L'Étape du Tour follows in the footsteps of the Tour de France to build a better future on a bicycle! Cycling is more than just a passion. It means being aware of how beautiful the landscapes of the race are and how important it is to protect them.
Cycling means sport, health, sustainable mobility and so much more!
L'Étape du Tour de France has been working for years to make an impact through its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy and fulfil a series of sustainable commitments:
THE CHARITY ETAPE
Why you should ride for one of our charity partners?
Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque enables children with heart defects to be operated on when this is impossible in their country of origin, due to a lack of technical or financial resources. They are cared for in 11 French towns (Angers, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Paris, Saint-Denis de La Réunion, Strasbourg, Toulouse and Tours) and 2 Swiss towns (Geneva and Lausanne). In France, they are accommodated by volunteer host families, and in Switzerland in a specialised home. Each operation costs the association an average of €12,000.
More than 4,500 children have been treated since Professor Francine Leca founded the association in 1996.
You too can support Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque by taking part in the Etape du Tour and wearing the bibs. Come and take up the challenge of the legendary race, with friends, family or as part of a corporate team-building event.
Find out more on the Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque website.
Support Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque with a support race number
Running with a support race number gives a human dimension to your sporting challenge.
To obtain a Support Bib, each participant undertakes to raise a minimum of €800 for the charity before the start.
There are two ways of doing this:
- Raise at least €800 from your friends and family by opening a fundraising page.
- Make a spontaneous donation of €800
For the last 4 years, a bag has been provided to each participant on the Étape du Tour de France.
It is used for carrying your energy gels and other packaging that we too often find on the roads on the climbs up the mountain passes!
In 2019, for the first time, the organisers took punitive measures against poor behaviour on the roads. These measures paid off because once the broom wagon had passed by, we noticed that the message had been well received and respected. So, may we say a big THANK YOU to everybody who helped to keep the roads clean! Protecting the areas we pass through is an essential part of ensuring a long-lasting future for the event.
This year once again, any person observed disposing of waste outside the facilities set up for this purpose will be disqualified.
Caught littering = disqualified at the finish!
Do not leave any traces of your time on the Étape du Tour in nature!!
We are counting on you!
Reducing, sorting and recycling waste
Feeding zones:
- Keep in mind that no beakers will be handed out this year.
- You can fill your own bottles directly with these drinks.
- If you would rather take your own energy drink and get something else from the feeding zones, remember to bring another empty bottle or an attachable biodegradable cup.
Just like last year, a social economy company will reclaim the waste that the multitude of riders leave at each feeding zone. Working together with generous volunteers and the organisers, the company also drives home the importance of respecting nature and makes sure it remains pristine.
Some foods (nuts, spice bread, madeleines, local cheese, crackers, etc.) are handed out in bulk to avoid the need for individual packages (which increase the amount of waste).
Others, such as energy bars and gels, are provided in wrappings.
We are counting on you:
- Do not throw waste on the floor, not even in the feeding zones!
- Make sure to put each type of waste in the right bin
- Bio-waste sorting
Organic waste will also be sorted from now on.
Bins will be provided for banana peels, which will then be composted.
Play the game and hit the target!
1.5 L bottles of Vittel, Perrier and Coca-Cola will be collected and recycled, turning used plastic into a useful resource again. As well as implementing waste sorting, several years ago we decided to replace small water bottles with 1.5 L ones or water from the towns and cities crossed.
Respecting, protecting and raising the profile of the areas crossed
Whenever possible, we stock our feeding zones with local produce to raise the profile of each area and boost the economy of each region.
L'Étape du Tour de France has also sought guidance for many years to safeguard Natura 2000 protected areas.
- Hotspots
- Rare or threatened species
- Vulnerable wild flora
Every year, we submit a dossier to the authorities, which then validate the course of L'Étape du Tour de France after combing through it to ensure that it meets these crucial requirements.
Let's keep riding responsibly and stay aware together!
Choosing and promoting sustainable, soft mobility!
L'Étape du Tour de France supports cycling as a means of transportation in towns and cities because:
- By riding your bicycle to work, you prevent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
- You can avoid the stress of getting caught in traffic jams!
- You protect your town or city and lead by example
- You save on fossil fuels, save money and have fun!
- You do your mind and body a world of good
Everyone on a bicycle!
The French Cycling Federation and the French Road Safety Authority's "La route se partage" ("Sharing the road") campaign will set up stands in the village, with activities such as quizzes and "find the mistake" games to help everyone, but especially children, learn and have fun at the same time!
- Raising awareness about how to share the road,
- Reminder of safety rules with a focus on cycling,
- Raising awareness about vulnerable road users among drivers.
Supporting future generations of cyclists is an absolute priority for the Tour de France and, therefore, L'Étape du Tour de France. Our welcome village will be hosting fun activities for kids! Come and see the balance bikes, the funny bikes and the French Road Safety Authority and French Cycling Federation's courses!
Cycling is perfect to help children:
- Improve their balance;
- Learn to ride two-wheel vehicles and follow road safety rules from a young age;
- Establish a connection between cycling and young people to make it a vital means of transportation for their health and our planet;
- Share fun moments with friends and parents!
