Tour de France
Stage 17 of the Tour de France 2022 starts from Saint-Gaudens to Peyragudes and includes the Col d’Aspin, Horquette d’Ancizan and the Col de Val Louron-Azet, it’ll be a punishing day for the riders. Stage 18 is starting from Lourdes the spiritual sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, the fourth most frequented place of Catholic pilgrimage after the Vatican. Stage 19 starts from Castelnau Magnoac, a pretty village just 32 km away from Hello Pyrenees in Castelvieilh. All three of these stages are within easy reach of Castelvieilh whether you’re driving or cycling.
TDF 2022 - Stage 17
Saint Gaudens to Peyragudes
20th July
TDF 2022 - Stage 18
Lourdes to Hautacam
21st July
Having moved here in 2016 the first TDF we got to see passed through Chelle Debat just 5 minutes down the road. It really is a sight to see, each rider giving everything they have, the sheer size of the pelotons and that instant that they speed by in front of you, blink and you miss it! Due to our close proximity to the famous cols that the TDF love to climb, there is invariably a start within an easy drive or cycle from our base in Castelvieilh each year. In 2017 stage 12 started from Pau and passed through both Tarbes and Tournay.
In 2018, stage 18 started just seventeen kilometres away in the small market town of Trie-Sur-Baїse famous for its pig crying competition! This was the first year that our girls really got to experience the excitement and madness of the TDF. It was a super hot day, Trie-Sur-Baїse was heaving with people clamouring to get a good spot to get the goodies thrown from the caravans and to cheer on the riders as they began the days ride to Pau. The excitement was palpable as you walked through the town. We stopped at the team coaches to get a glimpse of the riders before the start then bagged ourselves a spot in the shade to watch the caravan go past and for the days riding to begin. It’s really an unforgettable experience which leaves you in awe at the sheer planning and logistics that go into the organisation of each year’s Tour de France.
For the TDF 2019 we had a great group of cyclists staying with us who followed stages 12 to 14. They cycled to Horquette to watch and cheer on the riders as they climbed this legendary col then descended down to Campan. They also cycled to Stage 13 at Pau for the time trial, and again for stage 14 Tarbes to Col du Tourmalet to watch the finish at the most famous Col in the Pyrenees. It’s safe to say that they had a great holiday on which they got to climb many of the cols made famous by the TDF as well as getting to watch it first-hand.
TDF 2020 – the year all of our lives came to a standstill because of Covid and for the first time in history that the tour was not held in July and the only year since we have lived in France that we did not go!
TDF 2021 the tour went through the mountain village of St Marie de Campan made famous by its puppets which litter shop windows, balconies, fields and pavements. It was a pretty cool day weather wise which was great for the riders but on the chilly side for us spectators, nonetheless the atmosphere was charged and the road was lined with supporters.
The Tour de France 2022 stages 17, 18 and 19 on the 20th, 21st and 22nd July are within easy reach of our base here in Castelvieilh. Its looking to be an exciting tour this year, if you’re wanting to experience the TDF and even ride some of the legendary cols during tour week then book your stay today.