Tour de France road closures

Some of the most common questions I get asked in the lead-up to the Tour de France are about road closures. Here's what you need to know.

Crowds on Col d'Aspin.

• Finding accommodation
• Finding bike hire
• 2025 Tour de France stage-by-stage
• 2025 Tour de France Femmes stage-by-stage
• Advice for watching the TDF in person
• Advice for watching the TDF in Paris
  
• Beginner's guide to the Tour de France
• Riding Etape du Tour
• Official Tour de France Race Guide for 2025
  

Road closure times during the Tour de France vary from region to region and even town to town. Closure times depend on many things: how popular that section of the route will be; how difficult access is; whether there are any access roads; whether it's a mountain stage, a town centre stage or a rural road.

The following general information applies to both the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes.

I have listed stage-by-stage closures for the men's event (because I've done it every year for as long as I can remember). I am just unsure at the moment how clear the local guidance will be for the Tour de France Femmes, so unfortunately I cannot promise that I will have time to chase that info as well. 

Even so, the general info remains the same for both events in terms of planning ahead and general parking guidance, etc.  

Who are the roads closed to? 

When we talk about the "road closing", we mean "closed to motorised traffic": that's all cars, campervans and motorcycles with the exception of emergency vehicles, local organising staff, and Tour de France vehicles. It does not mean closed cyclists.

Can I ride my bike on roads after they close to cars?

Yes, the best way to get on to and along "closed" TDF routes is by bike. Even after the roads officially close to cars, they are still "open" to pedestrians and cyclists. That means you can ride the stage on the morning of the TDF but you do need to be wary of spectators and official vehicles. Accessing the route by bike on the day once the road has closed to cars usually means a leisurely ride (often dodging pedestrian spectators) - it's unlikely you will be able to ride at full speed or "test" yourself on the route. In some areas, you can ride the route anything up to an hour before the caravan comes through (sometimes even later), but it depends on local logistics and policing.  

Is it safe to walk or cycle on the Tour de France route?

Once the caravan is approaching or the riders themselves are nearing, then you should stay back on the sides of the road as much as possible. It will not be safe to walk or cycle for any great distance on the route once official cars, police and sponsorship vehicles start moving along the route as the caravan or riders approach.

You need to be wary of TDF cars and the caravan when they come through if you are arriving late by foot or bike – and get off the road as soon as you hear them coming.

Ideally, you should plan to be in place at your final viewing point at least an hour before the caravan.   

What time do the roads close to cars and camping cars?

Remember that when we say "roads close", we mean closed to cars, campervans and other motorised traffic. This can happen the morning of the stage or even the day or a few days before on busy mountain stages. But the roads don't close to pedestrians or cyclists, who are able to access the route all day until the caravan and riders come through. Even then, it is possible to walk alongside the route.  

For what time roads close to motorised traffic, see below each stage listed below. We update this page as and when information comes in, but please be aware that local road closures are managed locally – closure times depend on local logistics local policing and other safety guidance from local authorities.

You can also check locally about road closure times as they are sometimes signposted locally and not advertised online or on social media. Ask B&Bs and hotels (see here for our TDF accommodation page), and ask tourist offices as they may have the latest information.

On the more common Tour de France cols of the Pyrenees and Alps, local people deal with road closures on an almost annual basis so they really are the experts at navigating closed roads and finding the best vantage points. Also check local government websites – search for 'Mairie' (town hall/mayor) –and tourist office sites as they often have dedicated Tour de France pages, which are all managed locally (again, we try to link in our list below to as many of these as we can find).

Note that specific information on road closures may be confirmed as late as the week before or even a day or two before the event.

See the official Tour de France race guide for a handy overview of what time the caravan will pass through and what time to expect the riders. This can also help you plan your arrival times.

How do I reach the actual Tour de France route by car? 

If you are arriving by car/campervan to the busier sections of the route, expect traffic jams in and out (and this also affects feeder roads used for parking and access). The later you arrive, the further you will have to walk/cycle to the route itself from local access roads.

Road closure times are subject to change - always err on the side of caution and arrive early if you are driving. Major cols and sections of the route where there is only one way in and one way out will be closed for longer (eg Ventoux, Tourmalet and most major Alpine cols will USUALLY close AT LEAST the afternoon before, sometimes up to a day or two earlier).

Where can I park my car or campervan?

In larger towns and cities, try to avoid driving into the stage towns on the day of the Tour. City centre traffic is usually always affected – park outside and walk/cycle, or take public transport, into the city centre (or research public parking spaces and access in advance).

Mountain routes are generally more problematic to get to than flat stages. For flat stages and town stages, it is usually much easier to find somewhere to park/watch that has a local access road feeding onto the route. If you use these, then you can avoid having to drive onto the route itself and any road closures won't won't affect you.

Some feeder roads WILL be affected by organisational traffic, but local advice and signs informing you about deviations are usually available.

The road closure information provided in our list below also has (where possible/where we've been able to find it) parking info. 

Generally, though, you can park your car or camping car anywhere on the route proper to it closing to motorised traffic. Some stage towns will also have designated car or campervan parking.

It is OK to "free park" or "free camp" anywhere on or near the route that is safe/open in the days leading up to the stage. In fact, you will find entire campervan villages in some towns and along some sections of the route in the days leading up to the stage.

To find specific parking options on your chosen stage and in a particular town not included below, Google the town name + "Tour de France" + "stationnement".

What time do the roads open again to cars and campervans?

Again, this differs. The Tour de France is a massive event and all local authorities manage it differently. You can generally walk or cycle on the route again straight after the entire Tour entourage has been through (so cyclists and support vehicles).

On less crowded sections, cars will also start using the route again fairly quickly afterwards. However, it can take much longer before traffic flows freely on busy stages. As with the closures, things are geared to ensure spectator safety, and traffic movement largely depends on access roads and how big/popular that stage is.

If you need to get away quickly after the peloton goes through, DO NOT PARK ON THE ROUTE ITSELF! Find somewhere to watch that can be accessed by foot or bike from other local roads. Park up and walk/bike to the route.

Can I access the route via public transport?

No public buses or taxis will be allowed on the route once it's close to motorised traffic. I usually advise against relying on any form of public transport to get to or from a stage, except trains/trams in major towns and cities.

I try and advise people to be as self-sufficient as possible with a car, bikes or electric bikes. Bus services are usually disrupted by road closures and taxis will often either be fully booked or be unable to guarantee how close they can get you due to the same traffic constraints regular motorists experience.

In the high Alps and Pyrenees, winter ski lifts usually operate to ferry people up the mountain (check locally at the tourist office – in advance – in case you need to reserve tickets). Likewise, there are sometimes local bus shuttles (navettes), but they are often oversubscribed (again, check if reservations are needed). 

What time do stages start/end?

These are all listed on the official Tour de France website in the months leading up to the Tour and also published in the official race guide. We find this invaluable and generally do not go to watch a stage without it.

Who do I ask on the day for help if I need it?

The route is policed by local police and volunteer marshals. Follow their instructions or ask if you're not sure. 

We will post 2025 road closure information below as it comes to hand.

* If you live locally and hear about road closures, please email details to lyn@freewheelingfrance.com *

All info is given in good faith. Many of the links are in French (sorry, but I won't have time to translate everything - Google will be your friend!)

Tour de France 2025 road closures 

Note that all maps and stage profiles are also available from the official website in the months before the Tour. Stage timings will also provided there, as well as in the official race guide.

As stated above, road closures are managed locally – it really can mean researching town-by-town. The info listed by us below is mostly in French but decipherable using an online translator. Unfortunately, I just don't have the time or resources to translate everything or to search for info on every single town that the Tour de France goes through.

If the info you need is not below, it's either not yet published or I haven't had time to search for it. You can do this yourself by Googling such terms as 'circulation' + 'Tour de France' + 'the town or stage you are interested in'. You can also try 'parking' + 'Tour de France' + 'the town or stage you are interested in' and 'stationnement' + 'Tour de France' + 'the town or stage you are interested in'.

If you find anything out that's not on the list, I'd be grateful if you emailed me at lyn@freewheelingfrance.com with the details or posted them in the comments below.

Stage 1: Saturday, July 5 - Lille

See this page.

I expect this stage (and all of the northern stages) to be busy due to their proximity to ferry ports and the Eurostar, which provide easy access for British visitors, and also due to the strong cycling tradition in the north of France.

Stage 2: Sunday, July 6 - Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, 209km  

See here for Boulonge-sur-Mer, including info on a shuttle bus. See here for Laurwin-Planque.

I expect this stage (and all of the northern stages) to be busy due to their proximity to ferry ports, which provide easy access for British visitors, and also due to the strong cycling tradition in the north of France.

Stage 3: Monday, July 7 - Valenciennes to Dunkerque, 172km

See here for Valenciennes.

For the arrival in Dunkirk, the local press have reported the following information.

From Monday 7 July at 12.30pm: Total closure of the arrival loop. Closure of exit 60 (in both directions) of the A16 motorway. Closure of junction 16 of the A25 (in both directions) at Bergues. Total closure of the route de Bergues (D916) as far as Dunkirk.

Stage 4: Tuesday, July 8 - Amiens to Rouen, 173km

In Rouen there will be parking restrictions from 8pm on 2 July until 11pm on 8 July, on the boulevard de Verdun, the place du Boulingrin, the finish area of the boulevard de l'Yser, the rue Sainte-Marie in the Beauvoisine and Saint-Hilaire inclines. From 11.59pm on Thursday 3 July until 7pm on 8 July, parking will also be prohibited on the last 15 kilometres of the route, from the N31. This includes route de Lyons-la-Forêt, rue de la Petite-Chartreuse, route de Darnétal D43a, avenue de la Grand'Mare, rue des Canadiens, rue Albert-Dupuis, rue de Lausanne, rue de Genève, rue de Montreux, rue des Hallettes, rue Charles-Müller, D928, rue des Sapins, avenue Georges-Métayer, passage Lamartine, rue Francis-Yard, route de Neufchâtel, boulevard de la Marne, rue Jeanne-d'Arc, rue Jean-Lecanuet and rue Louis-Ricard.

Stage 5: Wednesday, July 9 - Caen to Caen time trial, 33km

Information will be added here, but essentially expect large parts of the town centre to be closed to most motorised traffic on the 8th and the 9th of July. Note that there is a bike path linking the ferry port to the town centre.

Stage 6: Thursday, July 10 - Bayeux to Vire Normandy, 201km

You can find information and a handy map here for restrictions in and around Vire. Watch this page for Bayeux.

Stage 7: Friday, July 11 - Saint-Malo to Mûr-de-Bretagne Guerlédan, 194km

See here for the Saint-Malo end. You can find a very handy leaflet here with lots of information and maps for the arrival in Mûr-de-Bretagne.

Stage 8: Saturday, July 12 - Saint-Méen-le-Grand to Laval, 174km

Stage 9: Sunday, July 13 - Chinon to Chateauroux, 170km

Rest day: Tuesday, July 15 - Toulouse

See below for guidance on Toulouse.

Stage 11: Wednesday, July 16 - Toulouse to Toulouse, 154km

Book accommodation well in advance for the Toulouse city centre as it will book out early (see this page for accommodation). Same for bike hire as it will be in high demand from people combining the TDF with a cycling holiday along the Canal du Midi and the Canal de Garonne. See this page for help with bike hire. 

Stage 12: Thursday, July 17 - Auch to Hautacam, 181km

This will be a busy stage – especially as the route heads into the mountains. At the Hautacam end, many people will be watching stages 12, 13 and 14, so it will be busy with spectators.

Stage 13: Friday, July 18 - Loudenvielle to Peyragudes time trial, 11km

Local tourism contact is here for Loudenvielle. Also keep an eye on this website.

This will be a busy stage because the route is so short, meaning spectators will be pretty bunched up. It's also close to stages 12 and 14, meaning many people will watch both days.

Stage 14: Saturday, July 19 - Pau to Luchon Superbagnères, 183km

We'll add local road closure info in here when we get it. 

This will be a popular stage given it has so many famous climbs AND the stage is BRUTAL. The final climb at Superbagnères will be busy and I expect it to close to motorised traffic the day before (if not earlier). The route also includes the Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aspin and Col de Peyresourde – all will be popular vantage points so plan ahead if you want to be on the roadside for this stage.

Note that Superbagnères is a dead-end ski resort summit. There is only one way up and one way down, so expect it to be busy and allow lots of time to get back down if you manage to drive up before the road closes. If you can drive part-way and park or, better still, cycle from Bagneres-de-Luchon, then that would be a good way to go up. Ski lifts may also be in operation - we'll post more info here if/when we get it. 

In Luchon, at the base of the summit, there is parking available, including for camping cars. It will fill up quickly. See here.

For the stage start at Pau, expect local authorities to provide little to no info on road closures. They host every year but seem to forget about informing spectators about anything useful.

Stage 15: Sunday,  July 20 - Muret to Carcassonne, 169km

Local tourist board contacts are via this local page for Carcassonne.

Rest day: Monday, July 21 - Montpellier

Stage 16: Tuesday, July 22 - Montpellier to Ventoux, 172km

See here for Ventoux. Here for the Montpellier local page.

This will be an epic stage because of Ventoux and it will be very, very busy. Here's how to climb the Ventoux yourself if you have a bike and can cycle up (this would avoid road closures). 

Stage 17: Wednesday, July 23 - Bollène to Valence, 161km

We'll add local road closure info in here when we get it.

Stage 18: Thursday, July 24 - Vif to Courchevel Col de la Loze, 171km

See also this local bike shop page, which has info (note they have the dates wrong but seem to have the stages correct).

Stage 19: Friday, July 25 - Albertville to La Plagne, 130km

See this page for La Plagne. See also this local bike shop page, which has info (note they have the dates wrong but seem to have the stages correct).

Stage 20: Saturday, July 26 - Nantua to Pontarlier, 185km

See this page for Pontarlier. See also this local bike shop page, which has info (note they have the dates wrong but seem to have the stages correct).

Stage 21: Sunday, July 27 - Mantes to Paris, 120km

Avoid driving in Paris – there is no need to. Use public transport, a Velib public bike share bike or hire your own bike (see here for help) to get around. Note Metro stops and underpasses near the route are sometimes closed to avoid overcrowding or for security reasons. It's usually best to plan to arrive a few stops away from the route and to walk.

Paris is big and the circuit is spread out. There are often casual observers who are tourists in the city on the day and not there specifically for the Tour – this means more crowd movement and fewer people sitting in the same spot all day. That means that with a little patience, it can be possible to wiggle your way close to the front with relative ease. Take water and other supplies with you and pinpoint cafes or other toilet spots nearby. It's good to watch in pairs or groups so someone can guard your spot while you duck off to the toilet, etc. Portable step ladders or chairs are also handy, but be considerate with neighbours and don't block their view.

If you are very lucky (and have the budget) you could also look to nab a hotel room on the route to provide you with easy access. See this page. 

More information on watching the Tour de France in person

• Finding accommodation
• Finding bike hire
• 2025 Tour de France stage-by-stage
• 2025 Tour de France Femmes stage-by-stage
• Advice for watching the TDF in person
• Advice for watching the TDF in Paris
• Beginner's guide to the Tour de France
• Riding Etape du Tour
• Official Tour de France Race Guide for 2025