Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region
Departments: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Vaucluse.
Population: 5.2 million.
Prefecture: Marseille
Area: 31,400 km
Specialities: Mediterranean cuisine, pizza, pissaladière, panisses, chichis, bouillabaisse, petits farcis (stuffed vegetables), alouette sans tête (meat rolls), pieds et paquets marseillais (mutton feet), salade niçoise, pan bagnat (tuna sandwich), gardiane de taureau (bull stew), sea urchins, fish (sea bream, sea bass, red mullet, dentex, marbled seabream, pageots, pagres, sars), wines (rosés from Provence, Côtes de Provence, Côtes du Rhône, Palette, Bandol, etc.)
Sports clubs: Olympique Marseille, OGC Nice (football), Rugby Club Toulon. Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille (swimming).
Competitions: Football World Cup, Euro 2016 football tournament, Rugby World Cup, rugby test matches, Tour de France cycling race, Paris-Nice, GP La Marseille, Classique Haribo, Tour du Haut-Var, Tour de la Provence, beach volleyball, beach football, rugby in Toulon. World pétanque championship in Marseille.
Tourist attractions: beaches and seaside resorts (Saint-Tropez, Nice, Saint-Raphaël, Fréjus, Cassis, Bandol, etc.), Palais des Papes in Avignon, Arles (arenas, Roman ruins), Marseille (Old Port, Panier, calanques, Château d'If, Mucem), Nice (Promenade des Anglais, Old Nice, Old Port), Mont Ventoux, Cannes, ski resorts in the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-Maritimes (Serre-Chevalier, Le Sauze, Orcières-Merlette, Isola 2000), Briançon (citadel), Aix-en-Provence.
Economy: 7 pcof French GDP, 3rd largest region in France, 16th largest in Europe. Agriculture (wine and market gardening), tertiary sector (80 pc), universities (Aix-Marseille, France's leading university, Nice, Toulon), ports (Marseille, La Ciotat, Nice), petrochemicals (Fos), logistics, Nice and Marseille airports, tourism.
Festivals: Cannes Film Festival, Avignon Festival (theatre), Chorégies d'Orange, Aix-en-Provence Festival (opera), Jazz à Nice, Festival de Marseille (dance). Midem (Cannes), Marsatac (Marseille), Fiesta des Suds (Marseille), Plages électroniques (Cannes), Rencontres d'Arles (photography).
Website: www.maregionsud.fr
HAUTES-ALPES (05)
Prefecture: Gap
Sub-prefecture: Briançon
Population: 143,467
Number of municipalities: 162
Area: 5,549 km²
Specialities: Tourtons (fritters), Oreilles d'âne (cream, lasagne and spinach gratin), honey (mountain, lavender, wildflower, etc.), wines (Tallard and Vallée de l'Avance), fruit (apples and pears from the Durance valley), cheese, etc.
Sport: Second department in France in terms of members per capita, with nearly 500 clubs and around 50 disciplines ranging from alpine skiing to ice hockey (Diables Rouges de Briançon and Rapaces de Gap), cycling (road cycling, mountain biking), team sports (football, rugby, handball, basketball), athletics, swimming, etc.
Economy: Tourism, agropastoralism, the timber industry, crafts, the departmental aeronautics industry, etc.
Competitions: European Cup Southern Region women's alpine skiing in Orcières, Speed Skiing World Cup in Vars, Embrunman Triathlon, Trail Gapen'cimes, Mondial de l'Escalade Briançon, Alps Epic Mountain Biking, French Windfoil and KiteFoil Championships in Serre-Ponçon.
Culture and heritage: Vauban fortifications in Briançon and Mont-Dauphin (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Lake Serre-Ponçon, Écrins Massif (Barre des Écrins and Meije), major mountain passes (Izoard, Lautaret, Galibier, Vars, Granon, Noyer, etc.). Departmental Museum in Gap. Lautaret Alpine Botanical Garden. Cultural sites of Notre-Dame du Laus and Boscodon. Villages of Saint-Véran (Queyras) and La Grave (Haute-Romanche), listed as some of the most beautiful villages in France. Embrun Cathedral. Plateau de Bure and Iram astrophysics observatory (Dévoluy). Charance Castle estate and park (Gap)
Festivals: Tous Dehors…Enfin Festival in Gap (May), Outdoormix Festival (Embrun), Trad'in Festival (Embrun), Chaillol Music Festival, Messiaen Festival (Haute-Romanche).
Websites: www.hautes-alpes.fr / www.hautes-alpes.net / www.phenomenalpes.com
Km 5.1
Col Bayard (1,246 m)
Located on the Route Napoléon, this was the first Alpine pass crossed by the Tour de France in 1905. Julien Maitron was the first to reach the summit. Since then, riders have climbed its slopes 27 times, most recently in 2024, with Magnus Cort leading the way. Julien Maitron deserves a mention, as this native of the Nièvre region, born in Dompierre in 1881, will forever remain the first winner of an Alpine pass in the history of the Tour. Champion of the Nièvre in 1900, he turned professional in 1904 with the Clement team. He competed in the Tour de France eight times between 1904 and 1912, finishing fifth in his first appearance and three times in the top ten. He also won a stage in Nice in 1910. He also won Paris-Calais in 1909, tied with Eugène Christophe. His career was interrupted by the war, during which he was wounded. He died in 1972.
Km 10.7
Laye (see stage 18)
Km 12.5
La Fare-en-Champsaur (see stage 18)
Km 15.4
Poligny (see stage 18)
Km 19
Le Noyer (see stage 18)
Km 25.5
Col du Noyer (1,664 m)
The Col du Noyer has already featured five times on the Tour de France route between 1970 (Raymond Delisle) and 2024, when Richard Carapaz was in the lead.
Km 30.2
Dévoluy (Pop. 1,000)
Since 2013, Dévoluy has comprised the municipalities of Agnières-en-Dévoluy, La Cluse, Saint- Disdier and Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy. It takes its name from the mountain range near which it is located, made famous by the resorts of Super Dévoluy and La Joue-du-Loup, now part of the Dévoluy ski area. In the village, the Gicons Chapel, known as the "Mother Church", has been listed as a historic monument since 1927. This small Romanesque church, whose date of construction is unknown (11th or 12th century), has a nave with three bays with semi-circular arches and a semi-circular apse, flanked by a side chapel surmounted by a bell tower and extended by an apsidiole. The building, which has been modified several times, was abandoned for a long time but has been restored by a local association. However, the municipality is particularly proud of its natural sites, such as the spectacular Pic de Bure (2,709 m), which René Desmaison climbed in 1961. There is a large astronomical observatory on the plateau. At the foot of Pic de Bure is the resort of Super-Dévoluy, which has produced skiers such as Cyprien Sarrazin and also hosted the finish of a stage of the 2024 Tour de France, won by Richard Carapaz. The resort was also the finish line for the queen stage of the 2013 Critérium du Dauphiné, won by Samuel Sanchez, where Chris Froome consolidated his lead. In 2016, the resort hosted the final stage of the Dauphiné, won by Steve Cummings, while Froome once again took the overall victory.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
Departments: Ain, Allier, Ardèche, Cantal, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Rhône, Métropole de Lyon, Savoie, Haute-Savoie.
Population: 8.2 million inhabitants
Prefecture: Lyon
Area: 69,711 km²
Specialities: Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône and Savoie wines, Lyon specialities (quenelles, cervelles de canut, saucisson, etc.), Auvergne potée, Savoyard specialities (raclette, fondue, tartiflettes, diots, crozets), cheeses (Beaufort, Reblochon, Cantal, Bleu d'Auvergne, Salers, Saint-Nectaire, etc.), green lentils from Le Puy, waters (Evian, Thonon, Volvic), verbena, Chartreuse.
Sports clubs: Olympique Lyonnais, AS Saint-Etienne, Clermont Foot 63, Grenoble Foot 38 (football). ASM Clermont, Lyon OU, FC Grenoble, Stade Aurillacois, US Oyonnax (rugby), ASVEL Villeurbanne (basketball), Chambéry (handball), Brûleurs de loup Grenoble, Pionniers de Chamonix (ice hockey)
Competitions: Women's Football World Cup, skiing competitions (Critérium de la Première Neige in Val d'Isère), Tour de France mountain passes, Critérium du Dauphiné.
Economy: (8th European region) cutting-edge industries, automotive (Berliet), metallurgy, rubber, plastics, chemicals, electronics, agri-food, textiles, digital, banking, universities, government, viticulture. Tyres (Michelin). Design. New technologies (Inovallée). Winter and summer tourism.
Festivals: Festival of Lights in Lyon, Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon, Quais du Polar in Lyon, Design Biennial in Saint-Etienne, La Chaise-Dieu Classical Music Festival
Tourist attractions: Old Lyon and Croix-Rousse, Puy-en-Velay Cathedral, Lake Annecy, Chambéry Castle, winter sports in Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie, Cantal, spa resorts, Auvergne volcanoes. Pont d'Arc Cave. Grignan Castle. Grenoble Bastille. Vulcania. Parc des Oiseaux.
Websites and social media: www.auvergnerhonealpes.fr
ISÈRE (38)
Region: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Population: 1.3 million inhabitants (16 pc of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)
Prefecture: Grenoble
Sub-prefectures: Vienne, La Tour du Pin
Number of municipalities: 521
Area: 7,431 km² (11% of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)
Specialities: Grenoble walnuts (AOC), St Marcellin cheese (PGI), Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage cheese (PDO), ravioles, Chartreuse liqueur, Bonnat chocolates, antesite (drink). Wines: Coteaux du Grésivaudan, Balmes Dauphinoises, Collines Rhodaniennes (IGP wines), Vitis Vienna (Vienne wines). Vercors trout, alpine meats (beef, lamb), gratin dauphinois, Bourgoin brioche, murçon (charcuterie), etc.
Major sports clubs: FC Grenoble (rugby), Brûleurs de loups (ice hockey), GF38 (football), CSBJ (rugby), Ours de Villard (hockey), Rugby Sassenage Isère (women's rugby).
Major competitions: Foulée Blanche in Autrans, UT4M (Ultra Tour des 4 Massifs), Passerelles du Monteynard Trail, Echappée Belle (Ultra Traversée de Belledonne), EuroNordicWalk Vercors, Grand Duc-Trail de Chartreuse, La Marmotte in Alpe d'Huez (gran fondo)
Festivals: Coupe Icare in St Hilaire du Touvet, Alpe d’Huez Film Festival (comedy film festival in Isère), Berlioz Festival in La Côte Saint-André, Jazz in Vienne Festival, Autrans mountain film festival, Vélo Vert Festival in Villard de Lans, Tomorrowland in Alpe d'Huez.
Economy: Industry, electronics, digital technology, micro and nanoelectronics, IT, research, health, hydroelectricity, chemistry and the environment, energy, thermal spas, tourism
Main tourist attractions: Domaine de Vizille, Grande Chartreuse monastery, Saint-Antoine l'Abbaye, Choroanche caves, Grenoble cable car, Grenoble Museum, Chartreuse cellars, Dauphinois Museum, St Hilaire du Touvet funicular railway, Crémieu, Vienne, Walibi Rhône-Alpes theme park, Europe's largest skiable glacier at Les Deux-Alpes
Websites and social media: www.alpesishere.com / www.cyclo-alpes.com / www.isere.fr
Km 55.7
Corps (see stage 18)
Km 64.6
Quet-en-Beaumont (see stage 18)
Km 67
La Salle-en-Beaumont (see stage 18)
Km 71.3
Saint-Laurent-en-Beaumont (see stage 18)
Km 112
Le Bourg d’Oisans (Pop. 3,500)
Once located on the shores of a lake that has since disappeared, the town is known to Tour enthusiasts as the starting point for the climb to Alpe d'Huez. Renowned for its slate, minerals and peddlers, it is an alpine resort and the birthplace of former slalom champion Fabienne Serrat and former Olympic snowboard champion Isabelle Blanc. Bourg-d'Oisans has hosted the Tour de France twenty times, with nineteen starts and only one finish (1966). In 2018, the peloton set off from the town towards Valence, where Peter Sagan won. Due to its location, Bourg d'Oisans is also the starting point for many gran fondos, some of which are among the most popular in the world.
Écrins National Park
The Écrins National Park (91,800 hectares), created in 1973, stretches between the towns of Gap (12 km as the crow flies), Briançon (13 km) and Grenoble (23 km). It is bordered by the Romanche, Guisane, Durance and Drac valleys. The park project began in Oisans in 1913 with the purchase by the State of 4,000 hectares of mountain land above Saint-Christophe-d'Oisans. Écrins National Park is one of ten French national parks and has been designated a European High Mountain Park by the Council of Europe.
Km 117.1
La Garde-en-Oisans (Pop. 70)
La Garde-en-Oisans enjoys a particularly privileged location, exposure and environment above Bourg-d'Oisans, overlooking the vast plain. A historic village mentioned as early as the early Middle Ages and believed to have been the residence of the Gardier des Dauphins for centuries, La Garde-en-Oisans is now, thanks to its slopes and surroundings, an exceptional European site for all lovers of cycling. The commune has ten of the twenty-one hairpin bends that lead to Alpe d'Huez. After a few kilometres of unrivalled steepness, the gradient becomes less harsh from the bell tower of Saint-Pierre Church, a former priory in the Massif des Grandes Rousses.
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