If you want to go and see the Tour de France here are some tips and suggestions.If you are hesitating, go because it is really different from what you see on TV, there are so many details to observe and remember. And France is glorious in July.Plan aheadThe route is unveiled in October. Detailed maps tend to be published on the letour.fr website in May and not before. This can frustrate because many want to make plans for holiday visits but cant find the precise route.You can guess the roads for the mountain stages when its obvious theres only one road. But the whole route has to be approved by the layers of local government in France and sometimes the decision whether the race passes through this village or that one can take a while so the route isnt signed off fully until March and the mapping gets done.Which stage to see?If youve got free choice then many will opt for the mountain stages as they offer a longer show with up to 40 minutes between the first and last rider and things you dont see on TV such as the dropped riders and the gruppetto. Theres the ability to actually see the riders up close as they go past at 15-20km/h rather than 50km/h. So far so good but it can be a big logistical challenge as the roads are closed early meaning access is harder, you have to invest the whole day or more.A time trial stage means theres a lot to see as the riders come past every couple of minutes for the whole afternoon and you can feel things build as the big names approach. But helmets and visors make it hard to see the expressions, its as if youre standing further away.The easy option is a plain flat stage in the middle of nowhere. Approach the route from the side and you can park close and see the caravan and then the race go by in the space of two hours without much more planning.The StartThe Tour de France segregates riders from the public more than any other race. But were talking waist-high barriers, not walls so theres still plenty to see.The start offers some access and visibility as riders mill about between their buses and the signing-on podium. The start line and the road behind for a kilometre or more is lined with barriers. With about an hour go to this space is full with team buses, show up before and you get some caravan goodies and see the logistics at work, the scale of the event.If you pick the right spot and are enthusiastic about it you might get an autograph or a selfie. Tadej Pogaar is in demand so try another rider, shouting their name or waving the right country flag seems to help.You can see the team cars as well and all the bikes on the roof if you like the tech up close, including small details like how so many UAE riders have their saddles perched forward. The start line has the signing-on podium and is surrounded by some other things like stalls handing out freebies.The FinishThe finish is where youll get to see something decisive but requires patience, show up with an hour to go and youll be lucky to see anything except for the back of someone elses head unless youre tall enough to play in the NBA. You might need to be in place by lunchtime as crowds build early. Pick wisely and you can stand near the line and within sight of a giant TV screen so you can watch the race otherwise you risk standing for hours only to see the publicity caravan and the riders flash by.Once the race is over dont leave. Because beyond the finish line is a cordoned off zone but keep going a couple of hundred metres and youll find team buses and vehicles the configuration varies, they could be down in the valley for a mountain stage and you can spot the riders and staff, some giving post stage interviews.VIP passYou need to have some connection to the race, to know a race sponsor or someone linked to the start or finish for your lanyard sesame or you can buy one from a Tour travel operator, expect to pay a few hundred euros. It doesnt give much more access and almost no riders enter this zone.RoadsideOutside is free and perhaps the best way to see the race is to find a scenic spot and enjoy a picnic, assuming the weather is nice. Thinking of it as a day outdoors rather than being a sports spectator is probably key to having a good day.However its no picnic planning it all. The race route will be closed to traffic in the morning, if its a big mountain pass then at sunrise. You can approach by car on a side road, park and walk to your spot, probably following many others too, the side road might have cars parked along it for a kilometre or more. This is not possible for many mountain passes, theres no side road joining the top of the Tourmalet so youll have to park near the foot and make your way up: be prepared for a long walk.You can ride up too, the police will tolerate people walking and riding into position but with about three hours to go the gendarmes wont let anyone cycle. If you take your bike think about where to stash your bike, there are crowds around and it can get knocked over or trampled. Its unlikely to get stolen but you may want to lock it to something.Take a backpack with clothes appropriate for the days weather. Pack food, drink and some shoes so youre not click-clacking in your cleats. A bike lock is handy too and think of finding a place to park your machine where it wont get knocked over or trampled on.Pick your spot helps, a small hill wont slow the bunch much but if its on a straight bit of road it can allow you to see more. Also try to imagine the racing line taken by riders when picking your spot.If the weather is good set up camp with food, drink and sit back. Whatever you bring, youll spot Tour pros with parasols, BBQs, perhaps even a TV and a portable fridge for cold drinks. If the weather is bad then a local caf is a good idea as it will probably have warm drinks and TV and all the locals will dash out in time for the action.Waiting gameThe publicity caravan comes two hours before the riders, its a must-see. The sight of the giant floats going past in the countryside is absurd and joyous. Its fascinating anthropology to watch the way people buy in to the marketing in a festive way, donning freebie polka-dot t-shirts, diving into a ditch to grab a keyring, adults duelling for a Haribo minipack.Things go quiet apart from vehicles driving past, soigneurs on their way to hand up drinks and so on. The whack of helicopter rotors announces the race is coming. This is the point of the picnic, aim for a day in the countryside rather than thinking youre going to see the race unfold.When the riders come past youll want to take photos to record the day but then invariably turn out bad, so take photos if you want by pointing your camera and shooting but dont look at the screen, see the riders with your own eyes.The crowds can overwhelm the phone network, draining bandwidth to the point where its impossible to refresh a page; in some places like the finish they even add extra telecoms masts to cope but not in the countryside. A pocket radio can work here, with RMC probably having the most live coverage but theres also RTL, France Info and Europe 1.TipsIts worth seeing for real rather than on TV, youll see lots of details you dont notice on TV from decorations to the scale of the Tour and the logistics behind itMaps appear online in MayThe stage start and finish are obvious destinations, sections are cordoned-off for VIPs but its still reasonably open even if riders prefer to relax on their busTreat a roadside visit as a long picnic rather than the chance to see the race unfoldPlan the visit, dont just hope to turn up in timeThe roads are closed several hours ahead of the race, mountain passes can be closed to traffic at dawnThe post Tour de France Roadside Tips first appeared on The Inner Ring.