Following three memorable days in England, the Tour de France has returned to Gallic soil. Here we suggest cycling holidays that feature key sections of the remaining route.
Stage 5 (July 9) is likely to be a belter, containing as it does nine sections of cobbled roads or pavé, some of which - such as the Carrefour de l'Arbre - feature in the gruelling Paris-Roubaix one-day race, held every April. Cobbled roads are notoriously difficult to cycle over, and at least one contender for the title is expected to lose time on the challenging terrain.
Amateurs wishing to test their mettle should base themselves in Lille. To the east and south of the city is where many of the Paris-Roubaix cobbles are found, including the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Lille can be reached on the Eurostar and is know for its elegant shops, buzzing cafes and markets. Helen Pickles, in her guide to Lille, recommends taking the metro to Roubaix, "a town whose forlorn, windswept appearance is the unlikely setting for a sumptuous Art Deco lido and a fashionable art gallery." For good-value rooms, she suggests Hotel Kanaï (0033 320 571 478; hotelkanai.com).
In honour of the First World War centenery, stage 6 (July 10) starts in Arras, and passes the battlefields of the Somme and the Chemin des Dames.
The website Freewheeling France has some tips on cycling the Somme, and a suggested four-day itinerary, starting in Arras and visiting La Grande Mine, the largest surviving crater from the war, Mametz, Longueval and Pozières, and the Thiepval and Vimy memorials. See 
Anthony Peregrine, Telegraph Travel's France expert, recommends visiting the Great War battlefields as part of an organised coach tour.
The Thiepval Memorial (Photo: Getty)
Stage 11 (July 16) is a hilly one, taking riders from Besançon to Oyonnax, through the beautiful Jura Mountains of the Franche-Comté region.
Headwater offers an 11-day itinerary starting in Besançon (the birthplace of the chef Raymond Blanc) and including stops at picturesque, medieval Ornans; Arbois, the wine town and former home of Louis Pasteur; Poligny, the home of Comté cheese; and the vast Grottes d'Osselle caves. From £1,567, including flights and accommodation. See headwater.com.
The beautiful Jura Mountains (Photo: Alamy)
This year's foray into the Alps is a brief one. Stage 13 (July 18) features a nasty climb upto Chamrousse (18.2km at 7.3 per cent gradient), while Stage 14 features the highest point in the entire race, the 2,360-metre Col d'Izoard (19km at 6 per cent).
Saddle Skeddadle offers a one-week "Alpine Introduction" tour of the French Alps, with riders tackling at least one devilish climb each day, including Morzine-Avoriaz, Colombière, Madeleine, and Alpe d'Huez. More experienced cyclists can opt for the "Raid Alpine" itinerary, which features 43 categorised cols, including the Izoard. See .
Stage 15 (July 20) begins in Tallard, a popular destination for paragliders, around 12 miles south of Gap, and finishes in Nîmes. En route the riders will pass through Sisteron, known for its imposing citadel; Cavaillon, famous for its melons; and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, home to the impressive Roman site of Glanum and the birthplace of Nostradamus.
Inntravel offers a self-guided, one-week tour of the Luberon Massif, in which Cavaillon is found. It is, the firm says, "quintessential Provence, where below the woodland and limestone cliffs lies a sunny plain whose undulations are crowned by ancient villages of honey-coloured houses that cluster around crumbling châteaux and shaded squares". From £1,315, including rail travel and accommodation. See inntravel.co.uk.
A handful of Pyrenean stages are likely to decide the outcome of this year's race. Stage 16 (July 22) takes in the Port de Balès (11.7km at 7.7 per cent), Stage 17 (July 23) features the Col de Peyresourde (13.2km at 7 per cent), and Stage 18 (July 24) the Col du Tourmalet (17.1km at 7.3 per cent) and the Hautacam (13.6km at 7.8 per cent).
Saddle Skeddadle's 10-day "Pyrenees Challenge" features between 41 and 75 miles of cycling a day, tackling peaks including Tourmalet and Peyresourde, as well as the Col du Aspin and the Port de Pailhères. From £1,495 per person, not including flights. See .
As is customary, the race concludes in Paris. The last leg begins in Versailles and ends on the Champs-Élysées.
A ride from London to Paris is manageable in three days, and can be done in particular safety along the mostly traffic-free Avenue Verte. Alistair Sooke did the journey for Telegraph Travel last year.
Paris itself has hundreds of miles of cycling routes, and a popular Vélib bike sharing system – similar to the scheme offered in London.
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