One of the world's greatest sporting spectacles is coming to Westmorland and Furness in 2027.
Stage One of the men's 2027 Tour de France will finish in Carlisle and Stage Two will start in Keswick, passing through Westmorland and Furness on the way to the stage finish in Liverpool.
The full UK route was revealed on Thursday 15 January 2026 as host towns and cities were illuminated simultaneously in a nationwide “Tour de Skies” moment, marking the next major milestone on the road to the 2027 Grand Départs - set to be the largest free sporting spectacle in British history.
The men’s Tour de France will begin in Edinburgh on Friday 2 July 2027, with the opening stage finishing in Carlisle the same day, before stage two travels from Keswick on Saturday 3 July 2027 - through the Lake District and Lancashire to finish on The Strand in Liverpool the same day, under the watchful gaze of the city’s iconic waterfront.
To celebrate the moment, start and finish venues were lit up simultaneously, with a yellow beam illuminating the sky, with prominent locations providing a stunning backdrop. This included the Old Town Hall in Carlisle and the Moot Hall in Keswick.
Councillor Helen Chaffey, Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet member for Communities, Customer Services, Culture and Communications, said:
“We are delighted to welcome the men’s Tour de France to Westmorland and Furness next summer.
“After leaving Keswick at the start of the second stage, the riders will pass through some of Westmorland and Furness’ most spectacular scenery, heading south passing lakes including Thirlmere, Grasmere, Rydal Water and Windermere before turning on to the A5074 just beyond Bowness and heading through the Lyth Valley on to the A590 and A6, passing through Milnthorpe and Beetham into Lancashire and on to the stage finish in Liverpool.
“This is an iconic event contested by elite athletes. It’s an exciting opportunity to showcase our wonderful area to the millions of fans around world that will be watching on TV, as well as the huge numbers of visitors we are expecting to attend in person, supporting the local economy and highlighting the benefits of an active lifestyle.’’
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said:
“We are delighted to welcome the Tour de France to not only one venue but two in Cumberland. We will be hosting a start and a finish event, over two stages and two days. An ideal opportunity to make a visit and enjoy a long weekend of sporting excellence. We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors from around the world in summer 2027.”
Councillor Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, added:
“Our spectacular landscape provides an ideal stage for events of all types, and we look forward to welcoming the globally renowned Tour De France to Cumberland. It will provide a big boost to the local economy and will showcase Cumberland to an international audience. Events of this type attract visitors and inspire communities to get involved and promote the health and wellbeing of sport.”
Cumbria Combined Authority is also supporting the event. John Barradell, from the authority, said:
“Events of this scale and magnitude are a fantastic chance to not only showcase Cumbria on a global stage, but also to encourage economic growth and investment within the county on a scale rarely seen.
“Whether you are a keen cyclist, a Sunday peddler or an armchair fanatic, we guarantee this will be a spectacle that everyone can enjoy.
“The Tour de France is exactly the type of exciting event that the new authority is looking to support and help encourage into our county. We are now gearing up to work with many more organisers wanting to ride in the slipstream of the Tour.”
Steve Ratcliffe, Assistant Chief Executive for Lake District National Park Authority, said:
“The transit of Tour De France through the Lake District National Park and World Heritage Site is truly exciting news. It promises a boost for local businesses as well as providing visitors with a great spectacle whilst allowing them to enjoy and deepen their understanding of this truly special place.
“Undoubtedly, it will encourage more people to enjoy the great cycling opportunities available here in the National Park. We look forward to cheering on participants as they make their way through the Lake District’s dramatic landscape and encourage those visiting the area to travel sustainably where possible.”
Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, Gill Haigh, said:
“This is an historic moment for both the race and the region. It provides a unique opportunity to showcase Cumbria’s rich cultural heritage, scenic beauty and vibrant communities to a global audience, uniting our city, towns and villages across the county in a shared celebration of sport, wellbeing and community spirit.
“And as well as the immediate impact of the event itself, we see this as a catalyst for strengthening Cumbria’s long term identify as a world class cycling destination, with unsurpassed leisure cycling opportunities against a stunning landscape backdrop. We will be working closely with organisers and businesses to bring maximum long-term benefits to Cumbria.”
The newly revealed Tour De France routes take the peloton through some of the most spectacular and culturally significant landscapes in England, Scotland and Wales, including the National Parks of the Lake District, Peak District, and Bannau Brycheiniog, showcasing the very best of Britain to millions of fans watching at the roadside and around the world.
The announcement marks the biggest milestone since confirmation last March that both races - the men’s Tour De France and the women’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will begin in the UK - the first time they have ever started in the same country, outside France.
Men’s Tour de France route:
• Friday 2 July | stage one: Edinburgh to Carlisle
• Saturday 3 July | stage two: Keswick to Liverpool
• Sunday 4 July | stage three: Welshpool to Cardiff
From Edinburgh the opening stage will head through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, tackling the day’s sole king of the mountains climb on the Côte de Melrose amidst the Eildon Hills. Tracing the Scottish / English border along Liddesdale, the route briefly dips into Dumfries & Galloway before crossing into Cumberland, where the opening stage finish awaits in Carlisle, outside the city’s medieval castle.
The second stage will begin in Keswick in the heart of the Lake District National Park, heading south alongside Thirlmere, Grasmere, Rydal Water and Windermere and skirting the Morecambe Bay coastline, before heading to the Lancashire fells via Lancaster and the Côte de Jubilee Tower. The undulating route includes a further four categorised climbs on the edge of Pennines before entering the Liverpool City Region, for the stage finish on The Strand in Liverpool, under the watchful gaze of the Three Graces.
The third and final day of the Tour de France 2027 Grand Départ will take place in Wales, for a challenging leg south from Welshpool in Powys to the finish in Cardiff. Eight categorised climbs line the route, with six in the final 80 kilometres of racing as the race wends its way through and over the south Wales valleys. These include the Côte de Rhigos and the popular Côte de Caerffili in the closing kilometres, that will likely be decisive in the deciding the stage victor in Cardiff and the destination of the final yellow jersey to be presented on British shores in the men’s race.
To find out more information and keep up-to-date with the 2027 Grand Départs, please visit letourgb.com
Your Tour de France questions answered
What is the Tour de France Grand Départ 2027?
In summer 2027, the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will both begin in Great Britain – the first time both Grand Départs have taken place in the same country, outside France.
The men’s Tour de France is the world’s largest annual sporting event with over 120 years of history, featuring the very best professional teams and riders, and has visited Britain on four occasions.
The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift was launched in 2022 and is the world’s biggest women’s professional cycle race. It will be visiting Britain for the first time, and like the men’s race is completely free-to-attend for spectators.
The joint UK Grand Départs mark an important moment for cycling, with both the men’s and women’s Tours showcased on one of the world’s greatest sporting stages. With millions of spectators expected, it will be the largest free-to-watch sporting event in UK history.
When is it taking place?
Britain will host six stages of racing as a part of the 2027 Grand Départ. Firstly, in July three stages of the men’s Tour de France between Friday 2 and Sunday 4 July in the following locations:
• Friday 2 July, Edinburgh to Carlisle
• Saturday 3 July, Keswick to Liverpool
• Sunday 4 July, Welshpool to Cardiff
Then in August three stages of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift between Friday 30 July and Sunday 1 August in the following locations:
• Friday 30 July, Leeds to Manchester
• Saturday 31 July, Manchester to Sheffield
• Sunday 1 August, London
What can I expect?
An incredible, colourful spectacle as the world’s largest annual sporting event comes to Britain for only the fifth time, a spectacle that mixes fast-paced action and world-class sport, with a free-to-attend family friendly atmosphere.
As well as both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, each race will be preceded by the famous publicity caravan. For two hours, the Tour de France and its partners put on a show, handing out many gifts and surprising, delighting, and entertaining the fans waiting for the riders to pass by!
Do I need a ticket to watch?
No. The Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift are free-to-attend events, meaning that you can enjoy the colourful spectacle of the world’s top professional cyclists racing through your community free of charge.
Why are we proud to be hosting the 2027 Grand Départs in Britain?
Past editions of the Tour de France Grand Départ in the UK have demonstrated significant economic impact. The 2014 Grand Départ in Yorkshire, for example, generated an estimated £131 million in economic benefits. We expect a similar, if not greater, impact in 2027, with increased tourism, hospitality revenue, and commercial partnerships driving financial returns.
For the worldwide television audience of more than 150 million, the picture-postcard effect of the coverage of the race helps promote Britain, and the countries, regions and towns and cities hosting the six stages, encouraging inbound tourism and promoting Britain as a place to visit, live, and to work.
The whole country will also benefit from a wide-ranging social impact programme, called Joy, being delivered by British Cycling that will tackle inactivity and improve mental wellbeing, make Britain more productive and prosperous, and support communities to thrive.
For more information and to express your interest in getting involved in Joy, please visit letourgb.com
What are the timings for the race?
The exact times of the race are still to be finalised and announced, but typically each stage will start around lunchtime (11am-2pm) and finish around 4-5pm, depending upon the length of the stage.
Closer to the race exact start and approximate finish times for each stage will be published and listed on each day’s detailed timetable that will provide estimated arrival timings along each route for both the race and the promotional publicity caravan that will precede every stage.
Will there be road closures?
The Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will require full road closures.
This means that there will be extensive road closures required along the length of each of the stages.
Diversions and other temporary traffic management measures will be put in place to provide road users with alternative routes.
Full details of the closures, the roads affected, and the timings of closures, will be published on letourgb.com during the second half of 2026 and communicated to residents and businesses along the routes.
Additionally, further road closures involving the surrounding areas of each start and finish location are required due to the size of the event and the infrastructure required. These closures will be finalised well in advance of the race taking place and published locally, including how long the roads will be closed for.
Why will roads be closed?
To safely deliver a world-class sporting event, the organisers must secure the route and remove all parked vehicles.
This protects the riders and spectators alike and will involve road closures and parking restrictions in affected areas.
Road closures are necessary to prepare the race route and to install equipment such as the finish gantry, protective barriers, deploy stewards and volunteer marshals along the route and to allow for some minor highway works to be carried out – all crucial for the race to take place. These closures facilitate the event and allow for millions of spectators to enjoy the race safely at the roadside.
The road closures will allow the publicity caravan, which entertains fans ahead of both races, and race to pass, and then for race infrastructure to be removed and spectators to disperse safely once the race has passed by.
Will it still be possible to walk or cycle on the route?
Once roads have closed to motor traffic it will generally still be possible for cyclists and pedestrians to use them until approximately 30 minutes before the publicity caravan arrives, but this guidance may change for operational reasons, so please follow the instructions of stewards and race staff on the day of the event.
Generally, footpaths and pavements will not be affected and pedestrians will be able to continue to use these, while along the routes, pedestrian access will be available through marked and stewarded crossing points.
For the safety of the public, some areas along the routes may have access restrictions, but these will be communicated ahead of the event. Please take extra care when navigating any crossing locations and ask for advice and assistance from the event stewards.
What arrangements will be made for blue light and critical services vehicles to access roads that are closed?
Planning for the events involves the Police, Fire & Rescue, NHS and Ambulance Services, and other critical services. Any situation will be dealt with quickly and safely and will be treated in the usual way with priority for emergency service access remaining, and the safety of residents and visitors dealt with as a priority.
If you live along one of the routes and need urgent help from the Emergency Services, please call 999 as usual.
I live on the race route, what can I do to help?
First, it would be fantastic to see you out supporting the race and getting involved with community events – after all, how many sporting events of this stature and importance go past your front door?
Second, if you regularly park on the race route, please help us make the Grand Départ as safe as possible for the riders by following parking restrictions and moving your vehicle ahead of these coming into force.
There will also be an opportunity to get involved in the race within your local community as a volunteer and to play a hands-on role in delivering the world’s biggest free-to-watch sporting event. More details will be announced when the programme is launched in the spring of 2026, but you can register your interest now in hearing more on letourgb.com
Should you have anything of note relating to one of the stages that you wish to inform organisers of, please get in touch via enquiries@letourgb.com
Where should I park my vehicle?
Ahead of the race more information will be provided for people who live on the race route.
Spectators will be encouraged to walk or cycle to their chosen viewing points, and closer to the event dedicated spectator information will be available with suggested travel, car & bicycle parking information.
Will there be an impact for local businesses and/or people working in the start or finish venues?
Due to the scale of the Tour de France and large footfall of spectators, road closures will be necessary in all start and finish venues.
We will be working with the organisers to do our utmost to ensure that local businesses can continue trading as usual and capitalise on the interest in the race and the presence of spectators in their respective locations.
Race organisers will be in touch in due course to discuss arrangements in every location to help businesses plan in advance for the event, through information and drop-in sessions.
Where can I find out more about road closures and parking restrictions that may affect me?
Detailed planning work is underway and will continue to be developed in the coming months.
Residents impacted by the road closures and/or parking restrictions will be contacted in advance of the event with further information relevant to their location.
Full information about road closures and alternative arrangements will be published on the official website (letourgb.com) ahead of the event.
Where can I find more information about the Tour de France route?
Details of all three stages and the full stage routes between Leeds to Manchester (Friday 30 August 2027), and Manchester to Sheffield (Saturday 31 July 2027), will be announced in the spring, alongside details of the spectacular London finale to the first ever visit of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift to Great Britain when stage three visits the capital on Sunday 1 August.
Where can I find the detailed Tour de France stage routes?
Overview stage maps of all three stages can be found on the letourgb.com website, showing the main towns and cities that each leg will pass through, as well as the designated king of the mountains climbs.
Interactive stage maps for the Tour de France will be published later in 2026 alongside announcements by ASO about the whole route for the 2027 Tour de France.
How can I get involved in the Grand Départ?
Over the next year and a half there will be plenty of ways to get involved in the Grand Départ.
The organisers we will be recruiting more than 7,000 volunteers for the Grand Départ, inviting people across the UK to play a hands-on role in delivering the world’s biggest free-to-watch sporting event. Thousands of opportunities will be available across route operations, spectator support and community engagement, offering people of all ages the chance to be part of Tour history, with more details to be announced when the programme is launched in the spring of 2026.
The organisers are developing a number of exciting programmes to help bring the Joy of the Grand Départs to life for as many people as possible and will be launching these over the next 18 months - programmes will include a number of digital resources for schools, arts and culture initiatives and a community toolkit resource for use by everyone along the routes to show their support. Details and how to access these will be available from letourgb.com in advance of the races.
To keep up-to-date with all of the activity around the 2027 Grand Départ, please sign up to the newsletter at letourgb.com