The Tour de France racers are finished for 2019, and I’m already excited about next year’s race. Why? Because Nice will be the host city, and it will feature the Grand Départ, which is the first stage of the race and is extremely prestigious.

This will be the 36^th time that Nice will be included in the Tour and the first time it will host since 1981.  I looked at the initial map for 2020 that was released and the photos of the route in 1981 and I was thrilled. At least once and possibly more the race will pass through Port Lympia and will almost pass under the balcony of the apartment that we stayed in our last trip. If we are able to attend the race in 2020, we will try and get that same apartment again, so we can watch from the balcony. How cool would that be?

A little background:

The Tour De France originally started in 1903 and after some tinkering and evolving, it now consists of 21 stages in 23 days. In today’s format, all the racing is completed during the day, unlike when the race first started. For the first few races they biked overnight and finished the next afternoon.  This was too dangerous, and it was hard to stop the riders from cheating.

Important dates for the 2020 race:

Wednesday, June 24: Opening of race headquarters and press center at the Palais des Congrès et des Expositions Nice Acropolis.

Thursday, June 25: Presentation of the teams of the 2020 Tour de France at Place Masséna.

Saturday, June 27: Grand Départ Stage 1. The race will start in Nice and finish in Nice.

Sunday, June 28: Stage 2 The race will start in Nice and finish again in Nice.

None of the other stages had been announced as of Aug. 3, 2019.  They will be unveiled on Oct. 15, 2019.

Routes in Nice:

Both Stage 1 and Stage 2 start at Place Masséna and both end on the Promenade des Anglais.

Grand Départ Stage 1 will be 170 km/106mi long and will head north and east out of Place Massena and will come down the Promenade des Anglais three times from west to east; passing by the Nice Airport and heading towards Port Lympia.

Stage 2 will be 190 km/118mi long and head south and west out of Place Masséna and will come down to the Promenade des Anglais for its one and only trip towards the airport before they head north out of the city and into the mountains. Towards the end of the race, they will reappear near Port Lympia and make a circle around Old Town before finishing on the Promenade des Anglais near Negressco Hotel.

Place Masséna will be super crowded during the first 2 stages, so it is important to start planning now if you want to be there for the race.  So, get that flight, reserve that hotel or apartment, and think about where you want to watch the race from. We will update the routes as more information becomes available.

Getting into Place Masséna will be easier if you take the tram. Check out my blog about the new underground stations.