The Tour de France will return to the UK in 2027, with Scotland, England and Wales to host stages, and Edinburgh confirmed as the start city for the men’s race.
The 2027 Grand Départ will mark the first time both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes have started in the same country, outside France.
While Edinburgh has been announced as the host city for the men’s race, with Tour de France stages also confirmed to take place across Scotland, England and Wales, the start venue for the women’s race has not been revealed.
Six stages will take place on UK soil across both races, although whether the women’s race traverses all three of Scotland, England and Wales is also unconfirmed. The full routes will be announced this autumn.
“Britain has always welcomed the Tour with enthusiasm and pride, and this collaboration across England, Scotland and Wales promises to make the event even more special," said Christian Prudhomme, general director of the Tour de France.
The Tour de France last touched British shores in 2014, when the race started with two stages in Yorkshire, before a third stage from Essex to London. Previously, London hosted the Grand Départ in 2007.
“I will always remember the riders applauding the spectators, crossing London Bridge in 2007,” said Prudhomme, at a press conference confirming Edinburgh as the start city of the 2027 Grand Départ.
“It was impossible for them to hear anything for three days because there were huge crowds everywhere.”
Crowds at the roadside for the three stages of the 2024 Grand Départ were reported to total 4.8 million, generating £131 million in revenue.
A British start for the Tour de France Femmes
The Tour de France Femmes first ran in 2022 and the 2027 event will see the race arrive in Britain for the first time. Prudhomme confirmed that the women’s race will continue to run separately from the men’s race, as is the current format, rather than combining with the men’s race into a single, concurrent event.
Prudhomme also suggested the Grand Départ will be broadcast on free-to-air television in the UK, despite 2025 being ITV 4’s final year showing the race, after Warner Bros. Discovery signed an exclusive deal with ASO.
“There will be discussions, of course, but I do hope the stages in the UK will be live and free-to-air,” said Prudhomme. “We are optimistic.”
The tri-nation 2027 Grand Départ has been described as ‘the largest free sporting event in British history’, and is said to represent a ‘strategic win’ between British Cycling, UK Sport, the UK Government, and the Scottish and Welsh Governments, to ‘drive lasting benefits for the sport and everyone who rides a bike’, according to organisers.
“The opportunity to host the Grand Départs of both the men's and women’s Tour de France will cement Britain's reputation as a destination for major international sporting events," added culture secretary Lisa Nandy.
"This will stimulate growth, attract new visitors and leave a lasting legacy for athletes and fans alike.
“Staging the Tour de France Femmes in Britain for the first time will also be a historic occasion and inspire the next generation of female cyclists while supporting our mission of breaking down barriers for women and girls to get more involved in sport."
An international affair
The Grand Départ of the Tour de France has become an increasingly international affair, with six of the past ten editions of the men’s race starting outside of France. Last year, the race started in Florence, Italy, taking the Grand Départ to the home of the Giro d’Italia for the first time, while next year’s edition will start in Barcelona, Spain.
The Tour de France Femmes, however, has started in France for three of its four editions to date, with only the 2024 race starting outside of its home country, kicking off in the Netherlands.
In 2021, the British government attempted to bring the Tour back for the 2026 edition, but that bid was abandoned. Scottish Cycling was then reported to be interested in tabling a bid having got a taste for things by hosting the 2023 UCI World Cycling Championships.
That dream has now become a reality and the 2027 Grand Départ will come alongside a ‘landmark social impact programme’, according to organisers, with the aim of delivering ‘long-lasting benefits for thousands of people across the country by tackling inactivity, improving mental wellbeing, boosting economic growth and supporting communities to thrive’.
Jon Dutton, CEO of British Cycling, said: "The return of the Tour de France Grand Départ to Britain is an exciting moment for cycling in the UK.
“Hosting both the men’s and women’s races together will be a first, and we believe it has the potential to inspire more people to discover the joy and benefits of cycling.
“This is not just about the race – it’s about creating a national moment that encourages healthier lifestyles, supports cycle tourism and brings communities together."
