The Tour de France Is Coming to the UK: Where to Stay Along the Route
The Tour de France is returning to the UK in 2027, and this time it is bringing both races with it. The men's Grand Départ starts in Edinburgh on 2 July, heading south through Scotland and England before finishing the UK leg in Cardiff. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift follows on 30 July, starting in Leeds and finishing with a stage in London. Six stages, three countries, and the kind of occasion that turns city streets into something most people only see on television.
For anyone planning to watch a stage in person, now is the time to start thinking about where to stay. The cities on the confirmed route will fill quickly once the scale of the occasion lands, and the best positions close to a Malmaison property are exactly the kind of thing that goes first. This article covers the confirmed UK stages, the Malmaison hotels positioned along the route, and what to expect when the race comes to town.
Why 2027 Is a Big Deal for UK Cycling Fans
The Tour de France has visited Britain twice before in recent memory, with the 2007 Grand Départ in London and the 2014 Grand Départ in Leeds. Both demonstrated what happens when a city properly gets behind the occasion. London's 2007 prologue drew over half a million spectators to watch a 7.9km time trial through the capital. The 2014 Yorkshire stages were different in scale but no less significant: the crowds, the build-up, and the atmosphere on the streets of Leeds showed what a northern city could do with an occasion of this size.
2027 goes further than either. For the first time, both the men's Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will start in the same country outside France, making this the most significant cycling occasion the UK has hosted. The full weight of the Tour's media and commercial operation comes with it, which means the cities on the route will feel the effect for days either side of the race itself. The window to plan well is now. Occasions like this reward people who move early.
The Confirmed 2027 Tour de France UK Route
The men's Tour de France begins in Edinburgh on 2 July 2027, with stage 1 running south to Carlisle. Stage 2 starts in Keswick, in the heart of the Lake District, and heads down the west coast to finish in Liverpool. The third and final UK stage runs from Welshpool in Wales south to Cardiff.
The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift starts in Leeds on 30 July, with stage 1 finishing in Manchester after crossing the Pennines. Stage 2 takes the peloton from Manchester through the Peak District to Sheffield. The final UK stage runs from Sheffield to London.
Between the two races, the route touches Edinburgh, Carlisle, Keswick, Liverpool, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, and London. Several of those cities have a Malmaison property at the centre of them, which makes planning a stay around the stages more straightforward than it might otherwise be.
Malmaison Hotels Along the Route
The confirmed route puts Malmaison properties in or close to several of the most significant stage cities, across both the men's race and the Femmes. Whether you are planning around a single stage or building a longer itinerary across multiple cities, having a central hotel already in the right place removes a significant amount of the logistical thinking. Here is what each location offers.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh hosts the men's Grand Départ on 2 July 2027, which makes it the most significant single location on the entire UK route. The city will carry the full weight of the occasion: race village, international media, and the kind of atmosphere that builds over several days before the peloton even rolls out. Malmaison Edinburgh sits in the city centre, well placed for the start line and everything the Grand Départ brings with it.
Liverpool
Stage 2 of the men's race finishes on The Strand in Liverpool, under the watchful gaze of the city's iconic waterfront. It is a finish that suits the city and a backdrop that will travel well on television. Malmaison Liverpool puts you in the city centre for the stage finish and everything that follows it.
Leeds
Leeds hosted the 2014 men's Grand Départ and has the strongest existing relationship with the Tour of any UK city. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift returns to Leeds on 30 July 2027 for the start of stage 1, thirteen years on. The city knows how to do this. Malmaison Leeds is central, walkable, and already familiar with what a Grand Départ does to the streets around it. The bar and brasserie make it an easy place to extend the day once the peloton has gone.
Manchester
Stage 1 of the Tour de France Femmes finishes in Manchester after crossing the Pennines from Leeds, with stage 2 then departing Manchester through the Peak District to Sheffield. That makes Manchester a two-day location for the women's race, and a practical base for anyone following multiple stages. Malmaison Manchester sits in the Northern Quarter, central to the city and well connected for spectators moving between stages.
Newcastle
Newcastle is not on the confirmed route, but its rail connections make it a practical base for spectators following the northern stages of both races. It is under an hour from Leeds and well connected to Edinburgh and Liverpool. Malmaison Newcastle is a strong option for anyone building a multi-stage itinerary across the north.
London
The Tour de France Femmes concludes its UK leg with a stage from Sheffield to London, which gives the capital a showpiece finish. Malmaison London puts you in the city for the occasion, with easy access to the South Bank and the wider city for the days around the stage.
How to Make the Most of a Tour de France Stay
The peloton passes any given point in a matter of minutes. The day built around those minutes lasts considerably longer. Arriving the day before gives you time to find a good spot on the route, take in the publicity caravan and the race village, and get a feel for the city's atmosphere as it builds. The morning of a stage in a host city is an experience in itself before the racing starts.
For the Grand Départ cities in particular, arriving early is not optional. Edinburgh and Leeds will have road closures, events, and crowds building from the day before. The spectators who get the best of the occasion are the ones already there when it starts to happen.
After the race passes, the city does not stop. The afternoon of a stage day in a Tour host city tends to produce one of those occasions where everyone around you is in the same mood and nobody is in a hurry to leave. Chez Mal Brasserie is exactly the right kind of place to return to: confident food, a proper bar, and somewhere that works whether you arrive at noon or well into the evening. Club Mal members get benefits that make the stay feel considered rather than incidental, and it is worth checking what is available before you book.
Booking Ahead for 2027
The cities on the confirmed route are a known quantity now, and demand for central accommodation in Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and London will not stay manageable for long. The Grand Départ cities in particular will move quickly: Edinburgh on 2 July and Leeds on 30 July are the two dates that will attract the highest volume of bookings from cycling fans travelling from across the UK and Europe.
City-centre hotels go first, because they remove the logistics entirely. No transfers, no coordinating transport on a day when the roads around the route will be complicated. Step outside, walk to the stage, come back when you are ready. All Malmaison locations and current offers are worth checking before you book.
Planning Your Visit: Tour de France UK FAQs
Has the Tour de France been in the UK before?
Yes. The 2007 Grand Départ was held in London and the 2014 Grand Départ opened in Leeds, with stages across Yorkshire before the race moved to France. Both are widely regarded as among the most successful UK sporting occasions of their respective years. 2027 brings both the men's and women's races to the UK simultaneously, which is a first.
How long do the riders take to pass?
The peloton typically passes any given point in a matter of minutes, though the lead vehicles, team cars, and publicity caravan extend the spectacle considerably. Most people build a full day around a stage rather than attending purely for the few minutes the race is visible.
How do I get around between Tour de France UK stages?
Rail is the most practical option. Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, and London are all on the main intercity network with frequent direct services. If stages fall on consecutive days, it is entirely feasible to follow two or three without needing a car, and staying centrally means you are already next to the station.
What should I bring to watch a Tour de France stage?
Comfortable shoes, layers, and something to occupy the wait. The publicity caravan passes before the riders and throws branded merchandise into the crowd. Food and drink options near the route get busy quickly, so arriving with supplies or booking somewhere nearby in advance is worth doing.
How early should I arrive to watch a Tour de France stage?
For a roadside spot in a city centre, two to three hours before the estimated passage time is a reasonable target. For the Grand Départ itself, arriving earlier in the day gives you time to explore the race village before the racing begins. Edinburgh and Leeds will have events and atmosphere building from well before the start.