The 2025 Tour de France has just finished and the Slovenian sensation, Tadej Pogačar, showed once again what an incredible cyclist he is by taking the honors after almost a month of grueling competition. Millions around the world will have been glued to the action, as it took the best cyclists in the world through some stunning French scenery.
Most cycling fans dream of one day watching the Tour de France up close and may have made plans for visiting the country. But there is another way you can enjoy the spirit of the tour. You may not have been able to make much of a challenge in the actual 2025 Tour de France competition, but you can create your own, personal tour.
Even if you have the budget for a French adventure, there are lots of factors to consider before you pack up your bike and cycling shorts. The professionals prepare thoroughly for their Tour de France – and you should too. Here are some things to keep in mind.
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Tour Style
You may have grand dreams of following the Tour de France circuit but there is a reason why only the most talented of professionals are able to compete each year. It is one of the toughest tests of endurance in sports and there is no way an amateur would be able to manage an exact replica.
You should, instead, think about creating your own bespoke tour. There are also a variety of ways you can do this. You could go completely self-guided, choosing the route and organizing everything yourself. Or, you could decide to join one of the many guided tours available. If you fancy doing your own thing but having some kind of back-up, you might want to opt for a hybrid model where you cycle alone but have organized support on hand.
Customize Your Route
For any cyclist and Francophile, this is probably the most exciting part of the whole process – apart from actually getting out there on two wheels. When you realize that you don’t actually have to cycle grueling mountain stages like the pros if you don’t want to, you will see just what is on offer when it comes to cycling in France.
As you probably won’t have as much free time as it takes to cycle the whole of the country, choosing a favorite region to explore is advised. This could mean taking in the stunning scenery of Brittany, or combining other interests by customizing a tour of the Bordeaux vineyards. It’s your tour, so choose where you want to go.
Plan Logistics
When you have decided on what your personal Tour de France is going to look like, you will need to spend a lot of time on the logistics. This may well be the most boring aspect of your trip but it pays to put the hours in before you go, to ensure that you have the best possible experience once you are in France.
You should be following a specific route, so book accommodation ahead of time as much as possible. That will also give you daily targets as far as mileage goes. Look into the food and drink of the region you have chosen to help with planning your route and look into bike transportation for periods where cycling may not be possible.
Train and Prepare
If you are used to long, taxing cycle rides, then you may be able to just pack up and go once you have planned the route. But, for any level of cyclist, training and preparing for a tour in a different country should really be on your to-do list. You may not be completing the actual Tour de France, but you don’t want to have to give up because you were not prepared.
You should train regularly before you leave to ensure that your body (and bike) is ready for the demands of cycling in France. Make a special note to check your bike before you go and carry out maintenance if needed. As much as this should be an enjoyable experience, it is also a good idea to look into hydration and nutritional tips when cycling to make sure you will always be as comfortable as possible.
Enjoy France at Your Own Pace
This should be an important part of your preparation for your bespoke Tour de France, but please remember that you are not competing in an actual race. Hopefully, you will have a few like-minded friends to accompany you on this adventure, but it really does not matter whether you finish your own stages before them.
Pushing too hard could end in having to give up altogether through injury. This may be the only opportunity you will ever have to cycle some of the most famous routes in the sport, so go along at a pace that is favorable to you and your companions. There will be no yellow jerseys waiting for you at the end, after all!
The Grand Départ
Cycling in France, following your own route, could be the adventure of a lifetime but there is one more thing you can do to make the experience as memorable as possible. As all Tour fans will know, the Grand Départ is where it all starts for the pros – and it has increasingly been staged in other countries in recent years.
Why not create your own Grand Départ to kick things off? You could plan it to be in a neighboring country, or even in your own locale if you don’t want to stretch the budget further. There are no definite rules to planning your own Tour de France, after all. You just need to get ready for one of the most memorable experiences of your life.