Tour de France Ultimate Experience: The Pyrénées

Overview

Your Trek Travel race adventure begins in the legendary scenery of the Pyrénées, where the yellow jersey will be won, lost, and won again during the first mountain stages of this year’s Tour. Your guides will meet you at the Pau TGV train station at 11:00 AM. From here, you’ll shuttle to Lourdes and enjoy a relaxing lunch before your guides ensure a perfect fit on your race-ready Trek Domane. This afternoon’s warm-up ride follows quiet roads from Lourdes to the village of Astugue and back, winding along mountain streams and through lush foothills that hint at the climbs to come. Return to Lourdes and settle into Hotel Gallia & Londres, your boutique home for the next two nights. Tonight, meet your fellow travelers over cocktails and a traditional Pyrenean dinner at a favorite local restaurant.

Overview

This morning, you’ll appreciate the true grit and determination of the pros as you tackle the Col du Soulor, a climb often featured in the Tour de France. The climb begins gently before rising to a challenging 9% grade. Pause at the summit to take in the mountain views, then enjoy a well-earned sweeping descent back to Lourdes. After lunch and a shower at the hotel, shuttle to Pau for today’s stage finish! Watch the peloton’s dramatic arrival from an exclusive VIP open-top bus, complete with panoramic views, an open bar, and large-screen TVs capturing every moment. When the stage concludes, we’ll visit the Lidl-Trek team hotel for behind-the-scenes access, a Q&A aperitif with team representatives, and, if regulations allow, a look inside the team bus as mechanics prepare the pros’ bikes for tomorrow’s mountaintop finish.

Overview

Today delivers thrilling mountaintop race action as you climb Gavarnie-Gèdre just hours ahead of the Tour on the most demanding Pyrenean stage of the race! After a hearty breakfast, join the race route as fans line the road and cheers echo through this stunning UNESCO valley of towering peaks and waterfalls. With VIP passes and an official race escort car leading the way, you’ll ride the final stretch just like the pros. Savor the moment as you cross the finish line and step onto the Official Tour podium for a photo worthy of champions. Descend back to our hotel to shower and celebrate your achievement with a mountain lunch. Afterward head to the course directly outside our hotel to catch some “swag” from the passing caravan and soak up the buzz among the die-hard fans waiting patiently as the riders approach battling for the yellow jersey on this mountain top finish. This evening, we´ll toast to another spectacular day at the Tour over a festive dinner.

Overview

Today, you’ll take on one of the Pyrénées’ most iconic climbs—the Col du Tourmalet, featured in yesterday’s Stage 6. Descend from the hotel and ride through the dramatic Gorges de Luz, where jagged cliffs rise above a rushing mountain stream. From the village of Barèges, the climb to the summit begins in earnest—nearly 12 miles (19 km) at an average gradient of 7.5%, reaching 6,942 feet (2,116 m). This historic ascent has appeared in the Tour de France more than 80 times. Pause to honor Octave Lapize, the first Tour rider to conquer the col in 1910, and take in the sweeping alpine views. Then enjoy a thrilling descent back to Luz-Saint-Sauveur, where you can choose to ride the final climb back to Gèdre or hop in the van to return to the hotel. Enjoy dinner together tonight at our hotel and rest up for another spectacular day on the bike tomorrow.

Overview

Begin your day with a cool morning descent into the valley toward Argelès-Gazost, where another Tour de France legend awaits—the climb to Hautacam. This 10.7-mile (17 km) ascent averages 6.8%, with pitches exceeding 10% near the summit, testing even the strongest legs. Hautacam last featured in 2022, when Jonas Vingegaard’s victory here cemented his first yellow jersey. After your triumphant climb, descend back to the valley and return to the hotel in time to catch Stage 8’s sprint finish into Bergerac on TV. Tonight, celebrate with your guides and fellow travelers over a farewell dinner—raising a glass to the Tour, its heroes past and present, and your unforgettable cycling adventure in the Pyrénées.

Overview

It’s been an unforgettable week of riding through the Pyrénées—one that will stay with you long after you’re home. Enjoy a final spin through the mountain air or a relaxed breakfast before saying goodbye to your guides and fellow travelers at 11:00 AM at the hotel. From here, you’ll board your shuttle to the Pau train station and begin your journey home.