Graham Watson's Tour de France Travel Guide: The Complete Insider's Guide to the Tour!

by Graham Watson

Graham Watson's Tour de France Travel Guide lets cycling fans experience all the excitement of the Tour while navigating its many daily obstacles with the confidence of a local. As cycling's leading photographer, Graham Watson has been in the right place at the right time during every stage of every Tour de France since 1977. No one knows how to get around the Tour like Graham. Graham shares his 31 years of Tour de France experience in this beautifully illustrated guidebook. Featuring over 200 of his award-winning photographs along with full-color maps, travel tips, checklists, and travel resources, this book presents a fresh and unique strategy for getting around the Tour's many opportunities for frustration to find a front-row seat for all the action. Learn where to eat, where to sleep, how to get around, how to see and photograph the race, and how to enjoy the greatest show on two wheels.

Genres: Cycling, Travel

340 pages, Paperback

First published June 9, 2009

About the author

cycling photographer (born 1956)


Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[JDK1962 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really excellent book for those planning a trip to follow some or all of the Tour de France, or a car and/or bike trip through France that plans to cover some of the route. You'll want to combine it with more up to date resources, but for giving a mix of touring information and bits of cycling history, it's great.

I was a bit less interested in the detail on photographing the tour (and definitely less interested in his fondness for the wines of France), but the photographs were wonderful. Especially those in Chapter 5 (Mountains of the Tour). My favorite was the one on page 229, which I like to call "The peleton being pursued by ghost cyclists up the Col du Glandon".

[Mackay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Watson is the preeminent photographer of cycling and cycling races, so this book is worth it for the pictures alone. I thought he might have interesting insights into places to stay and things to do apart from The Race, and indeed, he does. A nice handbooks with maps, recommendations, and discussions of food and regional specialties. And of course, legends of the Tour.

But - not entirelly trustworthy as a tour (as opposed to Tour) guide. We were led astray by it... caveat emptor.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't speak to the validity of the info because I have not been able to test it with a trip to the Tour but as an escapist read to learn more about the ways of the Tour and the lands in France which the Tour winds through, it is a good read. You can't get much closer to the Tour than Graham Watson has in his career as a photographer!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just getting ready to enjoy the tour.

[CG InDE · Rating 3 out of 5]

In desperate need of an update. Much of the information in regards to travel is out of date.