Tour de France
The Tour de France is not for the faint of heart. Racers must cover a total distance of 2,115 miles (3,404km) in 23 days. Oh, and you only get two rest days the entire time. The sheer perseverance that’s required to complete this race, let alone win it, is what has compelled cycling fans the world over to arrange charter flights to France with Stratos Jets to watch this spectacle firsthand. The 110th Tour de France runs for three weeks, starting in Bilbao, Spain. The course changes every year, and the rural scenery is always fantastic (if you’re a spectator), but it never gets any easier. This year's stages have the following profiles:
- 6 flat stages
- 6 hilly stages
- 8 mountain stages
- 1 individual time trial
- 2 rest days
The Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España make up cycling's prestigious, three-week-long Grand Tours, of which the Tour de France is the most popular and well-respected. And while the route changes each year, the general format for the Tour de France retains a number key elements:
- Appearance of time trials
- Passage through the Pyrenees and the Alps ranges
- Finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris
New UCI rules have limited the number of entrants this year, down to 176 from the nearly 200 riders from previous years. Each stage is timed, with individual times accumulating as the race progresses. The rider with the lowest aggregate time gets to don the coveted yellow jersey. For spectators, the Tour de France is a sporting event and an adventure all wrapped up into one. Stratos Jets will happily coordinate charter flights to France so you can follow the action across the French countryside.
Getting There
Those wanting to watch the start of the Tour can arrange charter flights to Bilbao, Spain landing at Bilbao Airport.
Accommodations
Starting point (Bilbao): Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao, Hotel Carlton, Radisson Collection Hotel Gran Via Bilbao
Finish (Paris): Marriott, Four Seasons, La Maison Champs-Elysees
Are you looking to arrange luxury charter services to watch the Tour de France? Stratos Jets arranges private jets that will bring you there in upscale comfort. Call (888) 593-9066 (toll free) or request a quote online.