Tour de France: The start of the final stage will ultimately take place in Paris, not Thoiry.
Program change on the eve of the Tour de France 2026 finale. The start of the last stage, scheduled for this Sunday, July 26, has been heavily revised due to the massive wildfire mobilizing authorities in Gironde. The route has been shortened to 89 km, with a start no longer from Thoiry but directly on the Champs-Élysées at 5:50 p.m. [Read more]
Sunday, July 26, 2026, the 21st and final stage of the Tour de France leaves Thoiry, in the Yvelines (78), for 133 kilometers to the Champs-Elysées. The peloton heads toward Versailles, skirts into the Hauts-de-Seine (92) via the Côte du Pavé des Gardes, then rolls into Paris ahead of three climbs up Rue Lepic in Montmartre, in the 18th arrondissement.
The organization has published its detailed hour-by-hour timetable, as relayed by the Yvelines prefecture. We’ve pulled it together commune by commune so you don’t have to waste three hours waiting at the wrong crossroads. A useful clarification: the riders’ times are given as a window, depending on whether the peloton averages 43 or 39 km/h.
The meet-up is at the Thoiry Zoo, with signing scheduled between 15:05 and 16:05. The "fictional" start is slated for Rue du Pavillon de Montreuil at 16:15, and the actual start at 16:25 on Route de Garancières.
The advertising caravan starts well ahead of the pack: it crosses the starting line between 1:50 PM and 2:30 PM. If you’re after the freebies, you’ll want to be there early in the afternoon.
Here are the planned passes through the department, with the time of the caravan first, followed by the time of the cyclists:
The prefecture notes that the route also passes through, albeit for a shorter stretch, Goupillères, Villiers-le-Mahieu, Autouillet, Auteuil-le-Roi, Marcq, Saulx-Marchais, Méré, Mareil-le-Guyon, Le Tremblay-sur-Mauldre and Villiers-Saint-Frédéric.
After Vélizy, the peloton crosses into Hauts-de-Seine (department 92) and tackles the Côte du Pavé des Gardes (Category 4, 700 meters at 9.7%), in the Meudon forest—the only real climb before Paris:
The capital's entry is scheduled for around 3:29 PM for the caravan and between 5:49 PM and 6:00 PM for the riders. The peloton then skirts the Eiffel Tower (5:52 PM to 6:04 PM) and the Louvre Palace (5:58 PM to 6:09 PM) before taking on the final circuit:
New this year compared with 2025: the last pass in front of the Sacré-Cœur comes at 15 kilometres from the finish, whereas it was at 6 kilometres last year. The finish is decided on a 700-metre final straight, giving sprinters a real chance.
In the Yvelines, a prefectural decree creates a security zone along the entire course. Traffic will be restricted on Sunday, July 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., including for residents, with a phased reopening after the finish-line sweep vehicle passes. Parking is off-limits from 00:01 to 18:00, and starting on Saturday, July 25 at 5:00 p.m. in the town of Thoiry.
Same logic in the Hauts-de-Seine: in Chaville, parking is prohibited along the route from Saturday, July 25 at 10 p.m. to Sunday, July 26 at 7 p.m. In Versailles, measures take effect from Saturday, July 25 at 6 a.m., with modifications on several bus lines. On the capital side, we detail the setup in our article on the parking and traffic restrictions tied to the Tour’s arrival.
Our on-site tip: in the Yvelines and Hauts-de-Seine, arriving an hour early is enough to catch the caravan and the peloton comfortably. In Paris, and especially on Rue Lepic, you’ll want to aim for the early afternoon instead. Bring water and a shaded spot, as late July on the Parisian cobbles isn’t usually forgiving, and arrive on foot, by bike, or via public transport.
This free event is aimed at both cycling enthusiasts and families who come for the atmosphere and the caravan freebies. In Thoiry, the morning can also continue with free activities and outdoor cinema around the start, or a visit to the animal park.
To round off your Sunday, also check out our guide what to do on the Champs-Elysées before the riders arrive and our recap all the essential Tour de France info not to miss. And if you’d rather be on the couch, you can follow the stage live, as we explain in our article on the time and channel to watch the finish this Sunday.
Tour de France: The start of the final stage will ultimately take place in Paris, not Thoiry.
