The final stage of the Tour de France 2026 will be reduced in length, the Paris police department announced on Saturday.
The riders will race on Sunday inside Paris, rather than starting from Thoiry, west of the capital city, on a circuit of 89 kilometres, down from the 133-kilometre route that had been planned.
The measure was in response to the unprecedented wildfires that have affected the South-West regions of France.
Part of the race’s security detail will instead be used “to reinforce the response efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires,” the Paris police department added in its statement.
The wildfires around the Gironde region, and around Biscarrosse in the Landes, have destroyed more than 36,000 hectares of wooded area. Close to 200,000 people have been evacuated, including many from tourist spots.
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Published on Jul 25, 2026