Paris- Roubaix Help: Where to Watch from Paris

Triathlon Forum
1

Will be on a family holiday in Paris so looking to take advantage of opportunity and see the race live. Never been there and I have gone on the websites but would like some more knowledgeable information on where to go to watch. Basically would like to jump on a train in Paris and go to a station then walk/run to a nearby cobbled section to watch the riders go by, then head back into the city to catch up with the family. The better/tougher the cobbles the better but also looking for quick trip. Any help would be great and hope someone has done this before. Thanks.

2

well the race doesnt start in paris, but in compiegne in front of a chateau. is quite a drive from paris. the daay before the race there are several quizzes, rider presentations, free give aways and some showing-off going on, but IMO it’s not worth going there. i’d be there 2 hrs prior to the start to see all those riders, the bikes etc., and then tr to make it to the forêt d’ahrenberg, one of the critical sections of the race. it’s like the climb of geraardsbergen in flanders. there will be thousand of people watching, cheering, … you’ll find hotdogs and beer as well. however i’m not really sure you’ll be able to go there by train. the cobbled sections are more or less in the middle of nowhere, somewhere on the countryside.

i suggest you better rent a car

3

or you can go to Lille and then into the velodrome, where you can watch the race on big screen with thousands of other fans. once the first rider enters the velodrome you’ll be overwhelmed by the cheer which really makes the earth shake. i was on the infield (journalist…) and a shock wave of thousands of fans shouting almost threw me down. incredible.

4

Well, if you want to see the start, Compiegne is just 50 minutes from Paris by train (direct train)

If you want to see the finish, Lille or Roubaix (these two cities are really close, and connected by subway/tramway) are 1 hour from Paris too by Train (a fast one of course: paris-Lille = 160 miles) (and 1 train every hour minimum, both directions !)
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5

Thanks for all the comments. I’ll be in UK a couple of years so want to take opportunities to be places rather than just watch on TV. This is good information and now I have a couple of targets. Appreciate the help.

6

I’d suggest to be at one of the cobblestone sections.

  1. Trouee d’Arenberg
  2. Mons-en-peleve
  3. Carrefour de l’arbre

These are the hardest sections on the course. If you go watch the race, you want to see the cobble sections.