Wacthing the Tour de France live is completely free! It is the most prestigious and watched cycling race in the world and running our cycling holidays in France, we have inevitably caught the bug for watching it. But starting as complete novices, there were some interesting things we found out when it comes to actually watching the race live. So, here are five things that you may not know and perhaps will help you if you ever fancy catching a glimpse of the peloton cycling through France.
The Tour de France route is different every year!
Surprised? The Tour de France will always spend time in the Alps and the Pyrenees, but every year the tour plots a different course around France. What you may not know is that towns go to great lengths to attract the organisers to their location for a stage start or finish. It’s a great honour and international advert for the towns featured on the Tour. In 2025 we’re lucky enough to have a stage start in Chinon, only 25 kms from our location.
The Tour de France is completely free to watch!
You’ll never get charged for the privilege of watching the peloton. We’ve even been to city centre time trials where free buses have been laid on to ferry you to the cycling.
The Peloton is preceded by gifts!
You don’t just see the Peloton – about an hour ahead of the cyclists is a procession of sponsors’ carnival floats that throw out free gifts advertising their products. Great fun for children and adults alike – you’ll usually walk away with a few caps, some food and key rings – and perhaps wet if one of the floats is equipped with a water cannon!
The start of the Tour de France is hosted by a different country every year
It’s tradition for the Tour to spend a few days at the start in a neighbouring country – unusually in 2025 it will skirt Belgium but stay in France. It’s a great way of introducing the fun to other countries that share a love of cycling. The last time it visited the UK the crowds lining the route were immense and a big surprise to everyone involved!
The route is released every October
So if you want to plan a trip to the Tour then October is when you need to be looking at the offical Tour website website to see the high level route. Then keep your eye on the site as the route is developed and the detailed route plans published. Then it’s a case of working out which stage you want to see and where on that stage you want to see it. The route always has timings so you know when you’ll be seeing the riders come through. Then all you need to do is turn up, set out your picnic table and enjoy the day!
