Where to Watch Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2027
The Tour de France 2027 starts in the UK, and Stage 1 on Friday 2nd July 2027 is from Edinburgh to Carlisle.
Where are the best places to watch Stage 1? Here are some ideas.
Neutralised Section in Edinburgh
There’s quite a long neutralised section, or roll-out, in Edinburgh.
This is the route between the départ fictif, when the riders set off, and the départ réel or Kilometre 0, when the race director waves his flag and the racing starts.
The départ fictif is at Abbey Strand, in front of Holyrood Palace and by the King’s Gallery.
The peloton will then ride all together behind the race director’s car at a reduced pace on this route. It will be a good opportunity to see the riders go past and enjoy the atmosphere.
In central Edinburgh the route is: Cannongate > High Street > North Bridge > Princes Street > The Mound > North Bank Street > Bank Street > Lawnmarket > Johnston Terrace > Lady Lawson Street > West Port > Grassmarket > West Bow > Victoria Street > George IV Bridge > Chambers Street.
The rest of the neutralised section is as the peloton heads south out of the city on the A7, A701 and A772 over the Edinburgh Bypass.
The racing starts on the A7 at Dobbies.
The B7007 through the Moorfoot Hills
The race takes the B7007 from Gorebridge through the Moorfoot Hills to Innerleithen. The hills include Broad Law.
(There is another more famous and higher hill called Broad Law, so make sure you don’t go there by mistake and miss the race).
There is some climbing in the Moorfoot Hills, which will slow the riders down a little. Also, the backdrop to your photos will be very scenic.
Innerleithen, Galashiels and Melrose
I guess there will be big crowds in the Scottish Borders towns of Innerleithen, Galashiels and Melrose, and a good atmosphere.
It should be good fun waiting for the race and watching the publicity caravan come through.
The only disadvantage of these locations might be that the riders are there and gone in a flash.
Côte de Melrose
To have a chance to seeing the competitors riding at a slightly slower pace, the Côte de Melrose (main photo at the top of the page) would be a good viewpoint.
As well as the cycling, you get to enjoy the amusingly-named Aly Barbers at the foot of the climb.
In Tour de France terms it is not a major climb, at 6.7% over 2.2km. It is nevertheless the only categorised climb on the stage, and the start of it is quite steep.
This would my pick of the places to watch Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2027.
Hawick
Hawick is another major Scottish Borders town on the route, and I would it expect it to be busy and atmospheric.
Like Innerleithen, Galashiels and Melrose, it will see just a couple of minutes of cycling action before it’s all over.
Whitrope Siding and Wauchope Forest
After Hawick the race takes the B6399 up into the hills towards Wauchope Forest and Whitrope Siding.
Whitrope Siding is a fragment of the old Waverley Line between Edinburgh and Carlisle, and has a museum in two railway carriages.
One of the best things to do on a Tour de France stage day when the roads are closed to motor vehicle traffic is to cycle part of the route, and the B6399 will be lovely without traffic.
In the days leading up to the race, check the detailed timings of the road closures. Usually the roads close to motor vehicles much earlier than to cyclists and pedestrians.
Armed with that information, you will know when you need to be at your viewing point with your Danish pastries and flask of tea.
Newcastleton
The intermediate sprint will take place at Newcastleton.
The first riders across the line will get points in the green jersey competition – but there will be more points available to the stage winner, so they won’t be awarded the green jersey at the end of the stage unless they also win in Carlisle.
A little further along the parcours from Newcastleton is Canonbie.
Brampton
Villages on the route once it crosses into England include Longtown and Brampton.
The race will be flashing through at speed, but if you’re in Brampton you could take the opportunity to admire the Pre-Raphaelite architecture of St Martin’s Church, and the stained glass windows by Sir Edward Burne-Jones.
The Finish at Carlisle
Stage 1 finishes with a sprint on Castle Way in Carlisle.
I expect it will be busy, and there will be crowd barriers, but it may well be possible to get a view of the finish itself.
There are likely to be Fan Zones in various places along the route, including Carlisle, with big screens enabling you to follow the action before the race gets to you.
Where do you plan to watch Stage 1 of the Tour de France 2027?