The Tour de France 2026 in the Hautes Pyrénées and the Pyrénées Atlantiques.
The lowdown on the Tour 2026 in our part of France. (2.5 minute read)
The Tour de France 2026, the world’s most famous bike race and world’s largest spectator event, will once again be on our doorstep in the hills facing and peaks of the central Pyrenees. As we await the arrival of the peloton swooshing past, here’s a brief lowdown on what to expect.
La Grande Boucle (the Big Loop) as it is also known offers an opportunity to combine cycling, holidaying, sightseeing – and all the action and excitement of this great bike race.
In 2026, notre coin (our corner) of South-West France is hosting two stages (Les étapes) of the Tour’s 2026 parcours (journey) of 3333km. The route will traverse La Bigorre (the Hautes-Pyrénées and department 65) and Le Béarn (the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and department 64), as well as cross part of the southern Gers (32).
On Wednesday 8th July, Étape 5 is Lannemezan (Hautes-Pyrénées/65) to Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques/64). On Thursday 9th July, Étape 6 is Pau to Gavarnie-Gèdre in the mountains. If two days is not enough, Étape 7 moves further north, from Hagetmau (Les Landes) to Bordeaux (Gironde).
Sunflower fields
Étape 5 is a 158km flat/sprint stage offering an opportunity to watch the race from a range of lovely local towns or rural roadsides. The peloton will cross the soft rural landscapes of the northern part of the Bigorre and northeastern Béarn: the backdrop is beautiful and calm rural France (where we are situated). The finish will be the large Place de Verdun in the centre of Pau.
Pau will once again host an arrival and departure for the Tour. To read more about what you can do in Pau as a day trip, read my blog here: Must-see Pau (kindly note that our parking suggestion for race day will be very different).
Stage 5 passes through lovely French rural landscapes including sunflower fields: the bucolic and flatter parts of the Bigorre, the Gers and the Bearn. In contrast, Stage 6 is a 186km mountain stage where the race will move from Pau onto Pyrenean peaks including the most famous of all for the Tour, the Col du Tourmalet, as well as passing through Lourdes (read my day trip guide here). Final Destination is Gavarnie-Gedre, the location of The Cirque de Gavarnie, an UNESCO world heritage site since 1997.
Something for everyone
If you drive up into the mountains in the week before the Tour rolls through, you will notice the growing presence of motor homes clinging to precipitous roadsides. By the day of the tour, the campers have become a swarm.
The Tour’s history started way back in 1903 and with such a legacy and rich history, the Tour is an exciting event as a spectator. While some areas and prime vantage spots are out of bounds and not possible to access without a VIP pass – there are a range of fantastic VIP options if you have the budget including a helicopter offer – for such a major sporting event the race is surprisingly accessible.
Some people attend for the sport, some for the atmosphere/drama or others simply for the publicity caravan. This caravan typically rolls through about 45 minutes before the race offering freebies: anything from branded cycling caps to chocolate.
How to join in the action
For Pau you turn right from us. To get to the mountains you ride out of the valley and up onto the Ger plain. The Ger plateau is a large flat area in front of the mountains (like a large flat superhighway) connecting the Madiran area with the mountains and onto the peaks. Riders from the local cycling clubs climb a peak (or perhaps even two) within a day. Obviously, only advised if you are extremely fit and capable of doing this.
Tip: factor in the time needed to reach your spectator viewing point to account for roads being closed as the race rolls through.
Looking for accommodation near the Tour de France route in 2026 or for a cycling break in real South-West France? Facing the mountains but not in them, we have a range of landscapes for riders: from local lanes (chemins) in the rolling hills around us, to flat tarmac – or the option of riding up into the mountains. We have secure bike storage and great local knowledge.
Disclaimer: This Peyroulat blog has been compiled as a useful information-only resource and we take no liability for any errors, changes to schedules or cancellations. Please check your fitness before attempting rigorous exercise.
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