The Tour De France 2025: How To Experience The Final Stages
The Tour de France is as much a part of French summertime as rosé wine and Mediterranean beaches. Since the riders streamed through the streets of Lille and into the surrounding countryside when the Tour de France 2025 started on 5 July, the race—and the crowds—have been weaving their way through France.
From Lille and Dunkirk in the north to Bayeux and Saint-Malo in the west, the route runs south to Toulouse and Carcassonne, then continues through Montpellier and Valence to the eastern mountains. It is here on Stage 18 that the picturesque scenery turns mountainous again for the final four phases of the Tour through the Alps and back into Paris.
Over one month, 176 riders and their 22 teams will compete for a prize pool of €2.3 million, and while every stage is impressive in its own right, it is in the mountain stages that the race has that magic touch as riders battle it out for the prizes. If you plan to visit in person or watch online, here's what to know about the final stages of the Tour de France 2025.
Riders whizz past the Arc de Triomphe in the Tour de France in 2017. AFP via Getty Images
Stage 18 is a mountain stage of 106 miles (171.5 km), and what the Tour organizers call the most demanding day, as it features a vertical ascent of 5,500 metres through various mountain passes, specifically the fierce Col de la Loze, which overlooks the famous ski resort of Courchevel and leads to Méribel. The Col de la Loze at 2,304m is the highest point of the 2025 Tour, and for the first time, riders will climb up the eastern flank to Courchevel.
Lake Annecy is approximately an hour's drive from Courchevel, where visitors spend their summers boating and swimming in its turquoise waters, as well as visiting the lakeside villages. Visit the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard, situated overlooking the lake, which has been in the same family for 23 generations, dating back to the 12th century, and renovated during the Renaissance.
Alternatively, another short drive away are the thermal baths and spas of Brides-les-Bains and Aix-les-Bains. Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc, is just a two-hour drive away, offering cable car rides, restaurants, and glacier walks. Tour De France 2025: Stage 19, Albertville To La Plagne, 25 July 2025
Tour organizers refer to this as the 'ultra-mountainous' stage. Its 80 miles (129.9 km) are challenging because it has five climbs but over a relatively short distance—for example, the first, the Côte d'Héry-sur-Ugine, is very soon after the start of this day's race, at 6 miles (10 km). Incidentally, amateur cyclists will also try out this stage of the Tour, five days before. Tour De France 2025: Nearby Tourist Sites To Stage 19
Albertville, which hosted the 1992 Winter Olympics, sits at the feet of the Alps and is an excellent base for cycling and hiking in summer. Parts of the village date back to medieval times, and the Fort de Tamié, a 19th-century fortress above Albertville, now features zip lines that crisscross hiking trails with levels suitable for all the family to enjoy.
Foodies can revel in the region's culinary specialties, such as raclette, tartiflette, fondue (mainly in winter), as well as crozets (square-shaped pasta made from buckwheat flour), Savoy cake, chocolate truffles, and bugnes (a type of doughnut). The plant-based liqueur, génépi, grown in the local mountains, shouldn't be missed, nor should the Savoie cheeses, Tome des Bauges and Beaufort. Tour De France 2025: Stage 20, Nantua To Pontarlier, 26 July 2025
Stage 20 is a hilly stage of 114 miles (184.2 km) surrounding Lake Nantua; in culinary circles the region is known for its Nantua sauce, which has a béchamel base, featuring cream, crayfish butter, and tails. Any cuisine featuring crayfish is often referred to as 'à la Nantua', after the lake and its sauce. Tour De France 2025: Nearby Tourist Sites To Stage 20
In Nantua, visitors should check out the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-Jura for hiking and swimming by the lake. Otherwise, explore the Absinthe culture of the region, a very strong anise-derived liqueur that authorities outlawed for almost 100 years from 1915 onwards. In Pontarlier, there is a museum dedicated to the "green fairy" drink that is said to have driven Vincent van Gogh to cut off his ear.
Travel three miles (5 km) further out of town and you'll find the historic Château de Joux, an impressive military castle that historically protected the small Cluze mountain pass, linking Champagne, Flanders, and the Haute-Saône areas to Italy and Switzerland beyond. Tour De France 2025: Stage 21, Mantes-La Ville To Paris Champs-Élysées, 27 July 2025
The crowd-pleasing 'ballon de la vasque olympique' of Paris 2024 in the Jardin des Tuileries is making a return every day this summer. Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
The final stage is a flat race of 82 miles (132.3 km) that leads to a famous show finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, although last year Nice stood in for the capital city because it was hosting the Olympic Games. The riders will pass by the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe before one of them is crowned the winner. Tour De France 2025: Nearby Tourist Sites To Stage 20
A trip to the world's most famous museum, the Louvre, is worth a visit if you can brave the crowds, as is the impressive, recently refurbished Notre-Dame Cathedral. Some of the absolute pleasure of Paris is, however, just finding a neighborhood that looks lovely on paper and strolling through it to see what you discover.
Until 14 September, the Olympic air balloon, the Vasque, is making a dramatic return to the Parisian skies, minus the Olympic branding. After such a prestigious entrance during the Olympic Games, visitors can find the crowd favorite in the Jardin des Tuileries every day.
You can watch the Tour online through one of the broadcasting partners of the Tour de France 2025 in over 190 countries worldwide. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes This French Region Is Offering €1 Houses By Alex Ledsom Forbes What It Means To Be Wealthy In New Zealand By Alex Ledsom Forbes Overtourism: Why Does Spain Face More Tourism Backlash Than France? By Alex Ledsom
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