The Tour de France - 2022

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The 2022 Tour de France stage by stage

Tour de France Route map

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A GUIDE TO THE ROUTE


 This year's Tour de France highlights the eastern half of the country, totally avoiding the regions of the west. Passing through  six of the main upland or mountain areas of France, it is also  more international again, with stages in or partly in Denmark, Belgium and Switzerland.
  Following three days in Denmark, riders will fly down to France for the start of stage 4 in France's most northerly city Dunkirk, or Dunkerque as it is spelled in French. From then on every stage barring the last is in hilly country. The official designations of stages 13 (Bourg d'Oisans to Saint-Etienne) and stage 15 (Rodez to Carcassonne) as "flat" when stages 4,and 5, in the flat and gently undulating land of the north of France are designated as "hilly", is a trifle misleading.
  After stage 6 (Thur. 7th Jul) in the Ardennes and stage 8 ending at the Planche des Belles Filles high in the Vosges, stage 9 takes the riders across the French and Swiss Jura mountains. During stages 9 to 13, riders will have 5 days grappling with the traditional difficulties of the Alps, including two ascents of the challenging Col du Galibier, which may take them above the snowline. Stage 14, on Friday 15th July, takes riders out of the Alps, across the Rhone valley and into the hills to the west, for a finish at Saint Etienne. After that it's a day in the Massif Central, crossing one of the loneliest parts of France, the Lozère, to Mende. The next day riders will cross the undulating southwest flank of the Massif Central from Rodez to Carcassonne, where Monday 18th July is the second rest day.
   Carcassonne is the departure point for  the traditional Pyrenean stages of the tour, but with only three  - or indeed two and a bit - days in the Pyrenees this year, the final one ending at Lourdes, the renowned Catholic shrine at the edge of the mountains. Expect lots of witticisms from commentators that day about hoping for miracles.
   The final full cross-country stage of the race, from Castelnau, crosses the plains of Gascony before entering the hill country of the Lot department, for a finish in the small historic town of Cahors. After that all that is left is a day of time trials with a finish at another famous pilgrimage site, Rocamadour, followed by the habitual short circuit (well, just 112 km) around Paris for the final sprint up the Champs Elysées.




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 A brief introduction to the regions of France