Nord Department
With 2.6 million inhabitants, the Département du Nord is France's most populous department. In many respects, the Nord is an exceptional local authority, acting on behalf of its inhabitants on a daily basis, with 3 objectives in mind:
- Protecting the people of Nord. From early childhood to loss of autonomy, via healthcare and support for RSA recipients on the road to employment, the département is there for them at every stage of their lives. To achieve this, the people of the Nord can count on more than 1,000 places of welcome.
- Developing the region. As an essential supporter of municipalities and intercommunities, the Département du Nord invests in projects that change the quality of life, as well as in major infrastructure projects that will shape the Nord of tomorrow.
- Promoting the Nord. The Département du Nord is a partner in key events that bring us together, such as the Grand Départ of the Tour de France, to promote the assets and wealth of our region.
Chairman of the Département du Nord
The Département is delighted and proud to be hosting the Grand Départ de la Grande Boucle in 2025, for the people of the Nord and for our heritage. The Nord is a land of cycling: its people, their friendliness, their generosity, their sense of festivity, will be on hand for this magnificent event.
To our great delight, the Tour de France is back in Nord, department the most populous in France. The Department is happy and proud to be hosting the Tour de France's Grand Départ in 2025. It has huge significance for the department's inhabitants and for our heritage. Our department is synonymous with cycling: its people, their conviviality, their generosity and their sense of celebration will all be highlighted by this magnificent event.
Vice-president, Sports and associations
The Tour de France 2025 will be a purely French event, crossing many of France's départements in tribute to the great French champions who excelled and shone on this event: Jean Stablinski (Nord), Jacques Anquetil (Normandy), Louison Bobet (Ille-et-Vilaine) Bernard Hinault (Côte d'Armor), Charly Mottet (Drôme) before returning and finishing in Paris in tribute to Laurent Fignon and the pioneering road forcats Henri Pélissier and André Leduc. But what a Tour! What a 2025 edition!
Thanks to Christian POIRET, President of the Département du Nord, for this collective initiative with the MEL, the Hauts-de-France region and the City of Lille. Three enormous days of festivities in the Nord, with the people of the Nord showing the world that the Nord is not only a land of sports, but also a tourist region with marvellous and fabulous landscapes. The Tour de France is a fantastic tool for promoting our regions. There's no doubt that its images will inspire millions of television viewers to come and stay with us.