On The Roads Of France...

The roads of the Tour de France are the scene of the feats or failures of the 200 riders that make up the pack. They also play host to the 4,500 support staff that accompany them as well as the millions of spectators who encourage, whistle or insult them. To ensure the coexistence and movement of all these populations in optimum conditions of comfort and safety, the organisers of the Tour de France call upon the assistance of the Association of the Departments of France (ADF) which, since 2004, has inherited the amenities of the Ministry for Infrastructure and takes charge of managing 400,000 kilometres of roads. Indeed, on the route of the Tour de France, 97% of the roads are maintained by the departmental authorities.

In the scheme set up for the Tour de France, the role of ADF is central, in particular for informing and guiding users, protection and signposting, as well as organising and managing waste disposal and cleaning of the roads. This year, 37 departments in total will be visited by the Tour de France. Their efforts will be coordinated by nine ADF agents who will follow the race in full, whilst a “Mr Roads” is appointed for each stage to supervise the work of the teams in each department visited.