It's a much-anticipated summer event. Every summer, the Tour de France electrifies the roads of France to the rhythm of a peloton led by the yellow jersey! The 2025 edition of the men's Tour de France will set off from Lille on July 5, finishing on the Champs-Elysées in Paris on July 27. The women's Tour de France will link Brittany to the Alps between July 26 and August 3.
The 2025 Tour de France route
Lille, capital of the Hauts-de-France region, will host the start of the 2025 Tour de France, which will take place exclusively in France.
The event promises to be a spectacular affair, with 3,320 kilometers to be covered in 21 stages. Challenges await the riders along the way: 26 2nd, 1st or Hors Catégorie passes, 6 mountain stages and 5 high altitude finishes.
After a stopover in Amiens, the riders will then cross Normandy, with unmissable stops in Rouen, Caen and Bayeux, followed by Brittany with a start in Saint-Malo.
They then head for the Loire Valley to discover the fortress of Chinon, before climbing - further south - the Puy-de-Sancy in Auvergne.
Between two city breaks - in Toulouse and Montpellier - and a majestic finish in Carcassonne, the peloton will have to battle it out in the Pyrenees, with several obstacles to overcome - Hautacam, Peyragudes, Luchon-Super Bagnères - well known to sports enthusiasts and mountain lovers alike.
After the ascent of Mont Ventoux, aptly named the Giant of Provence, the riders will head up the Rhône Valley before the final explanation in the Alps and Jura Mountains, with finishes at Col de la Loze, Courchevel and La Plagne. The following day's stage, from Nantua to Pontarlier, offers a chance to admire the Jura's lakes and hills.
A little history
Initiated in 1903, the Tour de France is a legendary cycling race of international renown. Created by Henri Desgrange, director of the newspaper l'Auto, a visionary who wanted to create a sporting event to enhance his medium's standing and increase sales.
The Tour de France has become a beloved tradition, held every year for over a hundred years (apart from during the two world wars). Cyclists from all over the world come to fight to win the famous (and famously coveted) yellow jersey! The event is broadcast in no less than 190 countries and followed by millions of people around the world.
Four riders have won the Tour de France five times: Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. Last year, in 2023, it was Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard who won for the second time.
Admire the inimitable beauty of the French countryside
The Tour is the ideal opportunity for spectators and supporters to admire the diversity and the beauty of French landscapes, from craggy coasts regions and charming coastlines, to soaring mountains, lush farms and its picturesque towns and villages. The Tour de France is more than just a tradition: it's a beautiful escape into the heart of France and its riches... In 2025, a dozen new sites will be seen by the riders for the first time, including Bayeux in Normandy, Chinon in the Loire Valley and Puy-de-Sancy, in the heart of the Auvergne volcanoes. A beautiful escape to the heart of France!
The Tour de France for women
Since 2022, the Grande Boucle has also been a women's event, thanks to the return of the Tour de France Femmes, presided over by former French road cycling champion and French TV consultant Marion Rousse. In 2025, the world's best cyclists will set off from Vannes, Brittany on July 26 before covering over a thousand kilometers across France.
After crossing Brittany, with stops in Brest, Quimper and La Gacilly, the racers will cross the Loire Valley and its iconic castles such as Angers and Saumur, before reaching the Futuroscope in Poitiers and the Volcans d'Auvergne regional nature park in Clermont-Ferrand. The last three days promise to be rugged and spectacular, with a crossing of the Alps via the Col de la Madeleine. The final stage between Praz-sur-Arly and Châtel is likely to be closely followed, with passes through mountain resorts such as Megève, Samoëns and Morzine. May the best win!
By Blandine Prigent
France.fr web editor
