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Miami-based photographer Alexander Aguirre travels to France for the 2022 edition of the Tour de France. He shares some of his favorite images, as well as some travel tips, and photography dos and don’ts. Tip: Go with your mom (if your mom speaks French).
Alexander Aguiar
Cycling: Was this your first time watching the Tour de France?
Alexander Aguirre: In 2019, my mom and I went to the Tour de France. We had a great time, so I was itching to go back (I’m itching for a third time). It doesn’t hurt that my mother is French. I don’t speak the language very well so it was helpful to lean on her for translations. I went to France another time with my mother; It’s also nice to connect with my family’s heritage.
Alexander Aguiar
Cycling: Have you photographed other cycling events or just the tour?
Instructions: The 2019 tour was my first time photographing any type of bike. I shot it on film, and slightly regretted not shooting it on a digital camera…which prompted me to go back a second time. I literally didn’t shoot the competition. I enjoy cycling and I find touring to be incredible, but I don’t know all the riders competing, I don’t know all the teams, and I don’t know the statistics and rankings of each stage. Instead, I’ll focus on the setup from an “outsider” perspective (although I love my CAAD13, I don’t consider myself a bike purist).
Alexander Aguiar
Bike: When did you book your trip? where did you stay
Instructions: We decided to go after the release of the tourism route in October 2021. After deciding on the dates/venues, we booked through AirBNB and sites like Hotels.com. However, it was not necessary to book hotels as we did. We have had issues with canceled and incorrect AirBNB listings. We were able to get rooms the same night.
Book your car and flight in advance. But for hotels, I would suggest booking the first 2-3 nights of the trip in advance and leave the rest up in the air. The original reservations I made weren’t as convenient as they could have been and I added extra driving time for longer days. As long as you have a phone that can search the Internet and make phone calls, things will be fine.
Cycling: So you get around by car and not by bike?
Instructions: We rented a car at Charles de Gaulle airport upon arrival, and I recommend doing the same. But it makes more sense to end the trip by returning to Paris by train and leaving the car at a nearby rental car. By doing that, we saved about 5 hours of driving back to Paris, which feels like a big deal when you’ve been driving non-stop for 10 days.
Occasionally you can park your car directly on the road used by the cyclists for the race. If road closures are a problem, lead a few miles away. There were several days where we walked 8-9 miles, but I think we walked more than the average fan. If you want to take the logistics out of the equation, tour buses are great. I can really see this being useful for older families with kids.
Alexander Aguiar
Cycling: What else do you do or not do?
Instructions: I want to ride my own bike or rent a bike; That is a game changer. Many fans bring their own bikes and ride the steps, which I really appreciated this year. Apart from the good reason to share the roads with the best cyclists in the world, having a bike makes it much easier to get from your car to the viewing area.
Alexander Aguiar
Aguiar studied photography
Do it
- Be friendly with the locals. Helpful with directions, sights and parking in towns. Give them a portrait of you in exchange.
- Bring or rent a bike in France. Many fans travel the roads before each stage officially starts, and help get to places when roads are closed to cars or parking lots.
- Stock up on bagels, cheeses and meats for easy meals on the go. They are cheap and delicious.
- Get to places early. This way you can meet other fans, walk around cities, check out the area and claim your spot before things get crowded.
not at all
- Don’t expect everything to go smoothly. Roads close unexpectedly, GPS and addresses can be wrong. You just have to go with the flow.
- Don’t delay international cell service. Unless you are well versed in using actual maps, you need it for Google Maps.
- Don’t forget insurance for your car rental! My first TdF experience resulted in a damaged rental despite my care for the car. Usually the quiet streets are busy.
- Don’t forget to take some views and take the time to site away from the competition.
- Don’t come without a language translator. You can Google a French-speaking friend (or mom) or brush up on your own French before you go out.
→ More scenes from the July 2022 Tour de France
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