Tour de France 2007 - Le Grand Depart, Stage One Route and Dartford Tour Map
Le Grand Départ refers to the whole of the first weekend of the Tour de France, which takes place next year in London and Kent.It includes:
- The Opening Ceremony - takes place on Friday 6 July in Trafalgar Square, London.
- The Prologue - an individual time trial will take place around the streets of London, with its famous landmarks as a stunning backdrop, will take place on Saturday 7 July. The winner of the prologue wears the yellow jersey for Stage One.
- Stage One - starts in London with the riders then passing through Kent's spectacular countryside and finishing in the historical Cathedral City of Canterbury on Sunday 8 July.
Stage One Route
The prologue and first stage of the Tour are particularly prestigious to host. The Tour alternates between starting inside and outside France. Great Britain has previously hosted stages of the Tour in 1974 and 1994 and will host the Grand Départ in 2007.
The 2007 Stage One route begins in London and goes through Westminster, Greenwich, Woolwich, Erith, Dartford and Gravesend. It then goes through Medway, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Tenterden, Ashford, Stone Street and into Canterbury for the finish.
The race enters Dartford from Erith at Burnham Road, travels via Home Gardens and East Hill to Stone and then passes along London Road in Swanscombe before entering Gravesham.
