The essentials
The men's route includes sprint, time trial and climbing stages across France, including a 199 km Montpellier to Mende stage.
The men's race returns to France at Cherbourg-en-Cotentin in stage 4. Stage 6 runs from Vannes to Angers, a stage planned for sprinters, and finishes in Angers for the first time since 2016.
Stage 7 is a 38 km individual time trial from Blois to Chambord, and stage 8 covers 224 km from Bourges to Le Creusot. Stage 10 finishes in Sallanches, with two ascents of the Côte de Domancy. Sallanches is also the venue for the 2027 road world championships, six weeks later.
The Toulouse time trial covers 33 km and includes the Côte de Pech-David. Albi hosts a stage finish on 18 July, its first Tour finish since 2019. Stage 14 runs 199 km from Montpellier to Mende, with 4,300 m of climbing through the Cévennes and a pass through the Cirque de Navacelles, a site the Tour has not previously visited. The route includes no stage in the Jura department.
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Stages in Cévennes and Haute-Savoie bring climbing to the second half
The French section includes several demanding days in its later phase. Stage 13 features the Col de la Lusette, with sections up to 17%. Stage 14 from Montpellier to Mende adds 4,300 m of climbing through the Cévennes, and stage 10 in Sallanches includes two ascents of the Côte de Domancy. The route's Toulouse time trial also includes the Côte de Pech-David.
Sprint-focused stages punctuate a route dominated by climbs
Several days in France offer opportunities for fast finishes. Stage 6 from Vannes to Angers is planned for sprinters, and the Angers finish is the first there since 2016. The stage from Bourges to Le Creusot covers 224 km, and the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin stage in stage 4 marks the men's race's return to France.