What’s it really like to watch the Tour de France from the roadside?

Join me in the Pyrenees as I spend two days chasing the race through the mountains. From riding to the viewing point on the mountain side, to the excitement of watching the publicity caravan, and then the buzz of the crowd as the riders race past. This video captures the full experience of spectating roadside at the Tour de France on the climbs of the Col du Soulor and the infamous Col du Tourmalet.

🎥 Expect real moments, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and a feel for the atmosphere that makes being there so special.

🟡 Whether you’re planning to go one day or just curious what it’s like, this is the Tour de France — seen from the roadside.

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The Pyrenees, a place filled with mountain peaks, winding roads, and endless views. For most of the year, these mountain passes are quiet. The domain of cyclists, hikers, and the occasional cow. But for a few days every July, that all changes. The tour to France comes to town and the roads come alive. This bike here is from 1930. Famous climbs like the legendary Tormal fill with thousands of fans. Camper vans park up days in advance. Spectators flocking to the roads to see the riders flash by. Cowbells ringing. But that’s just half of the experience. You come here to ride the same roads. You claim your roadside spot. Share food and stories with complete strangers who feel like friends for the day. This is the magic of the tour. It’s a celebration. For some, a pilgrimage to what a mega place. But most of all, it’s an adventure all rolled into one. In this video, I’m going to show you what it’s like to watch the tour to France from the roadside. I watched two mountain stages come through the Pyrenees this year, capturing the atmosphere, the buildup, and what it’s like to be sat there on the side of the road as a spectator. Bonjour in Ael Gaz on the tour to France today. The tour is visiting Aelles today. Uh it is ending on the mountain behind me. Let me show you that is the Hoicam. Hooram. And uh the town is all dressed up. white jersey, green jersey, polka dot jersey, and yellow jersey. All the flowers. There’s a whole heap of people. I’ve just chatted to some very lovely people from Belgium. The tour riders are finishing on here, but I am heading over this direction, and I’m going to watch them on the north side of the culdeal, which will be absolutely mega. Come along for the ride. Hey All right, I’ve climbed out of Ael’s Gaz and now I have been on the main road which actually goes to the culdesaw which is where the riders are coming from. But I’ve decided for me today I’m going to head a different way up to the top. So this is the start of the climb of the colduk. It climbs about the same amount as the coldest. It’s a famous area for paragliding. It’s also a ski resort. But I will climb the colduk and connect on a gravel road to get me to the top of the sore which means I don’t need to worry about road closures. Always hot when you’re climbing but the views are great right if you can see them. Oh slightly intimidating when you can see where the road’s going. flat bit. Yay. This is a very hard climb. Can tell from the way I’m talking, less than a kilometer to the top, but the gradients are consistently between 10 and 12%. Then you get some rest bite where it’s flat, which you really enjoy, but you know you’ve got the rest bite because it’s soon going to be 10 or 12% again. there. That’s what we do it for, right? We do it for the views. Oh my goodness. Can you see it? Amazing. Oh, I’ve burnt them. This climb has royally kicked my butt. Nearly at the top. That was tough, but I’ve made it to the top of the colduk. Uh, a real tough climb, but beautiful views. And straight across. You can see the forest and the rocky peak of the mountain. That is the circular tour. And I’ll be facing that once I climb up and over a gravel road through here. Going to go up that way. Not the roadway, but the gravel way. And uh go meet the tour to France on the Sol. Woohoo. Yeah, fairly in hiker bike territory here. Oh my goodness, this is tough. But I will get to a ridge line and that’ll make it easier. But that doesn’t even look steep. There it is. The reward for the hiker bike. Woohoo. If this road’s closed, I’m screwed. Fingers crossed. Oh, looking back to the valley. Not sure if you can make it out, but there’s a peak with an aerial on there. And that is the peak of Dimidi called the tormallayers below that. And if you can see twinkling on the on the mountain that’s closest to us, there’s all the caravans that is lining the road for the order, the final climb of the stage. What a beautiful place to ride a bike. This is the cold deer baz. We’re at 159 meters. Straight across from me is actually the uh cold bisque. And around this corner is where the views are going to get even more wilder. What a mega place. The gravel road to the Salor between Salor and Kurduk keeps on giving. It’s pretty awesome. Few hair pins. See the road that I was on down there. And yeah, what a beautiful place. It’s where are we heading? The road just there. What a place. My favorite road in the Pyrenees, the Cirour. And down there is the final I think possibly 2 km to go for the coldest the road I’ve been heading on. Though I will continue on this road and drop onto the Salor. But what a beautiful place in the world. Holding a lot of faith in that pole holding my bike. If my bike was to tumble, I don’t think I’d see it again. Anyway, it’s about lunchtime, so almost time for me to eat some food. But what a way to get to the stage of the tour. Managed to get onto the climb just as the Jems insist that no bikes are allowed to ride up it anymore. Anyway, I’ll find myself a spot for lunch. But as you can see, quite a few people here. Bad view at all. Found myself a spot just a kilometer down from the summit away from the caravans, but here for the views, full sun. Time for some lunch. It’s uh 1:30, so a lot of time. Yes, I did haul a melon up with me and I’ve eaten most of it and the ambiance as we wait for a few hours. I think the caravan will be here in about an hour. The tour to France publicity caravan has arrived. It’s a full-blown carnival of wheels. It’s loud, it’s weird, and it’s somehow perfect. Each sponsor of the tour to France is represented in the publicity caravan. And as a spectator, you get to enjoy them pumping out the dance tune and throwing out heaps of free stuff your way. Key rings, hats, food, haribo, everything. Woohoo! Oh, we love we we suddenly it’s on and a helicopter has appeared on the horizon. All the crowd has leapt to their feet because we can see the riders down the road and the suspense is real. And then boom. The races start riding past in a blur of legs and pain. You find yourself screaming. You’re cheering. You film on your phone. You stand in front of the camera that’s filming on your phone and you take photos of nothing but elbows. Was that pocket? I’ve got no idea. My voice is gone. My heart’s racing. And it’s totally worth it. Sky Ram car. Woo! Yo, yellow jersey. Now we play the waiting game to see when we’re allowed to go down the mountain. This was the summit just ahead of me. And behind me is the cold bisc road. That’s where I was way down there. the end of a tourist stage always a little bit of organized chaos and walk cycle walk cycle past the Jeans and uh but anyway we just have to wait until they let us go It’s time to watch another tour to France stage. This time we’re going to the cold to how you feel about that. Fantastic. Looking forward to it. Something you will definitely notice as you make your way to the roadside that you’re going to be spectating from is everybody else that has already found their spot. People are in camper vans already lining the road. They’re playing cards. They’re eating great food. And they’re cheering you on as you make your way to the top as well. Intermediate sprint barriers putting being put up. Anyway, that’ll block the cars for a while. So the question I have for you is this the line or is that the line? Snacking about to climb the tormlay. You need to you need fuel. Bull nap. Bull nap. Riders have 19 km to get to the top. I think we’re going to be doing about 11. See how we go. Ali. Here we go. Hop. Hop. Hop. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. What a day to ride the toilet. Woo! Hey, Mario. Hot tip. If you’re seeing a mountain stage, keep out for the Polka Dot jersey sponsors giving out all the polka dot t-shirts. One size fits most. And look at where we are. This is our viewing spot. Pretty good. Clouds just breaking up. atmospheric mountain. Steady stream of riders the whole duration of the climb. How you feeling? Great. Nice to be here. Bit of blue sky up there. I know. And now we wait. Al this bike here is from 1930. Milner nerfs on truck. Woo! These guys are from Pamplona in Spain. They’re cooking their barbecue. They’re having an awesome time on the tormal. It’s all about the roadside picnic, everybody. And we’re down. That’s our station down there. Sun’s coming out. Nice and atmospheric. If you could if you could only smell this ala what a showman. The flat earther can do the splits. Ah, the tour to France publicity caravan is back and the crowd is buzzing. Have you ever seen so many people get excited about a free little can of low alcohol beer? Or maybe it’s the opportunity to be passed up a little jar of balsamic vinegar or a packet of pasta. Forget the races. This is really why we came, right? I don’t like After the chaos of the publicity caravan comes the wait. Hours of sunburn, cheese, and questionable toilet options. You’ve made friends with complete strangers. You share snacks. You’ve swapped stories and cheered every random Scoda car that might actually be a team car. It’s a bizarre kind of joy. Part picnic, part spectator endurance test. And you realize that attending a stage of the tour is less about the race itself and more about just being there. Hey, hey, hey. And like that, the riders have gone. The stage is over. Time to descend. Another great day watching the riders. The riders are long gone. The helicopters have vanished. And these mountains, they’re quiet again. But you don’t need to look too far to see some visual reminders on the tarmac of the party that took place here. And that’s the best way to describe what it’s like watching a sage of the tour. It’s about being part of a roadside circus, a hilltop rave, a random village festival, all rolled into one. What an experience.