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You are here: Marmot tours > Trip summaries > Tour de France MTB special
Tour de France 2009 mountain biking SpecialAn unforgettable week of mountain biking combined with supporting the Tour de France on its 2009 route through the Pyrenees. |
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6 full days of guided MTB rides. |
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OVERVIEWThis years 2009 Tour de France route in the Pyrenees lends itself beautifully to a unique, custom made mountain biking holiday offering the perfect mix of unmissable trails, unforgettable landscapes and the opportunity to be part of the epic experience that is the Tour de France.Experienced in planning and running mountain biking holidays in the Ariege and worldwide, James Thompson, director of Marmot Tours, has put together this trip with care and attention to detail to ensure that you not only get the best riding routes, but maximise your exposure to the Tour. Our holiday starts with 4 exhilarating days of cross-country single track across varied landscapes in the valley of Ax, which will excite and challenge you. You will come across every class of terrain you can hope for, pastures, forest trails and rocky descents, to test and develop your skills. The trails we use have been fashioned naturally over many years by animals wandering the hillsides or by the nomadic farmers practicing transhumance. James knows the area like the back of his hand and lets you know what to expect ahead of you, whether it be switchbacks, fast descents or some cross country meadows with stunning views. Not wishing to lose sight of our focus with the Tour, we time our
days so that we can be in a bar by about 1630, to allow us to keep up to speed with the daily events of the approaching
peleton. On day 5 of the holiday the Tour reaches the valley
of Ax, having passed through Spain and Andorra. The pros are still
in their first week of cycling and will be giving it their all with
the climbers having an opportunity to prove themselves on the first
summit finish of the tour, Arcalis. This mountain lies in the
principality of Andorra, only a few km to the South of the valley of
Ax, and is surrounded by a horseshoe of high peaks with only one
road in and out. With the traffic heading in both directions
to support the Tour, off road is the only place to be. We
don't miss out on any of the action however as we follow an epic
mountian biking ascent over one of the ancient smugglers routes
(the Port de Rat, 2540m) to then drop in on the pros as they reach
the giddy heights of the Arcalis finish. IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?This week is aimed at experienced mountain bikers who are in a good shape. You will need to be happy with single track and enjoy trails with a fair amount of technical challenges (equivalent to UK trail centre red routes). There are naturally more demanding sections, but these are short and there is the option of walking. If you enjoy riding a bike in beautiful surroundings and have an interest in the Tour, then this is the trip for you. Please note that it is not aimed at people who only enjoy going at speeds that require full body armour! Most of the riding is on unmade forest tracks or single-track although we do climb on some roads.This trip is fairly demanding as most days we will be riding 45 to 60km of dirt trails with 1000 to 1600m of up over 7-9 hours. Because of our daily transfer, we will have over 2000m of exhilarating descent single track to look forward to. However, most days there are options for people who want to take it slightly easier and there is always the support vehicle if a lift is needed. It is important to us that people book the correct trip. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have have any doubts. DATESSunday 5th to Sunday 12th July (Trip Code MFT I27)HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?The Trip costs £699, starting at Toulouse Airport.Flights can be picked up very cheaply if booked in advance. Expect to pay £40 return - see the Transport section. Allow about £50 for drinks and the meals not included (outlined below). There are no other local payments or hidden costs. Please note that we offer a 5% discount if you book more than 3 months before the departure date. We also offer group and loyalty discounts. More Info >> WHAT DOES THE PRICE INCLUDE?6 days guided rides. Airport Transfers (at specified times). Vehicle uplift at the start of most days. Informal riding instruction. Medical and Mechanical support. 4 nights in a 2 star hotel in Ax-les-Thermes, 3 nights in a mountain hotel in Vicdossos. 6 evening meals (with moderate wine), 7 breakfasts, 6 picnic lunches, barbeque by the roadside on the Col d'Agnes. Satellite TV coverage of the TDF on day 6.WHERE DO WE STAYFor the first 4 nights we stay in the family run 2 star Hotel Terminus in Ax-les-Thermes. The owners Alain and Elizabet offer a warm welcome and are proud to serve up delicious evening meals using meat and vegetables from local producers. The ensuite rooms are large and all have a window overlooking the river Ariège. The hotel is a 5 minute walk from the centre of Ax les Thermes, opposite the railway station.The last 3 nights of the trip are spent in the excellently located village of Vicdossos, at the Hotel Hivert. This one star hotel gives us the perfect start point for our adventures in the mountains to see the pros on Tour, and has a very good restaurant. FOOD7 substantial continental style breakfasts are included. Comprehensive picnic lunches will be provided which you will be expected to carry with you. All but one evening meals will be taken at the taken at the Hotels, where we will be served regional specialties such as Confit du canard and Cassoulet. A moderate amount of wine is included with these meals. 1 evening meal is not included, giving you the opportunity to head into town where there are many fine French and International restaurants. Vegetarians are welcome and will be looked after very well.GUIDING AND INSTRUCTIONYou are accompanied by James Thompson, who has over 10 years of experience of leading mountain biking trips around the world. James' quest for the "ultimate ride" ended when he stumbled across Ax three years ago. He now lives in the Valley and has an intimate knowledge of the regions single track. James is a competent mechanic and experienced First-aider. Informal instruction will be given for those wanting to improve their technique.GROUPThere is a maximum of 12 people (minimum 4) plus James and Cathy and another leader on this holiday. Bookings from single people are welcome as activity holidays are a great way to make new friends.TRANSPORT / SUPPORTEvery morning you will be transferred up to our ride start point in our private minibus which is fitted with a bike rack. James cycles with a comprehensive medical and tool kits, however if further assistance is needed the bus is only a phone call away.BIKE HIREIf you do not want to have the hassle of bringing your own bike; you can hire one from Marmot-Tours (and return it dirty at the end of the holiday). Marmot-Tours has a fleet of Specialised Rockhoppers Bikes with either 'Normal' of 'Disc' Brakes. There are no full suspension bikes available. For more information on hiring or packing up your own bike for travel please see the Bike Hire section.HOW DO I GET THERE?Toulouse Airport is only 1hr45mins from Ax and Vicdossos by road. Minibus transfers at specified times are included in the cost of the holiday. Please see the Transport section for all travel options (air, road and rail), including how to get to the start point independently. If appropriate, please check out our section on travelling with a bike. |
| HOLIDAY ITINERARY | |
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NOTES |
The itinerary remains flexible to accommodate for the weather conditions and the desires of the group. The rides described below are to give you an idea of what we could encounter during the week. There is a good months worth of world class rides to select from - James' biggest problem is trying to work out which rides to miss out!! Whatever ride we do, the aim is to be in a bar with a TV by about 4pm so that we can keep up to date with the progress of the approaching peleton. |
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DAY 1 (Sun 5) |
Transfer from Toulouse airport to our tour start point at the Hotel Terminus in Ax-les-Thermes. Assemble bikes over a few beers and Dinner. |
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DAY 2 (Mon 6) |
The Cathar Trail: The high plateau to the East of the Col du Chioula has an interesting history. For us this means lots of well laid trails criss-crossing the varied landscape between the ancient villages. Today is about fast descents, big views, swimming lakes and single track. After 45km we find ourselves back at the edge of the valley and at the top of the 'twister'. |
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DAY 3 (Tues 7) |
Scaramus and Chioula: A short climb up to a limestone plateau is rewarded with a roller coaster descent called the 'light fandango' into the village of Prades for a coffee. Next up we get to play in a natural BMX park before climbing up to Chioula and the start of the aptly named 'Serpent' - 800m of mountian bike heaven. |
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DAY 4 (Wed 8) |
Valley of Ax: The ultimate valley ride! The many villages on the southern flanks of the Ax valley are overlooked by the picturesque "Route Des Corniches". However from most of the villages there is an ancient trail heading into the valley 500m below. Today we wind our way down, then back up the valley enjoying endless world class descents and lung busting climbs. |
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DAY 5 (Thurs 9) |
Today we decamp and head over to our new base in the Valley of Vicdessos. While our bags are being transported in the van we head over the mountain! The ride is not for those shy of climbing as we head up to the mountain pastures of the Pla de Montcamp (1905m). From here we join the GR10 and follow a narrow sheep track that descends down ridge to the valley 1200m below! The ride is however not yet over as there is plenty of fun to be had in this valley! |
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DAY 6 |
Todays is sure to be one of the most feared in this years Tour. With 224km, it is the longest etape of the tour and culminates in an ever steepening 94km climb to the Andorran ski station of Arcalis. The ambiance here is sure to be overwhelming with half of Spain turning out in orange to support their riders. Our day is sure to be just as epic... As the crow flies the final preparations for the stage finish are only 15km away, but between us is formidable Port du Rat (2540m). From our hotel at 700m we set off on our bikes up a deteriorating tarmac road which soon becomes vehicle width track heading into the heart of the mountains to the end of the trail at 2150m. Here we leave the bikes (one guide stay with them), don our walking shoes and continue up the col by foot. The view from here is normally of serene mountains, but today it will be a sea of camping cars, mobile recording studios and supporters in orange, just 300m below us. The stage finish has an incredible atmosphere. We will be able to watch the approaching riders on a big screen, be there at the finishing line and mingle with athletes at the awards ceremony. After it is all over there will be a huge traffic jam heading down the valley. We escape the commotion by wandering back over the col to our bikes (1.5 hr walk max) and enjoy an epic descent back to our hotel on a mix of trail types. |
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DAY 7 (Sat 11) |
The TDF Riders start in Andorre-le-Vielle and climb over the 2408m Port d'Envalira before a long descent past Ax. Next up the Col du Port and the stunningly beautiful Col Du Agnes. The race is not over here as the finish line is 45km away and it is all downhill! In the morning we cycle up the Col du Agnes (1570) (870m climb over 17km) on the road just ahead of the tour to our pre reserved spot commanding excellent views of the road snaking below us. After a barbeque lunch it is time to watch the Tour Riders get ever closer on our Satalite TV system with English commentary. After the stage has finished we head back to our hotel in Vicdossos, but the fun is far from over as bypass all the tour traffic on an excellent bit of single track. |
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DAY 8 (Sun 12) |
Time to leave. After breakfast we transfer back to Toulouse trying to plan when you can come back for more!! |
