Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2025 An opportunity for the Metropolis

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After several editions that began outside our borders, the heart of world cycling will be beating to the rhythm of Lille Metropole in 2025. Chosen to host the prestigious Grand Départ of the Tour de France, Destination Lille is preparing for some intense days of celebration and competition, as well as reaping the rewards of a major event in terms of image and economic spin-offs.

This is not the first time that the capital of Flanders has been in the spotlight of the Tour de France. Having already hosted the event in 1960 and 1994, Lille and its metropolitan area are once again demonstrating their ability to organise events of this scale. This renewed confidence on the part of the organisers underlines the attractiveness and expertise of the Lille metropolitan area.

©Grand Depart Nord

The metropolis: a land of major sporting events

With a wealth of experience in hosting major events such as the Rugby World Cup 2023 and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Lille and its metropolitan area are getting ready to offer visitors from all over the world a unique experience, particularly in our target markets of Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany and Scandinavia, which are very keen on cycling.

Reminder:

Rugby World Cup 2023: Lille was one of the host cities for this global event, hosting several group matches at its Pierre-Mauroy stadium (Decathlon Arena). The popular enthusiasm and the economic spin-offs for the city were significant and demonstrated our capacity to host.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Although the heart of the Games was in Paris, the metropolitan area had a major host site. The Pierre-Mauroy stadium hosted 52 basketball and handball matches. During the France v Australia match, over 27,190 people attended, breaking the European attendance record for a women’s basketball match.

The awarding of the Grand Départ of the 2025 Tour de France to Lille is part of this tradition of hosting major sporting and cultural events. It testifies to the quality of its infrastructure, its organisational know-how and the region’s enthusiasm for international events. Destination Lille is positioning itself as a destination of choice for organisers of major events.

The metropolis is ready for the Grand Départ of the Tour de France

International showcase and tourist appeal

In addition to the immediate benefits, the Grand Départ of the Tour de France provides Lille with an incomparable international showcase. The images of the presentation of the teams on the Grand-Place, at the foot of the Goddess, on 3 July, and of the start on 5 July, from the Champ de Mars, with the finish at the foot of the Citadelle, will be seen around the world.

To welcome fans to the city, the Hello Lille attraction agency has put up posters at Lille-Lesquin airport and on the back of the Lille Grand Palais, visible from the motorway. In addition, a special Tour de France edition of the City Guide will be available in 3 languages (French, English and Dutch). The City Guide is the reference publication for all tourists wishing to discover the city.

City Guide Discover Destination Lille

The Grand Départ of the Tour de France as seen by

Ceux qui font vivre le vélo dans la métropole lilloise.

Les acteurs du territoire

In the mood for a treat?

The Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2025 on 5 July is a major event for the Lille Metropolis!
The Tour de France, which brings together young and old, is much more than just a legendary cycling race – it’s also an opportunity to discover Destination Lille!

To mark the occasion, a number of restaurants and breweries in the Lille Metropolitan Area are getting involved, offering themed menus in the colours of the Tour from 1 to 8 July, as well as special Tour de France “Bike and Brew” tours: Feel Lille, taste the Tour. So, are you ready to pedal with your taste buds?