Starting Point Details:

1. Trains/Planes are direct & non-smoking: Both trains & planes are direct so no need to change. All public places in France are now non-smoking so no need to worry about Jean-Paul smoking a pack of Gauloises.

2. Lunch Not Included: You should have something to eat before starting your train trip as lunch isn't provided on day 1. Tip: Buy a sandwich at the station before getting on the train because the dining car on the train is expensive.

3. Guides Will Be Waiting: Our guides will be waiting outside of the train station's main entrance with a Spyns sign to direct you to your van for transfer to your first hotel.

4. Travel Time: It will take about 1.5 hours to travel from the train station to your first hotel.

5. Dress Casually for Day 1: No need to dress in full bike gear for transfer to your hotel. You can change once you get there.

Tips for Travel in France

1. We can purchase your train tickets but not plane tickets. 
2. Your taxi driver may charge a supplement for extra baggage. This is common in Paris.
3. We suggest arriving at the station at least 45 minutes to 1 hour before departure. This will give you time to find your train, buy something to eat, punch your ticket (see below), and get settled.
4. Before getting on the train, you are required to "punch" your ticket. You will see people punching their tickets in  upright orange machines just before walking down the platform.
5. Seats on the bullet train are assigned so you have to find your car (called a "voiture") and seat ("siege").
6. The train times we provided are direct although they may stop along the route. Be careful, you'll only have a few minutes to get off the train before it departs again for the next station.             

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require help with your pre-tour travel arrangements.

BRIVE LA GAILLARDE
Brive is located in the French departement (province/state) of Correze. It is roughly 2 hours' drive east of Bordeaux (199 kms / 123 miles) and 6 hours' drive south of Paris (481 km / 298 miles). Brive is easily accessible from Paris through France's excellent high-speed rail system (called the TGV). Below are the daily train times from Paris to Brive.  

This is a question we often hear from potential clients. 'What is the daily plan on a Spyns Tour de France tour?' You can expect a guide:client ratio of approximately 10:1 or 10 clients for each guide. Each group of 10-15 clients will have two to three guides: one guide will ride, another will drive, and the third guide will take care of the non-riders. What follows is a breakdown of a typical morning, noon, and evening:

MORNING: Depending on your hotel, breakfast is normally served between 7:30 and 10:00. Your guides will be on hand to review the day's activities for both riders and non-riders. Riders generally depart between 9:30 or 10:00 with the non-riders departing shortly thereafter. For the riders, you will have complete route instructions and maps. You can choose to ride with your riding guide or go it alone. Vans will sweep the route for riders needing a changed tire or a shuttle to the next meeting point.

NOON: The groups will stop for a cafe lunch or picnic. Before departure, your guides will let you know whether this lunch is included or at your charge. Lunch normally lasts at least an hour after which you can choose to finish the day's ride or non-riding activity or shuttle back to your hotel for some rest & relaxation.

EVENING: Spyns will sometimes host a pre-dinner cocktail party. Dinners usually start around 7:30 or 8:00 and last 3-4 hours. Dress is normally casual-dressy. Stick around for post-dinner drinks or get a good night's sleep to rest up for the next day's activities; with Spyns you'll either see the Tour de France, bike until your heart's content or enjoy a fun non-riding activitiy.

Below is the selection from our Maps Section

How much of the tour will I see?
How much are your tours? 
What are the dates for your tours?
Do your tours include airfare?
Where should I fly?
How do I get to the start of the tour?
I’m an avid rider, will there be enough riding for me?
I’m an average rider, will this tour be too difficult for me?
I don’t ride but my partner is an avid rider, will we enjoy the tour?
What kind of bikes do you provide?
Should I bring my own bike?
Why should I travel with your company?
What are your terms & conditions?
How do I reserve a tour?
What if I have to cancel?

How much of the tour will I see?
That depends on your 2012 Tour de France tour. Spyns only offers tours the final week le Tour. Longer tours logically include more stage viewing. For detailed stage information, please visit our All Tours page but here is a brief summary.

For more information, please visit our All Tours page.

How much are your tours?
We offer a variety of dates, activities, and prices to suit most budgets. For more information, please visit our our All Tours page but here is a summary:

Do your tours include airfare?
No. Our tours do not include airfare. You are responsible for getting to the tour’s starting point in (either Pau or Brive la Gaillarde depending on your tour). However, once in France we can help with your pre-trip hotel and train arrangements.

Where should I fly?
Most of our clients will fly in and out of Paris. There are at least 4 daily high-speed trains from Paris (Gare de Lyon) to the different starting points (in Pau and Brive la Gaillarde) - depending on your tour.  
 
How do I get to the start of the tour?
Fly to Paris and from downtown Paris you can then travel by train to your tour's starting point (either Pau or Brive la Gaillarde depending on your tour). We're more than happy to help with train and pre-trip hotel arrangements.

I’m an avid rider, will there be enough riding for me?
We have both riding and non-riding tours. Serious riders should join our 8-Day Pyrenees-Paris Tour as it has the most mileage (see below). For more information, please visit our All Tours page but here is a summary:

The Pyrenees to Paris tours included riding the Col d'Aubisque, Sulor, and Tourmalet to name a few. For more information, please visit our All Tours page

I’m an average rider, will the riding tours be too difficult for me?
You should avoid our Pyrenees to Paris premiere tour as it caters to very serious riders and doesn't offer non-riding activities. If you are an average rider, you should try our mixed Dordogne-Paris it includes light rides. For more information, please visit our All Tours page.

I don’t ride but my partner is an avid rider, will we enjoy the tour?
If you take one of our mixed tours, yes. The Pyrenees to Paris Premiere Tour and Dordogne-Paris Premiere Tour both include activities for riders and non-riders. All groups go in the same direction, see the same stages, and enjoy breakfast/dinner together. So the most you’ll be apart is normally a half day. Please visit our All Tours page for a detailed summary of the riding and non-riding activities.

What kind of bikes do you provide?
If you’re a fanatical rider, we strongly suggest you bring your own bike. If you’d like to use one of ours, we have two options: a Trek Ultra (rental included) or a Van Nicholas Yukon 3AL /2,5V Titanium road frame and Ax carbon Audax fork (rental price $175/bike). What follows are some additional details: Trek Ultra SL Aluminium bikes with alloy hubs, Alex Rims, Shimano Gears / Derailer, and Bontrager seat & stem (rental included); Van Nicholas Yukon 3AL /2,5V Titanium road frame and Ax carbon Audax fork, (Front) Shimano Ultegra or Shimano 105 10 triple crank 10 speed: 30-39-52 or 50 T and (Rear) Shimano Ultegra 10 speed: 12-27 or 11-28 (rental price $175/bike). If you plan to use one of our bikes, we suggest you still bring your pedals, shoes, seat and stem.

Should I bring my own bike?
If you are a serious rider (150-200 miles/week), you should bring your own bike. We strongly recommend you ship your bike to your first hotel but please note that we assume no risk/liability during shipping and transport during the tour. Please see our terms & conditions for more information. Following registration, we will send you detailed shipping instructions. Our mechanic can have your bike set up and ready before you arrive based on your specifications of course.

Why should I travel with your company?
Here are three main reasons: 1. Our prices are, on average, $1000 less than our competitors yet our TDF itineraries are by far the best. 2. Our average group size is 10-15 clients compared to 30-40+ for our competitors. 3. We are the only company that provides a complete itinerary for non-riders and light riders traveling in the same groups. Traveling with Spyns means enjoying your holiday even if you don’t touch a bike. Don't take our word for it, look at our testimonials. We're also more than happy to provide references upon request.

What are your Terms & Conditions?
We require payment of a non-refundable deposit upon registration followed by full non-refundable payment of your balance on Aril 20, 2012.

How do I reserve a tour?
By phone: Call us with a credit card number at 1.888.825.4720. By fax: Print, complete, sign and fax our registration form to us toll-free at 1.866.573.4248. Online: visit our All Tours page and click the corresponding 'book now' button.

What if I have to cancel?
We recommend you obtain cancellation insurance (www.travelinsured.com is a good choice) as all payments to Spyns are non-transferable and non-refundable.