Tour de France 2008 - Final Stage in Paris

Saturday, 26th July sees the 2008 Tour de France Tour de France event reach it's final leg in Paris. After 22 days, and 20 stages, the road race that is usually run over more than 3,500 km (1,864 miles), comes to a climatic end.

The win on the Champs Elysees in Paris is the most prestigious for sprinters and their teams dial up the speeds to over 30 mph by the time they hit the bone jangling cobbles around the Place de la Concorde. From behind, the yellow jersey and other favorites roll safely to the line. Join the party on this special weekend with a city break to the spiritual home of cycling.

You can book a Eurostar and hotel package for the Tour de France in Paris with Short Breaks Ltd.

The 2008 Tour de France event commences in Brest, 5th July. It takes in high mountain, flat and time-trial stages. See advice on how best to enjoy the stages courtesy of Tour de France writer Liz Boltz Ranfeld.

Flat Stages

At long, flat stages, you're going to perfect your waiting skills. I always recommend getting to the race as early as possible, because nothing feels quite as bad as arriving just in time to see the road closed down to traffic, and you're stuck watching from the same place as every other latecomer.

City viewing of the Tour is always going to be pretty crowded, and you need to make the most of seeing the peloton on flat days. They're going to be gone so fast, and the chances are against you seeing a breakaway, so the fewer spectators pushing against you, the better. You can enjoy the wait by sitting back and reading a magazine instead of standing and standing and standing, trying not to lose your spot in the crowd.

One major bonus of checking out a flat stage is that you can typically go into a bar or restaurant after the race passes by and catch the rest of it on TV.

Mountain Stages

What could be more fun than camping with a million fellow cycling fanatics, especially when your camping trip culminates with the best cyclists in the world racing past you? Mountain stages are popular for a reason: they're by far the most exiting stages. If you're on a mountain stage, the racers are going to be coming along slower than at any other stage, and more spread out. This is your chance to get great action-shot pictures of your individual favorites. Plus, you can cheer them on and know that they're hearing you. As a spectator, you feel like you're actually helping the athletes up the mountain, because who wouldn't want a little encouragement as they drag their bikes over Alpe d'Huez?

The tips for seeing a real high-mountain stage are this: show up a day early, if possible. Bring lots of water. Befriend everyone around you. If you're not at a high-mountains stage, you don't necessarily have to show up a whole day in advance. Just make sure you get there before the road closes, and have your camera ready!

Time Trials

The individual time trial is one of my favorite kinds of stages. With cyclists coming by one at a time, every couple of minutes or so, you get a chance to see everybody. This is another sort of stage that I think is best in the country, rather than in a more crowded spot. Out in the country you can befriend the other spectators, enjoy a picnic lunch, and get up to cheer each time someone zips past you. The local newspaper will give you the order of the riders, which is the reverse of their positions in the General Classification.

The Stages in Full...

Travel direct from London to Paris by Eurostar to enjoy the final stage of Tour de France.

Take the Eurostar from St Pancras International, London to Paris and revel in the excitement of the final stage of the Tour de France.

Eurostar to Paris - High-Speed and Direct

With a maximum speed of 186mph, travelling by Eurostar means you can arrive in Paris from London St Pancras in 2 hours 15 minutes.

London to the Heart of Paris in Comfort

Take your Tour de France trip by Eurostar and within a few short hours you can be in Paris, ready to start enjoying the event. The beauty of travelling to Paris by Eurostar is that you are taken right to the heart of Paris in comfort, arriving relaxed and refreshed. Travelling from London city centre (St Pancras International) to Paris city centre (Gare de Nord) means no more trekking to an airport miles from your destination.

Take the Eurostar to Paris and you will have more time to relax and enjoy yourself and less time to spend travelling. Eurostar trains are the fastest, most comfortable way to take a city break from London to continental Europe. Eurostar trains can travel at a top speed of 186 miles an hour, so journey times are surprisingly short; London to Paris by Eurostar takes only 2 hours and 35 minutes. The less time you spend getting there, the more time you have to enjoy Tour de France!

You can book a Eurostar and hotel package for the Tour de France in Paris with Short Breaks Ltd.