Tour de France 2025: Hauts-de-France heritage in the spotlight
In just a few days, the Tour de France 2025 will set off from Hauts-de-France. For this 100% French edition, the Tour will crisscross our magnificent heritage during four stages on July 5, 6, 7 and 8. Cathedrals, belfries, slag heaps, plains, coastlines... This 112ᵉ edition of the Tour de France will put an incredible spotlight on our magnificent historical and natural heritage. Let's set off to discover some of the jewels of Hauts-de-France that will see the riders pass by.
They make the history of Hauts-de-France
After setting off from Lille on July 5, the riders will enter Courrières, infamous for the 1906 mining disaster. The memorial, a UNESCO World Heritage site, pays tribute to the more than 1,000 victims.
We then set course for Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, a place of remembrance for the First World War, dominated by the hill of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. This national necropolis, the largest in France, is home to 43,000 graves, many of them individual. Nearby, the Anneau de la Mémoire, designed by architect Philippe Prost, inscribes in the landscape the names of 579,620 soldiers of all nationalities who fell on the northern fronts. The route continues with an ascent of Mont Noir, a wooded hill rising to 152 m, before crossing the finish line in Lille.
Popular fervor and architectural heritage
After the start in Lauwin-Planque, the riders will head for Douai, home of the famous Gayant festival. The giants and the magnificent belfry, praised by Victor Hugo, will welcome the public in a festive atmosphere.
Then it's on to Arras, famous for its Baroque squares in the Flemish-Spanish style. The Place des Héros and Grand'Place, framed by identical facades, bear witness to an exceptional 17th-century architectural style. ItsUNESCO-listed belfry and Vauban citadel highlight Arras' rich heritage.
Then it's on to Arras, famous for its Baroque squares in the Flemish-Spanish style. The Place des Héros and Grand'Place, framed by identical facades, bear witness to an exceptional 17th-century architectural style. ItsUNESCO-listed belfry and Vauban citadel highlight Arras' rich heritage.
The peloton then heads for Mont-Saint-Éloi, where two majestic, solitary towers stand watch over the plain. They are the remains of a Benedictine abbey founded in the 7th century, rebuilt in the 18th century and partially destroyed during the French Revolution and the First World War. The finish will be on the Côte d'Opale, after crossing the Parc naturel régional des Caps et Marais d'Opale and climbing the Haut Pichot, before crossing the finish line in Boulogne-sur-Mer.
A land of cycling and festivities
After the start in Valenciennes, the peloton will pass through Isbergues, a historic iron and steel stronghold that has been home to the Grand Prix d'Isbergues since 1947. The riders will then tackle the mythical Mont Cassel with its dreaded cobblestones. This village perched at an altitude of 176 m, voted "Favorite Village of the French" in 2018, is also known for its emblematic windmill.
They will then plunge into the warm atmosphere of Bergues, made famous in the 2008 film "Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis". The Bergues belfry, a true living musical monument thanks to its 50-bell carillon, will punctuate their passage with its unique chime.
The breakaway will then tackle the final kilometers to Dunkirk, where the festive atmosphere of the Hauts-de-France region will be on display at the finish line.
An open-air history book
After leaving Amiens, home to France's largest UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral, the peloton will cross the picturesque village of Gerberoy, nestled in the Oise region, for this final stage in the Hauts-de-France region.
Listed as one of France's Most Beautiful Villages, Gerberoy has a population of just 100, but its floral charm is a real draw. The village is covered with climbing roses, walled gardens and cobbled streets. Each house seems frozen in time. This haven of peace offers a magical visual break before the riders continue on to Rouen.