TDF Stage 16 & 17 Viewing Help

[timelli001]

Hi All

I am a new user and first post. I hope I have put this in the right place.

I am going for stage 16 & 17. Staying in Lourdes and have a hire car.

I need some help on strategy on where to watch, times to get there, suggestions re the hire car etc (parking). I understand you can't get up the mountains as they close the roads. We are prepared for an early start to get up there so not sure what time the roads close (and also reopen to get back down). Probably we would love to get up the Tourmalet and Port de Bales.

If anyone with experience in going to these places could help with some suggestions on the best way to do it, that would be great. I'd love to hire a bike and try riding to a spot but don't think the missus would keep up!

Cheers All any suggestions appreciated.

 

[McLovin]

They allow cars until the 'parking places' are full. They have police cars in different places and I think they speak on radio and they know when it's full. I went to Galibier last summer and it was about 11 am when they closed the road. But it's a 25 kms climb and you could park from Lautaret to Bourg d'Oisans and from Lautaret to Briancon. So I guess it's not the same for Tourmalet. Less places for sure. For the first stage you can let the car in Luz and walk from there. For the second one, sorry, I have never been there so can't help you, but maybe something similar.