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Cumbria prepares for Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027

Summarised from 5 outlets · 12 reports · Updated 14 Nov, 06:57 · Archive

Cumbria will host the first two stages of the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027, with stage one finishing in Carlisle on 2 July and stage two starting from Keswick on 3 July.

Cumbria will host the opening two stages of the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027. Stage one will finish in Carlisle on Friday 2 July, having begun in Edinburgh, and stage two will start from Keswick on Saturday 3 July and head towards Liverpool.

The Grand Départ is a preliminary series of races held before the main Tour de France in France, designed to build excitement for the world famous cycling event. Before the world's best cyclists head to France, their departure tour will take place across Great Britain, with two stages in Cumbria.

A conference in Keswick on 11 and 12 November brought together business leaders and community organisations to hear about the opportunities and benefits of hosting the event. The conference included presentations on the economic, social and cultural opportunities for Cumbria.

Business leaders heard that the Tour de France will bring £48 million in additional spend into the Cumbrian economy. Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer said that a hotel in Workington has already been fully booked out by a French resident in advance of the Grand Départ.

Cllr Fryer described the event as 'something special' and said council staff, business leaders and the community have 'stepped up right from the outset'. He said it was an 'incredible honour' and 'a remarkable opportunity' that Cumbria should embrace. He noted that Cumbria Tourism understood the scale of the Grand Départ and responded quickly, and that community groups including the Scouts have shown enthusiasm to be involved.

Cllr Fryer drew on Cumbria's experience of hosting the Tour of Britain, where tens of thousands lined Honister Pass in the rain to see cyclists pass by. He said the Grand Départ would be of the largest scale imaginable and that 'the eyes of the world will be on Cumbria' for those few days.

He emphasised the potential for long-term benefits, particularly if the event inspires more people to take up cycling. Cllr Fryer said that hosting the event would be a significant challenge but an enjoyable one.

Cumbria prepares for Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027
Image: NW Evening Mail

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How it is being reported

In this story: Cumbria · Carlisle · Keswick · Edinburgh · Liverpool · Mark Fryer · Cumberland Council · Cumbria Tourism

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