The 2018 Tour de France route was 100% French.
In 2018, the Tour de France route was only in France. In reality, there is no continuous route. These are stages that move around France from day to day. Last year, they were in Spain for a short while, but they chose to ride from Northern France to Southern France in 2018, so it is obvious to look at the route from a French holiday perspective. It is interesting to see the places that are carefully shown through the route planning of the beautiful summer France. In short, there are 3 areas in the race. It is interesting to visit the Tour de France route, perhaps to ride a few of the stages at your own pace on a cycling holiday or on a road trip down through France. I hope you get some inspiration here.
Throughout the first week, the northern 1/2 of France took place. It started on the small island of Noirmoutier, south of the Loire, which is landlocked via a modern bridge with the rest of France.
The first three days of the Tour de France route in Loire
The first 3 days were spent in the Pays de la Loire, which covers the 3 regions of Brittany, Anjou, Maine and Poitou. The regional capital here is the famous Nantes.
Then you drove for 3 days in Normandy, which is known right on the Atlantic Ocean and is known for oysters and apple brandy and unique scenery.
The next three days on the Tour de France route passed through the classically beautiful cathedral cities of Chartres and Amiens. Chartres Cathedral is located in Chartres, 80 km southwest of Paris and is considered one of the finest Gothic buildings in France.
And on July 15th there is a stage in French Flanders. The rest of Flanders is, as you know, in Belgium. It is on this stage that you ride on the unpleasant cobblestones the entire stage. French Flanders is an area in the northernmost corner of France in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, corresponding to the arrondissements of Lille, Douai and Dunkirk. Read more here about French Flanders.
The second week of the 3 in the tour was spent in the Alps . First in the Cevennes from Annecy through a series of mountain passes in the Massif Central and further down to the Rhone valley.
Then from the small town of Saint Paul Trois Chateaux through the western Rhone and Cevennes to Mende. Then on from Millau through the rather desolate and isolated mountain landscape of the southern Aveyron and Tarn departments, over the Montagne Noire to historic Carcassonne with its impressive walls. Here a rest day is allocated.
The last hard week on the Tour de France route in the mountains
The 3rd and final week of the 2018 route takes place in the picturesque Pyrenees , tough for cyclists on top of the Alps. The route runs from Carcassonne over the hills of Aude and Ariège and up to the high Pyrenees at Bagnères de Luchon.
The next 4 days on the route include the classic mountain passes that you can visit yourself. Even in a car, it's a bit of a challenge, but breathtakingly beautiful. Of course, the Col de Portet and the Col du Tourmalet are included in 2018. After the traditional time trial in the Basque Country, the Tour de France 2018 ends / ended in Paris on the Champs Elysée. as always.
More Tour de France and more cycling holidays?
Also read about the first incredibly tough Tour de France races.
Also watch (great video) this incredible cycling holiday in 5 countries in 12 days, and you can join us too!
Want more travel inspiration from France?
Read, for example, about the most important wine regions in France
🎬 Watch the journey on film — 365 ways to travel the world Watch our film →