A Motorhome Owners Guide to the Tour de France

Have you ever travelled through France?

Your motorhome isn’t limited to the UK. There are thousands of miles of roads throughout Europe, waiting to be explored.

And if you’ve never holidayed in your motorhome outside the UK before, France offers the perfect opportunity to do so.

It’s an amazing place, filled with wonderful landscapes, quality food and a fascinating culture.

And there’s no better time to go than this summer, when it plays host to the most intense, physically-demanding sporting event in the world – the Tour de France.

Journeying around France, following the race is the holiday you never imagined, but will turn out to be one of the most memorable experiences in your lifetime.

Here’s how you can make the most of it…

When is the Tour de France?

The race begins on July 1^st and ends on July 23^rd, with a couple of rest days in the middle.

It actually kicks-off in Dusseldorf, Germany and goes through Belgium and Luxembourg before reaching France on July 5^th.

What is the Route?

The Tour de France schedule is as follows:

STAGE	DATE	START AND FINISH
1	Saturday, July 1st	Düsseldorf / Düsseldorf
2	Sunday, July 2nd	Düsseldorf / Liège
3	Monday, July 3rd	Verviers / Longwy
4	Tuesday, July 4th	Mondorf-les-Bains / Vittel
5	Wednesday, July 5th	Vittel / La planche des belles filles
6	Thursday, July 6th	Vesoul / Troyes
7	Friday, July 7th	Troyes / Nuits-Saint-Georges
8	Saturday, July 8th	Dole / Station des rousses
9	Sunday, July 9th	Nantua / Chambéry
–	Monday, July 10th	Rest Day in Dordogne
10	Tuesday, July 11th	Périgueux / Bergerac
11	Wednesday, July 12th	Eymet / Pau
12	Thursday, July 13th	Pau / Peyragudes
13	Friday, July 14th	Saint-Girons / Foix
14	Saturday, July 15th	Blagnac / Rodez
15	Sunday, July 16th	Laissac-Sévérac l’Église / Le Puy-en-Velay
–	Monday, July 17th	Rest Day in Le Puy-en-Velay
16	Tuesday, July 18th	Le Puy-en-Velay / Romans-sur-Isère
17	Wednesday, July 19th	La Mure / Serre-Chevalier
18	Thursday, July 20th	Briançon / Izoard
19	Friday, July 21st	Embrun / Salon-de-Provence
20	Saturday, July 22nd	Marseille / Marseille
21	Sunday, July 23rd	Montgeron / Paris Champs-Élysées

And a map illustrating the route can be seen below:

Where can I watch the Tour de France?

If you’re heading to France, and want to follow the race, then there are certain places along the route we would recommend stopping at to enjoy the experience.

Below we’ve listed our top ten. Due to time constraints, you probably won’t get to all of them – but if you can visit six or seven then it will be an incredible trip.

1.     Vittel

Vittel is a beautiful town in north-eastern France, and represents the first stop in this incredible country.

The riders will arrive here at the end of the day on July 4^th, and depart again the next morning.

It’s a wonderful little part of Lorraine, with lots of greenery and beautiful plant-life. You’ll have a very pleasant stay here.

2.     Troyes

Troyes offers a relatively flat surface to the riders, with very few hills or other challenging terrains.

As a visitor, you’ll find a lively town with some fantastic architecture, and very proud historical roots.

You can enjoy the race, but also some of the features this town has to offer – including museums and boutique shops.

3.     Nantua

The final day before the first rest begins in Nantua. A small, mountainous village of around 3,000 people.

It typically proves to be a difficult part of the race, with lots of steep hills, and many of the riders suffering from tired legs after over a week of riding.

But it is located in a beautiful part of the country and overlooks a large lake, providing some stunning landscapes.

4.     Bergerac

The second leg of the tour begins in Perigueux, and ends in the market town of Bergera.

Located just by the Dordogne River, it is a place that prides itself on art and history.

You’ll find lots of boutique shops, and a surprisingly large tourism industry, give how small the town is.

5.     Peyragudes

You’ll find a massive change in terrain when you head up to Peyragudes.

This mountainous region has a thriving skiing resort through the winter months, but in summer becomes a green oasis.

It can get quite busy up here during the Tour de France – so try and get there early if you can, to ensure you get a good view of the athletes!

6.     Rodez

Not quite as up and down as Peyragudes, but Rodez is still quite hilly.

Which means there are plenty of good spots to see the action.

Rodez is an interesting place, with a growing number of tourists opting to visit. It has a range of excellent museums you won’t want to miss.

7.     Le Puy-en-Velay

The second rest day takes place in Le Puy-en-Velay on July 17^th, before the final leg begins the next morning.

Over 700,000 tourists visit the town every year – and you can see why, with beautiful architecture, and a unique, quite religious atmosphere.

It’s one of the spots we really do urge you to go to – and with the race schedule it’s a great place to stay for a couple of days.

8.     Briancon

The final stretch of mountainous terrain includes a stop in Briancon.

If you fancy driving your motorhome up to the highest city in Europe, at 1,350 metres above sea level, then be sure to include this on your trip.

And when you’re done enjoying the spectacular views, it’s all downhill from then on!

9.     Marseille

The penultimate day of racing takes place in Marseille, with an individual time trial measured at just 22.5 km.

Marseille is one of the most amazing cities in France – and should absolutely not be missed.

As well as hosting the race, this is a lively, energetic city with lots of magnificent attractions, restaurants and sights to see.

10.  Paris

The Tour de France concludes in the nation’s capital.

And it’s something you’ll definitely want to experience.

Topping off your trip in one of the greatest cities in the world just adds the icing on the cake.

Now that the race is over, you can take the time to explore this incredible place, and all it has to offer.

Where Can You Stay in Each of These Places?

For motorhome owners, there is just one thing you need to find a place to stop for the night.

This stopover map, from France Passion, will connect you to over 10,000 free stopover sites throughout the country.

These sites are offered by landowners who are willing to let you use their space for an evening.

You will need to purchase a membership from France Passion to access all the information, but it is well worth the money.

With that, you’ll have everything you need for an amazing time at the Tour de France.

We wish you the best of luck on your travels!

If you’re driving in France you may need an Air Quality Sticker – Click here to find out more.