2026 Tour de France - Thonon les bains

Thonon-les-Bains, stage town of the 2026 Tour de France

On Tuesday 21 July 2026, Thonon-les-Bains will once again be in the spotlight as it hosts the finish of the 16th stage of the Tour de France. This 26-kilometre individual time trial, linking Évian-les-Bains to the capital of Chablais, will showcase the shores of Lake Geneva and the heart of the town of Thonon.

A stage town for the 10th time, Thonon-les-Bains has a long history with the Grande Boucle. This stage, with its balanced profile combining climbs, descents and flat sections, promises an intense spectacle between lake and mountains.

This is a major sporting event for the region, mobilising the entire town to bring this exceptional event to life for residents, visitors and cycling enthusiasts alike.

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The Dictée du Tour stops off in Thonon-les-Bains

On Friday, 27 March 2026, Thonon-les-Bains will host the Dictée du Tour at the Pôle culturel de la Visitation. Hosted by Sylvain Chavanel, former Tour de France rider and winner of three stages, this event will bring together primary school pupils, secondary school pupils and senior citizens for a convivial gathering combining the French language and a passion for cycling.

Nearly 200 participants will gather on site and more than 600 will take part in the event online. At the end of the dictation, eight winners will have the chance to attend the time trial finish alongside a parent.

This intergenerational highlight fully illustrates the spirit of sharing and transmission promoted by the Tour.

Thonon Cycling Race and Tour Festival

On 2 and 3 May 2026, Thonon-les-Bains will be buzzing with cycling fever for the Thonon Cycling Race, part of the Fête du Tour, a national event organised ahead of the Tour de France.

Supported by the City and the Tourist Office, this sporting event is fully in line with the region’s focus on cycling and hosting the Grande Boucle in July.

The Tourist Office will be present with a stand dedicated to promoting the region and its cycling facilities: cycle routes, scenic routes between the lake and the mountains, themed breaks and practical advice for exploring Thonon-les-Bains and the Chablais region on two wheels.

World Bicycle Day

On 3 June 2026, Thonon-les-Bains will celebrate World Bicycle Day with a unifying event designed to generate real momentum around cycling, in conjunction with the Children’s Municipal Council. In the spirit of the Tour de France, a large yellow parade will be organised and open to children and families.

The cycle parade will start at 3pm from the Belvédère, heading towards Ripaille. Entertainment will then take place in the car park opposite the château, with a speaker to keep the afternoon lively. This friendly event will allow young and old alike to share a festive moment around cycling.

Exhibition: ‘The Tour in Yellow and Blue’

From 15 June to 31 August 2026, Thonon-les-Bains will host an open-air exhibition entitled ‘Le Tour en jaune et bleu’ (The Tour in Yellow and Blue) to mark the passage of the Tour de France. Set up on the Belvédère, this retrospective, consisting of 25 to 30 panels, will retrace the highlights of the Grande Boucle in the capital of Chablais, from 1955 to more recent editions.

Period photographs, local archives, anecdotes and residents’ perspectives will tell the story, through a sensitive and visual approach, of the unique bond between Thonon and the Tour. An open-air exhibition that transforms the sporting event into a collective narrative and a living memory of the region.

Finish of the 16th stage in Thonon-les-Bains

On Tuesday 21 July 2026, Thonon-les-Bains will be the finish line for the 16th stage of the 2026 Tour de France.

The programme includes a 26-kilometre individual time trial along the shores of Lake Geneva between Évian-les-Bains and the capital of Chablais. Setting off one by one, the riders will reach Thonon-les-Bains at the end of a demanding course structured in three stages: a steady climb of around 4% up the Côte de Larringes, a technical descent, then a flat finish leading to the Château de Ripailles.

This is an unmissable event for cycling enthusiasts and the general public alike, who will come to cheer on the riders as they race around the Grande Boucle.