Paris - The Final Leg of the Tour de France

Saturday, 26th July sees the 2008 Tour de France reach it's final stage in Paris. After 22 days, and 20 stages, the road race that is usually run over more than 3,500 km (1,864 miles), comes to a climatic end.

The last stage of the Tour is a big rolling party for the first 100km, but turns serious at the outskirts of Paris. The win on the Champs Elysees is the most prestigious for sprinters and their teams dial up the speeds to over 30 mph by the time they hit the bone jangling cobbles around the Place de la Concorde. From behind, the yellow jersey and other favorites roll safely to the line. Join the party on this special weekend with a city break to the spiritual home of cycling.

Tour de France Finish Line

Since 1975, the finish of the Tour has been on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The avenue runs for 2 kilometres (1.25 miles) through the 8th arrondissement in northwestern Paris, from the Place de la Concorde in the east, with its obelisk, to the Place Charles de Gaulle (formerly the Place de l'Étoile) in the west, location of the Arc de Triomphe. The street of the Champs-Élysées is cobbled, making it extremely difficult to cycle.

Arrive in Paris by Eurostar

Take the Eurostar from St Pancras International, London to Paris and revel in the excitement of the final stage of the Tour de France. With a maximum speed of 186mph, travelling by Eurostar means you can arrive in Paris from London St Pancras in 2 hours 15 minutes.

Tour de France Packages

ShortBreaks offer a number of Eurostar packages to Paris for the final stage of the Tour de France. Visit our Tour de France Packages page for more information.