Tour de France

The Tour de France is the men's three-week road cycling race run by the organiser ASO. Its start, the Grand Départ, moves each year, and in 2027 it comes to Great Britain. The organiser says this is the northernmost Grand Départ in the race's history and the third in Great Britain, after London in 2007 and Yorkshire in 2014. The City of Edinburgh Council says it is the first time the Tour has visited Scotland.

The 114th edition runs from Friday 2 July to Sunday 25 July 2027 over 21 stages and about 3,479 km. After three stages in Scotland, England and Wales, the race continues in France from Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, crosses the Massif Central, Jura, Alps and Pyrenees, and finishes on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

The Grand Départ in Scotland

Stage 1 on Friday 2 July 2027 runs from Edinburgh to Carlisle. The City of Edinburgh Council says the Edinburgh leg begins at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and follows the Royal Mile, North Bridge, Princes Street, The Mound, the Grassmarket, Victoria Street and South Bridge before heading out through Newington and Liberton into Midlothian. The stage then crosses the Scottish Borders, takes in the day's only categorised climb, the Côte de Melrose in the Eildon Hills, and follows the border along Liddesdale, dipping into Dumfries & Galloway before finishing outside Carlisle Castle in England.

Two days earlier, on the evening of Wednesday 30 June 2027, the riders are presented to the public at an opening ceremony on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, produced by The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The riders travel from Holyrood Palace up the Royal Mile to the castle, which you can watch from the street for free.

After Scotland

Stage 2 on Saturday 3 July 2027 runs from Keswick to Liverpool, and stage 3 on Sunday 4 July 2027 from Welshpool to Cardiff. The women's race, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, also starts in Britain, in Leeds on Friday 30 July 2027.

• Opening ceremony and riders' presentation: on the evening of Wednesday 30 June 2027 the riders travel from Holyrood Palace up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle; the seated esplanade show is sold out, but the Royal Mile procession is free and unticketed.
• The Edinburgh start: stage 1 on Friday 2 July 2027 begins at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and loops through the Old Town and New Town before heading south.
• Côte de Melrose: the stage's only categorised climb, in the Eildon Hills just outside Melrose, where the first King of the Mountains points are decided.
• Newcastleton: the Scottish Borders village hosts the stage's only intermediate sprint before the race crosses into England.
• The publicity caravan: the organisers' parade of sponsors' vehicles comes through ahead of the race; for two hours the Tour and its partners put on a show and hand out gifts.

• Old Town and the Royal Mile: the riders' presentation and the stage 1 start are here, so you can walk to both the 30 June 2027 procession and the 2 July 2027 start.
• New Town: Georgian streets in the city centre, with Princes Street and The Mound on the stage 1 route.
• Southside and Newington: the route leaves the city along South Bridge and Newington Road; Forever Edinburgh describes the area as home to the university, museums and cafés.
• Scottish Borders (Melrose, Galashiels, Peebles): VisitScotland suggests the Borders for quieter roadside viewing, with Melrose and Galashiels on the route and the Côte de Melrose climb nearby.

By air: Edinburgh Airport (EDI) is about 8 km west of the city. Trams run to the city centre in about 30 minutes, every 7 minutes between 06:30 and 19:00 and every 10 minutes early and late; the last tram leaves the airport at 22:52. Forever Edinburgh says Glasgow Airport (GLA) is also connected to Edinburgh by coach and train.

By rail: Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket are the main stations. LNER runs from London, Newcastle, York and Leeds; TransPennine Express from Manchester, Leeds, York and Newcastle; Avanti West Coast from Birmingham and Carlisle; and the Caledonian Sleeper runs overnight from London Euston every night except Saturday. ScotRail runs trains within Scotland, including from Glasgow.

On race days: the race needs full road closures along the route and around the start, with parked vehicles removed. The organisers say closure details and timings will be published on letourgb.com, and spectators will be encouraged to walk or cycle to viewing points, with spectator travel and parking information published closer to the race. For updates on Edinburgh streets, see the City of Edinburgh Council's Tour de France page.

See our Edinburgh guide. We don't have a Dumfries & Galloway or Scottish Borders guide yet; see our UK guide.

Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights.

Watching the race is free. The organisers say the Tour de France is free to attend and you don't need a ticket to watch from the roadside.

The only ticketed part in Edinburgh was the seated opening ceremony on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade on Wednesday 30 June 2027, with tickets from £27. General sale opened on 30 October 2026 and the organisers say it is now sold out. The riders' procession from Holyrood Palace up the Royal Mile to the castle that evening is free and unticketed.

• Timing: the organisers say stages typically start around lunchtime (11:00–14:00) and finish around 16:00–17:00. Exact times, and estimated passing times along the route for the race and the publicity caravan, are published closer to the race.
• On foot by the route: once roads close to traffic, you can usually still walk or cycle on them until about 30 minutes before the caravan arrives. Pavements generally stay open, with stewarded crossing points.
• Crowds: the organisers expect millions of spectators across the British stages. VisitScotland suggests the southern Borders, around Hawick and Newcastleton, for quieter viewing.
• Weather: check the Met Office forecast for Edinburgh before you go.
• Can't go? All three British stages are shown live on free-to-air television in the UK.
• Local food: VisitScotland calls haggis Scotland's national dish and says it is classically served with neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes).

The organisers haven't published accessibility information for spectators yet. Forever Edinburgh's Accessible Edinburgh page, made with the disabled access charity Euan's Guide, covers accessible attractions, stays and transport. For questions about the Grand Départ, use the Grand Départ GB contact page.

Follow the instructions of stewards and race staff, cross the route only at marked crossing points and keep off closed roads once the caravan is due. In an emergency call 999.

If you follow the race into France, read the FCDO's France travel advice. It says terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in France, including at sporting and cultural events and in crowded places, and warns of demonstrations and industrial action that can disrupt transport.

• Before you go, read the UK government's FCDO travel advice for the United Kingdom (entry requirements, safety and local laws).
• Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights and live alerts.