Up early and checked out of the hotel, we made our way by van to the Grenoble train station. We had to catch the TGV to Paris. As we drove through Les Deux Alpes we watched cyclists and skiers getting ready for the day. It’s funny seeing folks in cycling shorts and shirts next to people in full ski gear!
The drive to Grenoble took us through the Romanche River valley – a valley filled with hydro electric projects and signs of an industrial past.
Once onto the train you could almost see the riding mode get turned off in each of our travelers. The reality that the riding was complete and the tour was winding down felt good and bad all at once.
As we pulled into Paris the rain started. A fitting bookend to our tour that started with crazy rain on Allos.
Arien and Krysten got us to our hotel, fed and then over to the Champs d’Élysées where we watched the finale of Le Tour from grand stand seats. When I say “we” only Brad, Margaret and I stuck around to watch the finish. Everyone else had returned to the hotel. The rain, wind and cool temperatures were not ideal for racing or watching but as we’d come this far I wanted to see it through. 
After the race we rejoined the group at an amazing restaurant called “Derriére”. Wow. Great food in an incredible setting. It even had a secret smoking room that you accessed through an armoire. Wild!
After hours of great food and drink most of us retired to our hotel for a final night of sleep before heading our separate ways. Most. A few hearty souls went out to a club and parties with Tour riders until 4am…
Wow. What an awesome adventure.