Qhubeka - Heroes on Bikes

Cycling regularly is a source of well-being. What's more, it also contributes to improving air quality and reducing environmental risks. It promotes a sustainable future and Riding into the future is the banner under which the Tour de France has placed its C.S.R approach.

The Tour de France, a cycling monument, is committed to promoting mobility by bicycle. It wishes to generate a positive impact by inspiring all those who can to make cycling a part of their life every day... And there is a massive potential: 60% of travel in France concerns distances under 5 km (and 35% are less than 2 km) but only 4% of such travel is carried out by bicycle.


Riding into the Future: generating a positive impact.

With its Riding into the Future programme, the Tour de France is making real commitments, intended to generate a positive and significant imprint, particularly via three operations:


It's my turn, I'm taking action

"Beyond the positive and concrete impact produced by Riding into the Future, the Tour de France has been firmly committed for almost 10 years to working towards more environmentally responsible organisation. Alongside 12 other major international sports events, in 2017 the Tour de France was one of the founding members of the charter of 15 eco-friendly commitments, under the aegis of the Ministry of Sports and WWF France (the World Wide Fund For Nature).
This charter is an sporting adaptation of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals and each year binds the Tour de France into achieving social and environmental objectives."

 1. Limiting our footprint

100% of tests validated

  • 100% of the organiser's Škoda race vehicles are hybrid for the first time.
  • 3 red fully electric ENYAQ iV cars tested on 3 race stages including Christian Prudhomme's vehicle.
  • ENEDIS: fully electric publicity caravan and VIP vehicles.
  • XPO Logistics: tests on natural gas powered trucks at the end of the Tour de France.
  • ANTARGAZ: LPG fuel vehicles.
  • Progressive reduction in the number of vehicles.
  • Use of alternative means of transport: establishment of shuttle buses and access via gondola lifts and chair lifts favoured in the mountains whenever possible.
  • Organisation of eco-driving lessons for race route vehicle drivers and awareness raising sessions for other drivers (in the publicity caravan, media, etc.).

Protecting the environment

Publicity caravan 

  • 100% of plastic packaging for promotional items has been eliminated (except when imposed by hygiene constraints). This has been extended to all Tour de France products insofar as is possible.
    • 100% of E. Leclerc food packaging is recyclable.
  • Partners are encouraged to produce more useful objects using more environmentally-friendly materials sourced in France or in Europe.

Hospitality:  

  • Elimination of plastic packaging in gifts, in straws since 2018 and on guests' bracelets, while single-use plastic champagne glasses have been abolished in 2020 and replaced with re-usable glasses.
  • Coffee cups and soft drink tumblers are made from recycled and recyclable cardboard. A special operation is conducted with Vittel and Senseo to recycle cups and with Lemontri for collection and reclamation of this material.
  • 100% seasonal and 100% French food.  

Protecting the environment and safeguarding biodiversity are a priority for the Tour de France organisers. The Biotope consultancy firm has been assisting the development of the Tour de France since 2010 by assessing the impact of the race on the Natura 2000 European network of special nature protection areas. 

As a result, the 115 zones on the 2020 route have been meticulously studied in order to implement suitable measures to ensure their protection: no distribution of gifts, halt in sound broadcasting, material assistance, no-fly zones, etc. 

  • 100 000 rubbish bags made from recycled materials are handed out in stage towns and cities.
  • 9 coordinators assist host local authorities, Tour support personnel, riders and members of the public in sorting waste before and during the event. A specific "It's my Tour, I'm sorting" charter and training sessions have been developed for the occasion.
  • 1 hybrid environment vehicle is used to raise awareness about good practices for the general public to follow.
  • 126 waste collection zones for the riders (6 on each stage) are marked out and cleaned up by the organisers.

The "Tour de France of Biodiversity" is a joint project by the Tour de France, France Télévisions and the French National Museum of Natural History to promote the biodiversity of French regions among the general public. 

A 1′30″ segment on the special areas travelled through by the peloton is broadcast at the start of the coverage of each stage. Furthermore, the Museum publishes a charter of good behaviour and the Tour de France promotes it

Étape 1 - La posidonie

All together, cyclists, the public and the organisers work to make the race a huge success!

1 – Follow the rules concerning protected natural areas.

2 – Admire wildlife and plant-life without disturbing them.

3 – Refrain from parking in natural areas.

4 – Dispose of paper and litter in the designated places.

5 – Do not light fires.

6 – Use public transport whenever possible.

7 – Keep our roads clean and free of paint and graffiti.

8 – Keep a close eye on pets.

9 –  Find out more about the natural areas through which the race travels.

10 – Encourage a sporting spirit and the riders!

Beyond the sporting dimension, discovering and admiring the landscapes of France is part of the Tour de France's DNA: studies conducted for France Télévisions show that the many viewers who watch the Tour de France follow it to admire the landscapes as well as the racing. This is why the French Ministry for Ecological Transition proposes going a step further, by each day providing snippets of knowledge concerning the landscapes through which each stage passes, to combine knowledge, admiration and understanding.

17/09/2020 - Tour de France 2020 - Etape 18 - Méribel / La Roche-sur-Foron (175 km) -
17/09/2020 - Tour de France 2020 - Etape 18 - Méribel / La Roche-sur-Foron (175 km) - © A.S.O./Pauline Ballet

The 2020 Tour de France will let you to go through 12 of the 56 French natural regional Parks. Like a patchwork of the French landscapes, these parks are on one hand wild and beautiful examples of nature, but on the other hand are also inhabited areas, all of which is encapsulated via the treasures they boast in cultural, economic and heritage terms. They are also naturally associated with cycling through the tourist activities on offer but also and increasingly because cycling is one of the means of soft mobility promoted by the Regional Natural Parks.

Lac supérieur de Vens au coeur du parc national
Lac supérieur de Vens au coeur du parc national © Getty/cristianoalessandro

In charge of managing the second life of electrical appliances and as a committed partner to the social/solidarity-based economy, ecosystem believes it is a matter of urgency to get everyone in France involved in responsible recycling.

To us, giving, repairing and renewing materials are ways of increasing the service life and useful life of old appliances, as well as avoiding needlessly extracting new unused raw materials. We encourage all initiatives that make it possible to give a second life to electrical appliances, on the condition that these actions are in compliance with environmental regulations and standards. The reason why we are joining the Tour de France this year is to bring this message to the very heart of the towns and villages on the route and accelerate awareness-raising.  

Ecological gestures of solidarity that are within reach of the largest possible number of people

We can all take actions that make it possible to increase the useful life of an electrical appliance. By giving unused appliances, by repairing them yourself or with the help of a professional, by recycling an appliance that will no longer be used, we can take concrete action that changes things. Did you know that recycling means you protect health and the environment thanks to depollution? That you protect the earth's resources through eco-design, promoting repairs, re-use and recycling of materials? That you also protect jobs and the social/solidarity-based economy thanks to the development of industrial skills in France?

A solidarity-focused initiative to protect the least well-off

In the particular situation that we are currently experiencing, ecosystem wanted to put forward a solidarity-focused and environmental initiative by launching a wide-ranging solidarity-based collection of telephones. This emblematic piece of equipment has also become an essential device for maintaining social links. France's households are home to more than 50 million telephones and this is why we are inviting people, via the web site jedonnemontelephone.fr, to donate their unused mobile phones. In exchange, we are offering 100 telephones to the least well-off in each of the host towns on the Tour de France. Thank you for your solidarity.

2. Sharing together

Since 2013, local authorities have been able to host a weekend-long celebration of cycling.

These festivities raise awareness among the general public before the riders race through the area.

80% of stage towns and cities host the Fête du Tour each year.

The French Road Safety Authority's La route se partage ("Sharing the road") campaign is presented by volunteers at the start or the finish.

- 2 awareness-raising vehicles take part in the publicity caravan.

- Stands and volunteers can be found on the Tour de France fan parks in Nice and Châtelaillon-Plage.

During the Tour de France, the Ateliers du Tour workshops run several activities together with the French Federation of Bicycle Users and the French Federation of Cycling, aimed at young people:

  • Learning to ride.
    • 3 learners' cycle tracks: balance bikes, mountain bikes, cycling proficiency.
    • Learning bicycle repairs.
  • Protecting your bicycle (with the Bicycode anti-theft engraving system).
  • Appointments for refresher training with a local association (Cyclotrope in Nice).
  • Learning safety tips and the Highway Code with the French Road Safety Authority.
  • Choosing the right bicycle with Cyclable

The Tour de France backs the French Federation of Cycling by providing funding for:

  • The organisation of races in the under-16, under-18 and under-22 categories (boys and girls).
  • The organisation of training camps.
  • Travel expenses for races.
  • The development of cycling schools and promotion of cycling proficiency.
  • Training (in-race safety, first aid, volunteers, race officials).

13 regional committees receive support.

Finally, the Tour de France provides funding to the organisers of Paris–Roubaix Espoirs, Paris–Tours Espoirs, the Tour de l'Avenir and the Classique des Alpes.

Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque enables children in developing countries with heart defects to undergo surgery in France, if they cannot be treated in their home country due to a lack of technical resources. Every year, 30 ambassadors for the charity (athletes, artists, journalists and TV hosts) ride the Étape du Cœur ("Stage of the Heart"), a shortened version of an actual stage ridden before the elite riders race the stage. Their aim is to support the cause and give a huge boost to the profile of the charity.

#TDF2020 - L'étape du coeur MCC

This scheme aims to use the media to promote civic participation among young people from working-class neighbourhoods. 158 young people have taken part in journalistic immersion programmes at the heart of the Tour de France over the last 9 years.

The actions implemented by the Média-Pitchounes association have focused on 4 main themes:

  • Journalistic immersion on the Tour de France.
  • Organisation of celebrations with underprivileged neighbourhoods in Toulouse.
  • Promotion of cycling.
  • Learning to use media tools
Tour de France 2019 - 03/07/2019 - Grand Départ Jour 1 - Bruxelles (Belgique) - Conférence des enfants -
Tour de France 2019 - 03/07/2019 - Grand Départ Jour 1 - Bruxelles (Belgique) - Conférence des enfants - © ASO/Thomas MAHEUX
Tour de France 2019 - 03/07/2019 - Grand Départ Jour 1 - Bruxelles (Belgique) - Conférence des enfants -
Tour de France 2019 - 03/07/2019 - Grand Départ Jour 1 - Bruxelles (Belgique) - Conférence des enfants - © ASO/Thomas MAHEUX
Tour de France 2018 - 04/07/2018 - Grand départ - Conference de presse des enfants
Tour de France 2018 - 04/07/2018 - Grand départ - Conference de presse des enfants © ASO/Pauline BALLET

Since its very first participation on the Tour de France in 2017, the CENTURY 21 real estate network has been running the "A bicycle for a child" operation, whose patron is Bernard Hinault. This operation aims to collect unused bicycles that are still in perfect condition in order to offer them to underprivileged children who then can also fully enjoy the magic of the Tour de France.


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