The Tour de France 2025: A Love Letter from Hauts-de-France
Well, well, well! If it isn’t that time of the year again when the world looks toward France and watches a bunch of blokes cycling like madmen, only to chase a cheese and a yellow shirt! Yes, dear readers, brace yourselves because on July 5, 2025, the Tour de France promises to kick off from the vibrant city of Lille in the Hauts-de-France region. And before you ask, no, they don’t just serve fries here; they serve up a real cycling circus!
The Grand Départ: Lille, The City That Never Rides Solo
“A historic moment!” declares Christian Georges Pierre Prudhomme, the director of the Tour. This marks the fifth time the Tour has roared out of Lille. I can hear the locals now, hooting and hollering as they gather to watch cyclists turn a leisurely Sunday ride into an Olympic event. Nothing says “community spirit” quite like watching strangers in tight shorts compete for glory and a bit of recognition!
Let’s not forget the delightful Antoine Sillani, regional vice-president in charge of sports policy, who’s as proud as a peacock about this event. Honestly, who wouldn’t be? In a region renowned for its squashed nose pastries (that’s ch’ti for you uninitiated), Hauts-de-France is ready to show off its plein air craziness. And Xavier Bertrand isn’t missing the chance to shine, claiming it’s “great teamwork.” I mean, what’s better than a regional committee getting together over a pint to discuss cycling? It’s like a meeting of the Tour de France fans… surrounded by tasty pastries!
The Four Stages: Buckle Up!
- Saturday, July 5, 2025: Grand departure from Lille (185 km)
- Sunday, July 6: Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer (212 km)
- Monday, July 7: Valenciennes to Dunkirk (172 km)
- Tuesday, July 8: Amiens Métropole to Rouen (in Normandy) (173 km)
Stage One: Lille Métropole – A Sprinter’s Jazz
The inaugural 185 km stage will be a ballet of speed! Picture this: sprinters tangled in a mad dash for the Yellow Jersey while dodging serious inclines at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette and Mont Noir. It’s like a high-speed game of musical chairs, but with fewer chairs and a lot more Lycra. If the wind plays tricks, riders might have more than just their competition to worry about. Talk about adding a bit of drama to your cycling!
Stage Two: The Long Haul from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer
Day two pushes our courageous cyclists over 212 km, from Lauwin-Planque (try saying that three times fast!) to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Expect the powerhouses to show their colors on this rugged path, as even the best sprinters may find themselves gasping for air along the coastal cliffs. It’s like asking marathon runners to do a triathlon—with no swimming skills involved!
Stage Three: Valenciennes to Dunkirk – A Dash of History
Valenciennes welcomes the cycle circus back after 34 long years, while Dunkirk prepares for the finish line excitement. This 172 km stretch could turn into a sprint finish—assuming the wind doesn’t decide to join the fun. Because you know, what’s a race without the unpredictable elements of Mother Nature? Just another day at the office!
Stage Four: Amiens – Where England and France Cross Paths
The final stage of this thrilling four-day ride will kick off from Amiens—famous for its cathedral and that delightful blend of French charm. From there, the cyclists will leap over to Rouen, once again rewarding spectators with a showcase of peak endurance, endurance that many of us wouldn’t lead while running after the last croissant at the local bakery!
The Thrill of Cycling: More Than Just Pedal-Pushing
In Hauts-de-France, cycling is practically a religion. Ah yes, cobblestones, rolling hills, and windswept plains all transform into a montage of passion. It’s not mere transportation; it’s also heart and soul, a pilgrimage of sorts. As our beloved Tour weaves through this stunning region, the locals are ready to bask in the glory of the racers—cheering and waving like they’re welcoming the Queen!
So, mark your calendars for July 5–8, 2025. Prepare to witness a unique blend of athleticism, local pride, and possibly an overabundance of delicious pastries, only in Hauts-de-France!
And remember, folks, whether you cycle or just enjoy the show, this is bound to be a tour you won’t want to miss!
This Tuesday, October 29, you were able to discover the complete route of the 2025 edition of the Tour de France on our Facebook page. And this new edition of the Tour definitively positions Hauts-de-France as a land of sport and cycling with the Grand Départ which will be given in Lille on July 5, with four stages full of promise.
In Hauts-de-France, the bicycle is much more than a means of transport: it is a true love story, anchored in the cobblestones, the wind from the plains and the enthusiasm of the inhabitants, always ready to encourage every cyclist who ventures onto their emblematic roads during major races, such as Paris-Roubaix (the queen of the classics), the 4 Days of Dunkirk or even Paris-Chauny. And this year, the Tour de Francewith each pedal stroke of the riders, will make the hearts of Hauts-de-France and its inhabitants beat for four days.
The Grand Départ and three stages in Hauts-de-France
The Grand Départ of this 2025 edition of the Tour de France, 100% French, will be the fifth in the history of our region. The Grande Boucle had already started from Lille in 1960, from Roubaix in 1969, from Lille in 1994 and from Dunkirk in 2001.For this 100% French edition, we needed a start in a region that vibrates for cycling like Hauts-de-France.“, declares Christian Georges Pierre Prudhomme director of the Tour. “Organizing this Grand Départ is a historic moment in a region which shares the values of courage and solidarity. These are economic and tourist benefits, but it also means drawing the spotlight on our region which is transforming”explains Antoine Sillani, regional vice-president in charge of sports policy. To Xavier Bertrand to add: “The Region is preparing for this unique moment. We are really very proud to welcome this Grand Départ. It’s great teamwork. We have something that goes beyond us and that brings us together!“
Tour de France 2025: the final route is known!
The four stages
- Saturday July 5, 2025: Grand departure from Lille. 1st stage around the great metropolis of Lille (185 km)
- Sunday July 6: Lauwin-Planque – Boulogne-sur-Mer (212 km)
- Monday July 7: Valenciennes – Dunkirk (172 km)
- Tuesday July 8: Amiens Métropole – Rouen (in Normandy) (173 km)
First stage: Lille Métropole, 185 km
It will be a dream opportunity for the sprinters to don the first Yellow Jersey. Three hills, in Artois first at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, shortly after crossing Lens, then in Flanders with the coast of Cassel on its paved side and Mont Noir, around forty kilometers from the goal will have previously created a great fight for the conquest of that of the best climber.
This first stage does not promise to be easy, relatively flat despite three hills: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Mont Cassel and Mont Noir, around forty kilometers from the finish which the sprinters should compete for unless if the wind is there and creates borders in the finale.
@ASO
Second stage: Lauwin-Planque – Boulogne-sur-Mer, 212 km
Since a start in the heart of Douaisis, the profile of this stage will undoubtedly cause a change in the wearer of the Yellow Jersey. It will indeed be difficult for the winner of the day before, if he is a pure sprinter, to resist the wear and tear of the hills of Artois and Boulonnais and an incessant battle along the coasts opening out onto windy plateaus.
As for the finale, it will be designed for punchers with two severe difficulties by the sea, at Saint-Étienne-au-Mont and its passages at 15%, then at Outreau, a little more than 5 kilometers from the line of arrival, itself traced at the top of a one kilometer climb. The favorites in the general classification will have to be alert.
Third stage: Valenciennes – Dunkirk, 172 km
Valenciennes will be the starting city for this 3rd stage. The city of Hainaut had not welcomed the caravan for 34 years! It had been a city finish in 1991. Dunkirk will have waited less to see the runners again. The city of Jean Bart was the departure city in 2022. This time it will host the finish, probably in a sprint, but you will have to be careful of the wind in the last kilometers, in the plain of Maritime Flanders. The peloton will have previously crossed the mining basin, with a new passage through Béthune as during the 1ʳᵉ stage.
@ASO
Fourth stage: Amiens Métropole – Rouen (in Normandy) (173 km)
Amiens, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site for its cathedral and its belfry, will see the start of the fourth stage of the Tour. The latter will end in Rouen, in Normandy.