The route of the 2026 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift has been revealed in Paris. With nine stages, the race begins in Switzerland and follows a rolling route looping into the south of France, finishing with a hilly circuit around the city of Nice.
Key stages include a crucial mid-race 21 km time trial on stage 4 and the appearance of the legendary Mont Ventoux summit finish on stage 7. Nicknamed the Giant of Provence, the Ventoux is one of the most inhospitable theaters of racing in the sport and has a storied past in the men’s edition.
“The Tour de France Femmes is the pinnacle of our sport, and it is growing year-on-year,” says Ro De Jonckere, General Manager. “2026 is a challenging route, and it’s exciting to see the inclusion of the legendary Giant of Provence. Although the Tour is the high point of the calendar, we have plenty of WorldTour racing next year and we are committed to showing our consistency throughout the season.”
The biggest race in the world, since its re-establishment in 2022, the Tour de France Femmes has grown exponentially every year. In 2025, the race pulled a global audience of 25.7 million, averaging 2.7 million a stage, which was at least 500,000 higher than every edition since 2022.
Tour de France Femmes 2026 stage-by-stage
8/1 Stage 1 | Lausanne – Lausanne (137 km) Rolling
The race begins in Switzerland with a hilly 137 km loop featuring two climbs. It’s a perfect opener for puncheurs chasing the first yellow jersey. Expect aggressive racing as riders seek to gain early time before the mid-race time trial.
8/2 Stage 2 | Aigle – Genève (149 km) Flat
Stage 2 starts at the UCI headquarters in Aigle and winds through the Swiss hills. Though five small climbs pepper the day, the final 40 km are flat, suiting the sprinters. Strong winds and narrow valley roads could cause splits.
8/3 Stage 3 | Genève – Poligny (157 km) Medium Mountains
The peloton enters into France on a 157 km route through the Jura Mountains. Early climbs like the Col de la Faucille will test climbing legs, followed by rolling roads toward a fast finale. Breakaway hopefuls may eye this transition stage for glory.
8/4 Stage 4 | Gevrey-Chambertin – Dijon (21 km) ITT
A 21 km individual time trial, starting amid Burgundy’s vineyards, rises up the Lacets de Marsannay climb before descending into Dijon. The technical course will likely significantly reorder the general classification ahead of the mountains.
8/5 Stage 5 | Mâcon – Belleville-en-Beaujolais (140 km) Rolling
Stage 5 features eight categorized climbs across Beaujolais wine country. The unrelenting terrain offers little rest, with multiple short, steep ascents. It’s a day for punchy climbers or opportunistic breakaways
8/6 Stage 6 | Montbrison – Tournon-sur-Rhône (153 km) Medium Mountains
Six climbs across 153 km, including the Col de Lalouvesc and Côte de Boucieu-le-Roi, make this a leg-breaking day. Constant elevation changes will wear down the peloton, while the technical descents could reward daring riders.
8/7 Stage 7 | La Voulte-sur-Rhône – Mont Ventoux (144 km) High Mountains
2026’s “Queen Stage” culminates with the brutal 15.7 km ascent of Mont Ventoux at 8.8%. After three smaller climbs, the peloton faces the barren slopes of the bald mountain. The wind and gradient will shatter the race. Whoever triumphs here may all but secure the yellow jersey.
8/8 Stage 8 | Sisteron – Nice (175 km) Rolling
At 175 km, the day after Ventoux is the longest stage of the race, rolling through Provence to the Côte d’Azur. Mostly suited to sprinters, but late climbs like Côte de Colomars and Côte de la Ginestière could upset the script.
8/9 Stage 9 | Nice – Nice (99 km) Medium Mountains
A 99 km circuit stage closes the race, featuring four ascents of the Col d’Éze, which is one of the marquee climbs featured in the men’s Paris-Nice. Short but explosive, it’s ideal for late attacks and a GC showdown overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean.
