Passage of the Tour de France in Béziers, instructions for use

The Tour de France passes through Béziers on July 16. Midi Libre – Sophie Wauquier

The 16th stage of the Tour de France passes through Béziers, Tuesday July 16. Here's how to not miss a single thing from the show.

Tuesday July 16 at the end of the morning, the Tour de France will cross Béziers after the start of the stage in Gruissan and towards Nîmes (188.6 km). The last time the city saw the Tour go by was in 2006. 

11:59 a.m.: the caravan arrives

First meeting of the day: the passage of the caravan, whose entry into the city is scheduled for 11:59 a.m. The atmosphere should heat up with the numerous advertising cars and their handfuls of gifts. The caravan will follow the route of the stage.

1:57 p.m.: runners enter the city

The runners will arrive at 1:57 p.m. via the Narbonne road and will take the Occitanie bridge before reaching the Polygone roundabout via the Quai du Port Neuf. They will then go up Avenue Wilson to reach Allées Paul-Riquet. After passing through Place de la Victoire, the peloton will leave the city via Avenue Foch at 2:10 p.m.

Wilson Avenue, a viewpoint to see the runners

To make the most of the passage of the 178 runners, Serge Boix, president of the Vélo Club Cheminots Biterrois, advises taking advantage of the geography of Béziers and its slopes. "On Wilson Avenue, runners will be slower and easier to observe. It'll be a pretty narrow climb, so we'll be able to see them up close." 

Serge Boix also recommends the winding passages of the city, such as the rue des péniches, after the quai du Port Neuf. At the Polygone roundabout, the pace of the runners will be reduced and it will therefore be more comfortable to see them pass. The Jack-Cantoni footbridge, at the Polygone, is also a good point of view because it will allow you to gain height during the race. 

The Paul-Riquet aisles will offer space for spectators, even if the runners will be fast on this portion. 

Be careful of small spaces

Serge Boix reminds that spectators must ensure "respect the runners, particularly in small alleys where there will be little space on the sidewalks ", taking care not to overflow into the path of the runners and risk an accident.