Stage 1: Nice – Nice. 156km / 2219m. Sat 26th June
Year of Stage: 2020

What a way to start a Tour! Three loops around Nice with enjoyable (rather than painful) climbing and jaw-dropping views for at least 80% of the 156 kilometres. The first two identical loops take us up shallow gradients, past olive groves and fig trees, to the fortified village of Aspremont, all the while with a back-drop of the Mediterranean sea. From there we descend quickly to the west of town, and fly back into the city, joining an excellent bike path to wave at the Promenade des Anglais before heading off again for another identically delightful loop. On the third loop we’ll venture a little further, with an eight-kilometre climb up to Levens, before descending, on familiar roads, back to our hotel.

Lite: Missing the second loop removes 50km and just over 500m of climbing, making this stage 106km with a very manageable 1052m of climbing.

Why we chose it: Simply put, these are the best stages we never rode. The 2020 Grand Depart was set to be our biggest yet and the first two stages were the reason why. Sunshine, climbing, views, the Mediterranean, even the Loop nature makes it easy for those who’d like to “go lite”. It’s an unconventional Tour start but one for the ages and we cannot wait to ride it, albeit 7 years late!

Le Loop Logistics
Start:Nice hotel
Finish: Nice hotel

Stage 2: Nice – Nice. 187km / 3624m. Sun 27th June
Year of Stage: 2020

It’s very unusual to have a mountain stage on day 2 and especially one with this much climbing, but in 2020 the beautiful scenery surrounding Nice attracted the Tour into the hills much sooner than usual. This really tough stage starts with the 16km Col de la Colmiane which, with its average gradient of 6.3%, is one to take gently so that we’re ready for what follows. Then, whilst we still have the energy we tackle the slightly steeper Col de Turini (15km @ 7.4%) whose photogenic switchbacks and magnificent views make it a highlight of the stage. It will feel like a long haul but it’s a gorgeous climb, and especially so approaching from this northern side.

And then, after the triumph of reaching our highest point today, we continue south back towards Nice and head out to the east of town for a couple of short-but-punchy extra loops to marvel at the sparkling Med. We go over the Col d’Éze and the Col des Quatre Chemins where photo stops will be obligatory; this stretch of road really is incredible with views up to the fortified ruins of Eze and out over the most dazzling stretch of the Mediterranean. And then, finally our tired legs drag us back along the Promenade des Anglais and back to our hotel.

Lite: A direct route from our hotel to the bottom of the Col de Turini cuts out the Col de la Colmiane and with it, nearly 1500m of climbing. You still get the fun of the Col d’Eze and the Med views but the day becomes a more palatable 141km with 2,548m of ascent

Why we chose it: When we started talking about the Tour of Tours, Nice was the only possible Grand Depart. The combination of one relatively easy and one tough mountain stage, both from the same hotel, is extremely appealing and these views are something else.

Le Loop Logistics
Start:Nice hotel
Finish: Nice hotel

Stage 3: Nice – Sisteron. 175km / 2872m. Mon 28th June
Year of Stage: 2026 (Tour de Femmes – in reverse!)

This beautiful stage takes us from Nice’s beachfront into the heart of the Alps, reversing the route that the women’s peloton takes in 2026. Leaving behind the sparkling Mediterranean, the road climbs gently through the neighbourhood of Sainte-Antoine-Ginestière, lined with the fragrant shrubs that give this area its name. From here we follow the stately river Var north towards the mountains, with a brief detour up the 1.4km Côte de Colomars – just high enough to give us a panorama view through the pine trees.

 There are no categorized climbs for the next three hours, but we gain height steadily as we work our way upstream and the landscape tightens around us – for much of today’s ride we’re overlooked by towering limestone cliffs, dotted with Aleppo pines and fig trees, and perhaps scaled by the occasional rock climber. The uphill begins in earnest just before the 100km mark, when we begin our ascent of the Col de Toutes Aures: a steady plod of 6.4km at 3.1%, along a balcony road that offers increasingly spectacular views as it carves its way through the landscape.

 The gorgeous Lac de Castillion awaits us at the end of the descent, and we emerge briefly from the gorge to skirt its serene turquoise waters, before rolling through the pretty village of Sainte-André-les-Alpes and heading up the Col des Robines – a mere 2.6km at 4.6%. Over the next hour or so the valleys broaden, and we conclude our ride with a gentle roll past the fields and orchards of the Durance valley, towards the magnificent serrated rocks that overlook Sisteron.

Why we chose it: It was always a goal to include a Femmes stage in our Tour of Tours and when we saw this stunning Provencal stage listed for 2026, it seemed the obvious way to leave Nice. Plus, this is a really fun way to include something from 2026 without doing the same stage two years in a row.

Le Loop Logistics
Start:Nice hotel
Finish: Sisteron hotel

Stage 4: TT: Bourg St Andeol – Caverne Pont d’Arc. 37.5km / 643m. Tues 29th June
Year of Stage: 2016

A technical Time Trial stage in a stunning setting: a climb up from the Rhone valley onto a plateau section followed by a tricky descent down into one of the many gorges that define the character of the Ardeche region. We remember this one as one of the loveliest days out; hard enough to feel like we did something sporty but gentle enough to let us recover. A perfect interlude between the Grand Depart and what follows!

Why we chose it: At some point in the 2010s, the Tour organisers/designers ramped up their efforts to inject excitement and variety, with unconventional stages becoming more of a feature. This stage is anything but a typical TT course but that’s why it stuck in our memories. A pleasure to repeat and a gorgeous cycling day out.

Le Loop Logistics
Start: Transfer to Bourg St Andeol
Finish: Transfer to Sorgues hotel

Stage 5: Sorgues – Ventoux Malaucene. 199km / 5152m. Wed 30th June
Year of Stage: 2021

There’ll only be one mountain on most people’s minds today, but this is a long stage and we shouldn’t forget that first we have to navigate a relatively bumpy parcours that gets us there. This part of the world is blissful in July, and despite the heat and the hills you’ll appreciate the sounds and scents of the Provençale summer – the whirring crickets, the orchards and vineyards, and the tiny stone villages, with their tiled rooftops and overflowing gardens. Before we get to our first ascent of Ventoux we have to get over the Col de la Liguière, around 10km of fairly steep ramps, taking us from the fertile lowlands around Apt to a higher landscape of parched soil and pine needles. Then, once we arrive in lavender-scented Sault, we begin our first ascent of the Géant de Provence, spending at least an hour climbing through shaded pine forests, before we reach the wind-blasted scree slopes for which this mountain is famous. Once we make the summit we’ll whip down to Malaucène, before turning back south, and heading over to Bédoin to tackle Ventoux’s most famous climb. This is likely to be the hardest day of the Tour for many, but the elation of summiting this legendary climb always makes up for the hardship of the ascent, and the final triumphant descent back to Malaucéne will have you singing at the top of your voice.

Lite option: the Tour may pass over Ventoux twice but there’s no reason that you must; if you’d prefer to stop in Malaucene after the first summit, you’re welcome to do so; this stage then becomes 143km with 2,927m of ascent.

Why we chose it: There were plenty of tempting Ventoux stages to choose from but this stood out not only for the obvious fun of two different ascents but also because it’s another Tour highlight we never got to ride. Many Le Loopers were looking forward to this epic stage in 2021 – now’s our chance!

Le Loop Logistics
Start: Sorgues hotel
Finish: Transfer toSt Paul 3 Chateaux hotel