I’m really confused - the Tour de France 2007 Stage 14 didn’t go anywhere near Alpe D’Huez and the Port de Pailhères is near Carcassone, about 500km away Huez!! There’s a map and stage information here: 2007 Tour de France
To answer your question about the Alpe though:
- As a standalone climb it’s not actually amazing. Iconic yes, but it’s a fairly busy highway that can get really busy. The bottom 1/3 is tough but nice, corner 7 is lovely with the Church but it can get really busy, often with coaches
- The Marmotte is the only answer to the question about what gives you (big!) bragging rights - the routes you’ve proposed barely qualify for bragging compared to the Marmotte but be warned - the Marmotte is very hard, very, very long (it can easily take 13 or 14 hours of hard slog) and even if you start in the dark, you’ll finish in the dark so take lights. You’ll also need to carry warm clothes as it goes over the Galibier which even in high summer can be -C. Then when you’re so tired you can’t see as you’ve been over the Col du Glandon, Telegraphe and the monster that is the Galibier - then you have to go up Alpe D’Huez. Now that’s bragging rights!!
However that could be impossible so have a look here for some route suggestions: Alpe d’Huez – Five Different Rides – My Cycling Challenge and there’s also a useful map with links to write-ups of all of the major French Alpine col’s: Map of French Alps Cycling Climbs – My Cycling Challenge
One important thing to note on the climb itself is to make sure that you keep going on up through the village - as you come into the village (before the mini-roundabout) you come to what looks like a finish line but you need to turn left and keep going up through the village to the top where the official finish is…
As recommended elsewhere on the post the Sarenne is amazing, especially from the East, but you will deposit yourself 2/3 of the way up the Alpe D’Huez climb so you’d need to go down and then straight back up. You could do it the other way round but the Sarenne is better from the East.
If you want some more specific advice nearer the time I’m happy to help you plan a route.
Good luck!