The Tour de France is one of the three cycling Grand Tours and is considered the pinnacle of a professional cyclist’s career.
It’s a three-week-long stage race that traverses France. In 2023, the race is 3,404km (2,128 miles) long, consisting of 21 stages.
This article takes a deeper look at the Tour de France distances throughout history; the average, longest, and shortest stages.
Tour de France total distance, 2000 to 2023
- The average distance per year is 3,476km (2,173 miles).
- The average distance per stage is 167.8km (105 miles).
- The longest stage was 254.5km (159 miles) in 2000, followed by 249.1km (155.7 miles) in 2021 and 240km (150 miles) in 2005.
- The shortest, non time trial stage was 59.5km (37.2 miles) in 2019, followed by 65km (40.6 miles) in 2018 and95km (59.4 miles) in 2011.
Tour de France total distance, 1903 to present
- The shortest Tour de France was in the second edition in 1904 at 2,388km (1,484 miles).
- The longest Tour de France was in 1926 with 5,745km (3,570 miles).
- The average distance per year is 4,183km (2,614.4 miles).
- The average distance per stage is 207.5km (129.7 miles).
- The longest stage was 482km (301.2 miles) in 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1924.
- The shortest stage, non time trial stage was 19.6km (12.3 miles) in 1971.
Tour de France distances, 1903 to present
| Year | Date | Start / End | Distance (km) | Stages | Average stage distance (km) | Longest stage (km) | Shortest stage (km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | July 1 to July 23 | Bilbao (Spain) – Paris | 3,404 | 21 | 162.1 | 209.0 | 115.0 |
| 2022 | July 1 to July 24 | Copenhagen (Denmark) – Paris | 3,328 | 21 | 158.5 | 220.0 | 112.0 |
| 2021 | June 26 to July 18 | Brest – Paris | 3,414 | 21 | 162.6 | 249.1 | 108.4 |
| 2020 | Aug 29 to Sept 20 | Nice – Paris | 3,482 | 21 | 165.8 | 218.0 | 122.0 |
| 2019 | July 6 to July 28 | Brussels (Belgium) – Paris | 3,365 | 21 | 160.2 | 230.0 | 59.5 |
| 2018 | July 7 to July 29 | Noirmoutier en l’Île – Paris | 3,349 | 21 | 159.5 | 231.0 | 65.0 |
| 2017 | July 1 to July 23 | Düsseldorf (Germany) – Paris | 3,540 | 21 | 168.6 | 222.5 | 101.0 |
| 2016 | July 2 to July 21 | Mont St. Michel- Paris | 3,519 | 21 | 167.6 | 237.5 | 113.0 |
| 2015 | July 4 to July 26 | Utrecht (Netherlands) – Paris | 3,360 | 21 | 160.0 | 223.5 | 109.5 |
| 2014 | July 5 to July 27 | Leeds, UK – Paris | 3,659 | 21 | 174.2 | 237.5 | 124.5 |
| 2013 | June 29 to July 21 | Porto Vecchio, Corsica – Paris | 3,403 | 21 | 162.0 | 242.5 | 118.0 |
| 2012 | June 30 to July 22 | Liège (Belgium) – Paris | 3,488 | 21 | 166.1 | 226.0 | 120.0 |
| 2011 | July 2 to July 24 | Le Barre de Monts – Paris | 3,430 | 21 | 163.3 | 226.5 | 95.0 |
| 2010 | July 3 to July 25 | Rotterdam (Netherlands) – Paris | 3,641 | 20 | 182.1 | 227.5 | 102.5 |
| 2009 | July 4 to July 26 | Monaco – Paris | 3,459 | 21 | 164.7 | 224.0 | 159.0 |
| 2008 | July 5 to July 27 | Brest – Paris | 3,559 | 21 | 169.5 | 232.0 | 143.0 |
| 2007 | July 7 to July 29 | London (England) – Paris | 3,547 | 20 | 177.4 | 236.5 | 146.0 |
| 2006 | July 1 to July 23 | Strasbourg – Paris | 3,657 | 20 | 182.9 | 231.0 | 154.5 |
| 2005 | July 2 to July 24 | Fromentine – Paris | 3,608 | 21 | 171.8 | 240.0 | 144.0 |
| 2004 | July 3 to July 25 | Liege (Belgium) – Paris | 3,391 | 20 | 169.6 | 237.0 | 160.5 |
| 2003 | July 5 to July 27 | Paris – Paris | 3,427 | 20 | 171.4 | 230.5 | 152.0 |
| 2002 | July 7 to July 29 | Luxembourg – Paris | 3,276 | 20 | 163.8 | 226.5 | 140.0 |
| 2001 | July 7 to July 29 | Dunkirk – Paris | 3,446 | 20 | 172.3 | 232.5 | 141.5 |
| 2000 | July 1 to July 23 | Futuroscope – Paris | 3,662 | 21 | 174.4 | 254.5 | 138.0 |
| 1999 | July 3 to July 25 | Le Puy de Fou – Paris | 3,686 | 20 | 184.3 | 237.0 | 160.0 |
| 1998 | July 11 to August 2 | Dublin (Ireland) – Paris | 3,875 | 21 | 184.5 | 252.0 | 147.0 |
| 1997 | July 5 to July 27 | Rouen – Paris | 3,950 | 21 | 188.1 | 262.0 | 148.0 |
| 1996 | June 29 to July 21 | s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands) – Paris | 3,907 | 21 | 186.0 | 262.0 | 46.0 |
| 1995 | July 1 to July 23 | St. Brieuc – Paris | 3,653 | 20 | 182.7 | 264.0 | 150.0 |
| 1994 | July 2 to July 24 | Lille – Paris | 3,978 | 21 | 189.4 | 270.5 | 149.0 |
| 1993 | July 3 to July 25 | Le Puy de Fou – Paris | 3,714 | 20 | 185.7 | 286.0 | 158.0 |
| 1992 | July 4 to July 26 | San Sebastian (Spain) – Paris | 3,983 | 21 | 189.7 | 255.0 | 141.0 |
| 1991 | July 6 to July 28 | Lyon – Paris | 3,914 | 22 | 177.9 | 286.0 | 114.5 |
| 1990 | June 30 to July 22 | Furturoscope – Paris | 3,504 | 21 | 166.9 | 301.0 | 118.5 |
| 1989 | July 1 to July 23 | Luxembourg – Paris | 3,285 | 21 | 156.4 | 259.0 | 91.5 |
| 1988 | July 4 to July 24 | Pornichet – Paris | 3,286 | 22 | 149.4 | 232.0 | 38.0 |
| 1987 | July 1 to July 26 | West Berlin (Germany) – Paris | 4,231 | 25 | 169.2 | 260.0 | 79.0 |
| 1986 | July 4 to July 27 | Boulogne-Billancourt – Paris | 4,083 | 23 | 177.5 | 258.5 | 85.0 |
| 1985 | June 28 to July 21 | Plumelec – Paris | 4,127 | 22 | 187.6 | 269.0 | 52.5 |
| 1984 | June 29 to July 22 | Montreuil – Paris | 4,021 | 23 | 174.8 | 338.0 | 83.0 |
| 1983 | July 1 to July 24 | Fontenay-sous-Bois – Paris | 3,962 | 22 | 180.1 | 299.0 | 145.0 |
| 1982 | July 2 to July 25 | Basel (Switzerland) – Paris | 3,512 | 21 | 167.2 | 251.0 | 122.0 |
| 1981 | June 25 to July 19 | Nice – Paris | 3,757 | 24 | 156.5 | 264.0 | 97.0 |
| 1980 | June 26 to July 21 | Frankfurt (Germany) – Paris | 3,946 | 22 | 179.4 | 282.0 | 92.0 |
| 1979 | June 27 to July 22 | Fleurence – Paris | 3,720 | 24 | 155.0 | 248.0 | 119.0 |
| 1978 | June 29 to July 23 | Leiden (Netherlands)-Paris | 3,914 | 22 | 177.9 | 244.0 | 96.0 |
| 1977 | June 20 to July 24 | Fleurence – Paris | 4,092 | 22 | 186.0 | 256.0 | 46.0 |
| 1976 | June 24 to July 18 | St. Jean de Monts – Paris | 4,016 | 22 | 182.5 | 258.0 | 70.5 |
| 1975 | June 26 to July 20 | Charleroi – Paris | 3,999 | 22 | 181.8 | 260.0 | 94.0 |
| 1974 | June 27 to July 21 | Brest – Paris | 4,098 | 22 | 186.3 | 248.5 | 112.5 |
| 1973 | June 30 to July 22 | Scheveningen (Netherlands)- Paris | 4,090 | 20 | 204.5 | 248.0 | 76.0 |
| 1972 | July 1 to July 23 | Angers – Paris | 3,846 | 20 | 192.3 | 257.5 | 28.0 |
| 1971 | June 26 to July 18 | Mulhouse – Paris | 3,608 | 25 | 144.3 | 257.5 | 19.6 |
| 1970 | June 27 to July 19 | Limoges – Paris | 4,254 | 23 | 185.0 | 269.5 | 94.5 |
| 1969 | June 28 to July 20 | Roubaix – Paris | 4,117 | 22 | 187.1 | 329.0 | 111.0 |
| 1968 | June 27 to July 21 | Vittel – Paris | 4,492 | 22 | 204.2 | 250.5 | 112.0 |
| 1967 | June 29 to July 23 | Angers – Paris | 4,758 | 22 | 216.3 | 359.0 | 104.0 |
| 1966 | June 21 to July 14 | Nancy – Paris | 4,322 | 22 | 196.5 | 265.0 | 111.0 |
| 1965 | June 22 to July 14 | Cologne (Germany)- Paris | 4,177 | 22 | 189.9 | 240.0 | 147.0 |
| 1964 | June 22 to July 14 | Rennes – Paris | 4,504 | 22 | 204.7 | 311.0 | 119.0 |
| 1963 | June 23 to July 14 | Paris – Paris | 4,137 | 21 | 197.0 | 285.0 | 118.0 |
| 1962 | June 25 to July 15 | Nancy – Paris | 4,274 | 22 | 194.3 | 271.0 | 147.0 |
| 1961 | June 26 to July 16 | Rouen – Paris | 4,397 | 21 | 209.4 | 309.5 | 136.5 |
| 1960 | June 27 to July 17 | Lille – Paris | 4,173 | 22 | 189.7 | 244.0 | 108.0 |
| 1959 | June 25 to July 18 | Mulhouse – Paris | 4,391 | 22 | 199.6 | 331.0 | 119.0 |
| 1958 | June 26 to July 19 | Brussels – Paris | 4,319 | 24 | 180.0 | 320.0 | 129.0 |
| 1957 | June 27 to July 20 | Nantes – Paris | 4,665 | 22 | 212.0 | 317.0 | 134.0 |
| 1956 | July 5 to July 28 | Reims – Paris | 4,498 | 22 | 204.5 | 331.0 | 125.0 |
| 1955 | July 7 to July 30 | Le Havre – Paris | 4,495 | 22 | 204.3 | 275.0 | 102.0 |
| 1954 | July 8 to August 1 | Amsterdam (Netherlands) – Paris | 4,656 | 23 | 202.4 | 343.0 | 131.0 |
| 1953 | July 3 to July 26 | Strasbourg – Paris | 4,476 | 22 | 203.5 | 345.0 | 103.0 |
| 1952 | June 25 to July 19 | Brest – Paris | 4,827 | 23 | 209.9 | 354.0 | 149.0 |
| 1951 | July 4 to July 29 | Metz – Paris | 4,690 | 24 | 195.4 | 354.0 | 165.0 |
| 1950 | July 13 to August 7 | Paris – Paris | 4,773 | 22 | 217.0 | 316.0 | 96.0 |
| 1949 | June 30 to July 24 | Paris – Paris | 4,808 | 21 | 229.0 | 340.0 | 134.0 |
| 1948 | June 30 to July 25 | Paris – Paris | 4,922 | 21 | 234.4 | 286.0 | 166.0 |
| 1947 | June 25 to July 20 | Paris – Paris | 4,640 | 21 | 221.0 | 314.0 | 165.0 |
| 1939 | July 10 to July 30 | Paris – Paris | 4,224 | 18 | 234.7 | 311.0 | 70.0 |
| 1938 | July 5 to July 31 | Paris – Paris | 4,694 | 21 | 223.5 | 311.0 | 48.0 |
| 1937 | June 30 to July 25 | Paris – Paris | 4,415 | 20 | 220.8 | 263.0 | 34.0 |
| 1936 | July 7 to August 2 | Paris – Paris | 4,418 | 21 | 210.4 | 325.0 | 67.0 |
| 1935 | July 4 to July 28 | Paris – Paris | 4,338 | 21 | 206.6 | 325.0 | 81.0 |
| 1934 | July 3 to July 29 | Paris – Paris | 4,470 | 23 | 194.3 | 293.0 | 81.0 |
| 1933 | June 27 to July 23 | Paris – Paris | 4,395 | 23 | 191.1 | 293.0 | 91.0 |
| 1932 | July 6 to July 31 | Paris – Paris | 4,479 | 21 | 213.3 | 387.0 | 102.0 |
| 1931 | June 30 to July 26 | Paris – Paris | 5,091 | 24 | 212.1 | 338.0 | 102.0 |
| 1930 | July 2 to July 27 | Paris – Paris | 4,822 | 21 | 229.6 | 333.0 | 132.0 |
| 1929 | June 30 to July 28 | Paris – Paris | 5,257 | 22 | 239.0 | 366.0 | 133.0 |
| 1928 | June 17 to July 15 | Paris – Paris | 5,476 | 22 | 248.9 | 387.0 | 119.0 |
| 1927 | June 19 to July 17 | Paris – Paris | 5,340 | 24 | 222.5 | 360.0 | 103.0 |
| 1926 | June 20 to July 18 | Evian – Paris | 5,745 | 17 | 337.9 | 433.0 | 189.0 |
| 1925 | June 21 to July 19 | Paris – Paris | 5,440 | 18 | 302.2 | 433.0 | 189.0 |
| 1924 | June 22 to Jul 20 | Paris – Paris | 5,425 | 15 | 361.7 | 482.0 | 275.0 |
| 1923 | June 24 to July 22 | Paris – Paris | 5,386 | 15 | 359.1 | 482.0 | 260.0 |
| 1922 | June 25 to July 23 | Paris – Paris | 5,375 | 15 | 358.3 | 482.0 | 260.0 |
| 1921 | June 26 to July 24 | Paris – Paris | 5,485 | 15 | 365.7 | 482.0 | 272.0 |
| 1920 | June 27 to July 27 | Paris – Paris | 5,503 | 15 | 366.9 | 482.0 | 300.0 |
| 1919 | June 29 to July 27 | Paris – Paris | 5,560 | 15 | 370.7 | 482.0 | 315.0 |
| 1914 | June 28 to July 26 | Paris – Paris | 5,380 | 15 | 358.7 | 470.0 | 323.0 |
| 1913 | June 29 to July 27 | Paris – Paris | 5,287 | 15 | 352.5 | 470.0 | 324.0 |
| 1912 | June 30 to July 28 | Paris – Paris | 5,289 | 15 | 352.6 | 470.0 | 289.0 |
| 1911 | July 2 to July 30 | Paris – Paris | 5,344 | 15 | 356.3 | 470.0 | 289.0 |
| 1910 | July 3 to July 31 | Paris – Paris | 4,737 | 15 | 315.8 | 424.0 | 216.0 |
| 1909 | July 5 to August 1 | Paris – Paris | 4,497 | 14 | 321.2 | 424.0 | 250.0 |
| 1908 | July 13 to August 9 | Paris – Paris | 4,488 | 14 | 320.6 | 415.0 | 251.0 |
| 1907 | July 8 to August 4 | Paris – Paris | 4,488 | 14 | 320.6 | 415.0 | 251.0 |
| 1906 | July 4 to July 29 | Paris – Paris | 4,545 | 13 | 349.6 | 480.0 | 259.0 |
| 1905 | July 9 to July 30 | Paris – Paris | 2,994 | 11 | 272.2 | 348.0 | 167.0 |
| 1904 | July 2 to July 24 | Paris – Paris | 2,388 | 6 | 398.0 | 471.0 | 268.0 |
| 1903 | July 1 to July 21 | Paris – Paris | 2,428 | 6 | 404.7 | 471.0 | 268.0 |
Tour de France Records and Stats
Alex Lee is the founder and editor-at-large of Mr. Mamil. Coming from a professional engineering background, he breaks down technical cycling nuances into an easy-to-understand and digestible format here.
He has been riding road bikes actively for the past 12 years and started racing competitively in the senior category during the summer recently.