Combined stage distance in the current roadbook.
The world’s most famous cycling race – a three-week festival through mountains, wine landscapes, major cities and some of France’s most memorable postcard scenery.
The Tour de France is both elite sport and a journey through France. The race links landscapes, history, gastronomy, small towns, legendary mountain passes and big-city scenes.
The Tour de France lasts three weeks and consists of 21 stages that together form one of sport’s most demanding and symbolic tests. The race normally crosses large parts of France, although it often begins with a Grand Départ in another European country or major city.
The Tour de France 2026 starts in Barcelona on 4 July and finishes in Paris on 26 July. The current roadbook gives a total stage distance of 3,289.8 kilometres, divided across 21 stages and two rest days. The 2026 edition is therefore compact, varied and particularly accessible for spectators who want to experience the race at the roadside.
The map, stage guide and travel suggestions make it easier to use the Tour de France as inspiration for your own journey through France.
Combined stage distance in the current roadbook.
7 flat, 4 hilly, 8 mountain, one team time trial and one individual time trial.
The Pyrenees, Massif Central, Vosges, Jura and Alps.
Col du Galibier is the highest point of the 2026 race.
Select a stage to highlight it on the map.
Map updated on 18 July 2026. The lines are simplified editorial representations and are not official GPX tracks.
The Tour de France 2026 runs from 4 to 26 July and covers 3,289.8 kilometres across 21 stages, with two rest days along the way.
The opening stage is a short, spectator-friendly team time trial in Barcelona. It gives the race a spectacular start, with an urban setting, technical sections and early time gaps in the general classification.
A hilly stage from Tarragona back towards Barcelona. Coastal sections, Catalan hills and the run-in to the city make the day more demanding than a straightforward sprint stage.
The first major mountain day. The stage heads from Catalonia into the Pyrenees and finishes at Les Angles, where the general-classification favourites may already face an early test.
A hilly transition through Aude and Ariège. The start in Carcassonne provides a historic backdrop, while the finish towards Foix suits riders who can handle short climbs and technical sections.
A flatter day after the opening mountain stages, although wind and positioning on the approach to Pau may still create tension. Pau is a classic Tour city at the foot of the Pyrenees.
A classic Pyrenean day with a major mountain profile and a finish at Gavarnie-Gèdre. Col d’Aspin, the Tourmalet area and the new finale make this a key stage.
A flat western stage towards Bordeaux. The day should suit the sprinters, although exposed roads in Landes and Gironde could make crosswinds a factor.
A long, flat stage through the Dordogne landscape. The distance is considerable, but the terrain points to high speeds and a possible sprint in Bergerac.
A hilly day through Corrèze before the first rest day. Breakaways may have a good opportunity, particularly if the peloton chooses to conserve energy.
The first pause in the race, before Bastille Day and the Massif Central.
Bastille Day and a mountain stage in the Massif Central. Short, steep climbs through the Cantal landscape could produce explosive racing.
A flat transfer stage heading north. After the Massif Central, this could be a day for the sprinters, but also an opportunity for a breakaway if the teams hesitate.
A long, flat stage from the motor-racing circuit at Magny-Cours towards Burgundy and Chalon-sur-Saône. It links central France with the eastern wine landscapes.
The longest stage of the 2026 race. From Dole to Belfort, it could be a wearing and tactical day, with hilly terrain before the mountains take over again.
A Vosges stage with several demanding climbs and a finish in the Le Markstein/Fellering area. The day could open significant time gaps before the Alps.
A long mountain stage through the Jura and into the Alps. The finish at Plateau de Solaison features an 11.3-kilometre climb averaging 9.1 per cent.
A second pause before the time trial beside Lake Geneva and the decisive final week in the Alps.
A short individual time trial along Lake Geneva. It is not long, but its position in the final week makes every second important.
A flatter day west of the Alps, although the terrain around Chambéry and Voiron could still make the stage unsettled. A possible final chance for the fast riders before the mountain finale.
A long stage towards the high mountains at Orcières-Merlette. This begins a brutal Alpine finale in which the general-classification teams must stay organised and alert.
A short, iconic Alpine day finishing on Alpe d’Huez. The route points towards classic climbs and a finale that always creates a huge roadside celebration.
Another day finishing on Alpe d’Huez, this time via a larger Alpine loop. The Galibier is the Tour’s highest point, while Col de Sarenne makes the finale especially demanding.
The finale runs from Thoiry into Paris. The final day is traditionally ceremonial for much of the route before the closing laps in the capital and the finish on the Champs-Élysées.
From Barcelona and the Pyrenees to the Galibier and Alpe d’Huez, these ten stages stand out for their profiles, landscapes and sporting importance.
The race begins with a spectacular team time trial through the streets of Barcelona. The riders pass iconic landmarks before finishing at Montjuïc.
The first major mountain stage in the Pyrenees. The favourites may already begin to reveal who is capable of fighting for the yellow jersey.
A hilly stage finishing in the mountains around Foix. Historic surroundings and technical climbs make this a dramatic day.
A classic Pyrenean stage featuring the legendary Col du Tourmalet climb.
A tough and unpredictable stage in the Massif Central, with short, steep climbs and beautiful landscapes.
A spectacular mountain stage in the Vosges with several demanding climbs.
A brutal Alpine stage finishing at Plateau de Solaison – one of the toughest climbs in the race.
An individual time trial along Lake Geneva, with spectacular views and potentially decisive time gaps.
One of the Tour’s most iconic climbs, with 21 hairpin bends and an enormous roadside celebration.
A new and dramatic Alpine stage finishing on Alpe d’Huez. It could decide the winner of the Tour de France 2026.
The Tour de France was first held in 1903. The idea came from the French sports newspaper L'Auto, which wanted to increase circulation by organising a spectacular bicycle race around France.
The first edition consisted of only six stages, but the distances were already enormous and riders often cycled through the night on poor gravel roads. The first winner was Maurice Garin. Since then, the Tour de France has grown into one of the world’s most iconic sporting events.
For three weeks, the entire country becomes a stage for the world’s greatest cycle race, and every year adds another chapter to a story filled with heroes, rivalries and legendary moments. Yet the Tour has retained the quality that makes it unique: its closeness to the landscape, small towns, mountains and people lining the roads.
The Tour has also become part of the French summer. When the peloton passes through villages and mountain towns, the streets fill with people, campervans and anticipation. The lasting impression comes not only from the victories, but also from the atmosphere and rhythm the race creates from one region to the next.
The Tour de France is held every July and lasts 23 days. The route changes each year and crosses different regions of France, often beginning with a Grand Départ in another European country or major city.
The riders compete for more than stage victories. Several prestigious classifications are contested throughout the race.
The overall leader. This is the race’s most prestigious jersey and the symbol of the rider leading the general classification.
The leading sprinter. Riders collect points on flat stages and at intermediate sprints along the route.
The leading climber. Points are awarded on mountain passes and climbs, particularly in the Pyrenees and Alps.
The best young rider. This jersey often identifies the next generation of general-classification contenders.
The team classification does not have the same iconic status as the jerseys, but it plays an important tactical role throughout the race.
Many of the race’s most dramatic moments happen in the mountains. Several climbs have become legendary in cycling history, while a select group of riders have written themselves into the record books through repeated victories and sustained dominance.
Among the best known are Alpe d’Huez with its 21 hairpin bends, Mont Ventoux – known as “the Bald Mountain” – Col du Tourmalet and Col du Galibier. These climbs are often decisive in determining the winner.
Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain are among the most celebrated winners. Several riders have won the race five times, one of cycling’s greatest achievements.
Although most of the race takes place in France, it often starts in another European country. Previous Grand Départs have included London, Copenhagen and Brussels.
One of the Tour’s most distinctive features is its audience. Millions line the roads to cheer the riders, while the famous publicity caravan passes before the peloton with sponsors, souvenirs and a festival atmosphere.
The route passes through wine regions, medieval villages, national parks and major cities. For many visitors, the Tour de France is a perfect way to combine sport and travel.
These 12 selected cities fit naturally into a Tour-inspired journey: Toulouse, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Avignon, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, Marseille, Annecy, Chamonix and Paris.
The Tour de France is more than a bicycle race – it is part of French culture and history. The combination of dramatic landscapes, extreme endurance, historic places and an enormous public celebration makes it one of the world’s most spectacular sporting events.
For travellers, it is also a rare opportunity to experience France in motion: from small villages and wine regions to legendary mountain passes and the big-city finale in Paris. The Tour de France is therefore as much a travel experience as a sporting event.
Use the map section to understand the stages, then open the large map for a more detailed view of the route. This makes it easier to choose which parts of the race to follow and which regions of France to combine with the experience.