Tour de France 2026: Motorhome Guide to the Pyrenean Stages

Stage 6 — Thursday 9 July 2026: Pau > Gavarnie-Gèdre (186.2 km)

According to TourDeFranceParcours, Stage 6 departs Pau at 12:25pm for 186.2 km of high mountain riding. After the Col d’Aspin (km 117.5, 12 km at 6.5%) and the legendary Col du Tourmalet (km 147, 2,115 m, 17.1 km at 7.3% — a climb that has shaped the careers of British champions from Robert Millar to Chris Froome), riders tackle the final ascent from Luz-Saint-Sauveur: 18.7 km at 3.7% on the D921 to reach Gavarnie-Gèdre at 1,380 m. It’s the first time in 113 editions of the Grande Boucle that the race has finished in this village of 350 inhabitants, nestled beneath the UNESCO World Heritage glacial cirque of Gavarnie — part of the Pyrénées-Mont Perdu site. The Gavarnie waterfall, one of Europe’s tallest at 422 m (1,385 ft), will be visible from the viewing areas. According to Vallées de Gavarnie, the publicity caravan is expected around 4:10pm and the peloton around 5:20pm.

Highlights for motorhome travellers

• Three viewing spots in one day: Col d’Aspin, Col du Tourmalet, Gavarnie-Gèdre finish
• Gavarnie D923 municipal aire (100 pitches, water + waste disposal, €10/24h) — closest to the finish line
• Free shuttle buses Barèges > Grand Tourmalet (8:30am–5:30pm) to reach the col without moving your motorhome
• Bivouac tolerated at the Tourmalet on the Barèges side (car park GPS 42.9033, 0.1016 — free)

Stage 15 — Sunday 19 July 2026: Champagnole > Plateau de Solaison (183.9 km)

According to LeDicoDuTour, Stage 15 links Champagnole (Jura) to the Plateau de Solaison in Haute-Savoie over 183.9 km, with a beyond-category (HC) summit finish of 11.3 km at 9.2% average gradient — steeper than Alpe d’Huez. The finish sits on the plateau itself at 1,508 m (4,948 ft). It’s the first time in Tour history that riders tackle this agricultural, Nordic-style plateau — known for cross-country skiing in winter and for recording -33.1°C on 3–4 January 2025, though far more welcoming in July. According to Tourisme Haute-Savoie, more than 20,000 spectators are expected for this unprecedented Alpine finale. The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on 14 June 2026 served as a full logistics rehearsal for access planning.

Highlights for motorhome travellers

• Brizon / Route de Solaison car park (GPS 46.0327, 6.4270) — free, 20 spaces, rated 4.47/5 on Park4Night
• Thônes « Parking du Plot » (GPS 45.880, 6.321) — free, service point with waste disposal 600 m away, 18 km from Solaison
• Mobility plan with shuttle buses planned by the Haute-Savoie département (details to be confirmed July 2026)
• Access via Cluses suitable for standard motorhomes (route via Bonneville/Thuet not recommended for vehicles over 8 m)

ASO rules and prefectural orders

According to the ASO regulations published on N’PY Grand Tourmalet: « Circulation, stopping and parking on roads used by the Tour de France are prohibited to all vehicles from one hour before the publicity caravan until thirty minutes after the gendarmerie vehicle marked ‘end of race’ passes. » In practice, for a summit finish like Gavarnie, the col roads close 4 to 5 hours before the caravan — from 6:00am–9:00am. All four wheels of the motorhome must be completely off the road — any vehicle encroaching on the carriageway will be moved by the gendarmerie on race day.

What is strictly prohibited

• Overnight motorhome parking in the core zone of the Pyrénées National Park, even on designated car parks (Decree 2009-406, Art. 15)
• Wild waste disposal (grey water, toilet) on roads or in the wild — Art. R116-2 French Road Code, fine up to €1,500
• Wild motorhome camping (3rd class offence, €1,500)
• Accessing the D921 Luz-Gavarnie road after 8–9am on 9 July 2026 by motor vehicle

What is tolerated (no guarantee)

• Discreet motorhome bivouac outside the National Park, all four wheels off the road, no fire, no litter
• Tent camping in the National Park: permitted more than 1 hour’s walk from any motorised access, between 7pm and 9am (Decree 2009-406)
• Parking on unmarked car parks outside the core zone, outside ASO perimeters on race day

Operational timeline — Stage 6 (Gavarnie, 9 July)

• 7 July (D-2): arrive at the Col du Tourmalet on the Barèges side (GPS 42.9033, 0.1016) or Col d’Aspin (D918) for 2 nights. Take in the Tourmalet at your own pace, fill up on water and empty waste before heading up.
• 8 July (D-1): by late afternoon at the latest, descend towards the Gavarnie D923 aire or Luz-Saint-Sauveur. Get settled for the night. Confirm the final road closure times on the Hautes-Pyrénées prefecture website.
• 9 July (race day): the D921 closes from 8–9am. Stay in position. Pedestrian and cycle access until approximately 1 hour before the caravan (~3:10pm). Caravan at ~4:10pm, peloton at ~5:20pm. Road gradually reopens after 6pm.
• After the race: allow 90 minutes to 2 hours for full road reopening and traffic to clear.

Operational timeline — Stage 15 (Solaison, 19 July)

• 18 July (D-1): fill up on water and empty waste at Thônes or Annecy (30–40 km). Head up towards Brizon/Solaison in the late afternoon. For motorhomes over 8 m: use exclusively the Cluses > Scionzier > Mont-Saxonnex > Brizon route (the road via Bonneville/Thuet is narrow and unsuitable).
• 19 July (race day): the access road will close at dawn. Stay in position. Check the Haute-Savoie département shuttle bus announcements (mobility plan in progress). Peloton expected to arrive late afternoon.
• Overnight on site: altitude 1,508 m (4,948 ft), cool nights in July (pack extra blankets). The plateau is renowned as a cold pocket even in summer.