The more stages of the race you see, the more expensive the package will be. The level of accommodations you choose will impact the price but just remember; there are plenty of ways to save money. Many of the tour prices are based on double occupancy. If you’re traveling alone, most offer you the option of bunking with another single traveler allowing you to split the cost.
You can pick some of the less popular locations to view the race or you can stay in a more moderately-priced hotel. If a Tour de France travel package is something you have your heart set on, with such a large variety of packages available, a good travel agent should be able to find one that fits your needs, as well as your budget.
Related:
