Etape du Tour 2027

The 35th edition of the Étape du Tour will take place on Sunday 11 July 2027.

Entries will open on 2 November 2026 at 2:00pm CET (1:00pm UK time).

L’Etape du Tour 2027

The 2027 Etape du Tour will follow the route of Stage 11 of the 2027 Tour de France, starting in Cluses and finishing in the ski resort of Les Saisies. 

The 154km route takes in 4850 metres of elevation gain – slightly less than the 2026 edition, but still one of the tougher editions in recent years.

The organisers say:

“154 km, 4,850 m of elevation gain and five major climbs, on a route that’s as demanding as it is spectacular, winding through Alpine valleys, legendary mountain passes and breathtaking scenery.

From the very first kilometers, you’ll be thrown straight into the action with the climb to Col de la Colombière (15.9 km at 7%), before crossing the Aravis mountain range and heading through the Arly Valley towards the Beaufortain region.
​But make sure you save some energy for the finale. After the stunning Col du Pré, with its incredible views over Lac de Roselend, you’ll face the brutal climb to Bisanne (12.4 km at 8.3%), the final major challenge before crossing the finish line in Les Saisies.”

Entries opened on Thursday 22 October for Tour de France club members, with general entries going on sale on 2 November at 2pm CET (1pm UK time). Entries are expected to sell out quickly, but it is still possible to enter via a tour operator or a charity place. See the event website for details.

The standard entry includes an atmospheric day’s riding on the Etape’s closed roads, with rider timing and mechanical support, and feed stations including a pasta party at the finish.

L’Etape du Tour – cycling’s greatest sportive?

The Etape du Tour is probably the most famous sportive in the world, and is the only chance each year to ride the same route as the pro riders in the Tour de France on closed roads.

Each year around 16,000 lucky riders get the chance to ride a stage of the Tour de France just a few days before the professional riders cover the same route. Always run on one of the rest days of the Tour, the Etape du Tour has the same support cars and police outriders as the actual Tour.

The Etape du Tour is run by ASO, who also run the Tour de France, and the organisers tend to try and choose one of the shorter but mountaineous routes as their route.

Registration for the 2026 Etape du Tour opened on 3 November 2025. Usually there is a huge rush of registrations on the first day – it’s not unusual for L’Etape entries to sell out within hours of opening.

One of the hardest choices is to decide whether to go to the Etape as part of an organised group or whether to make your own arrangements. A good travel company may cost a bit more but it can make life an awful lot easier as they pick you up from the airport, organise getting to the start and being picked up from the finish and often have their own feed stations along the Etape route. Read our guide to Etape du Tour travel operators to see who we recommend. 

However if you plan well in advance and are part of a group of riders you will save a lot of money making your own plans. Remember that it is very unlikely that you will want to cycle home an extra 30km after finishing the Etape so making sure you are able to get home easily is important.

Check out the following Etape du Tour related content:

• Our guide to Etape du Tour travel operators
• Andy Lulham’s 2017 Etape du Tour report
• Dan Baker’s 2017 Etape du Tour report
• Paul Hunt’s 2015 Etape du Tour ride report
• Alex Voake’s 2014 Etape du Tour ride report
• James Andrew’s 2014 Etape du Tour ride report
• Chris Walker’s 2014 Etape du Tour ride report
• Sportive.com’s Etape du Tour index page