The Map of the 1978 Tour de France unfurls a joyful geography of cycling’s grandest pageant, published in 1978 by Leroy Merlin with whimsical contributions from the French artist Dero.

We also have a route map of the 2026 Tour de France.

In bright, confident color and classic pictorial style, the route sweeps from the Dutch start at Leiden through Brussels and Lausanne, then loops the French hexagon toward a Parisian conclusion. City names—Bordeaux, Toulouse, Metz, Grenoble, Nantes, and Paris—anchor the itinerary, while regional costumes and creatures dance across the borders with affectionate humor. Logos of Le Parisien and L’Équipe punctuate the sheet, signaling media ardor for a race entering a new era. This is both an atlas of stages and a theatre of the nation, where every vignette nudges the viewer to trace the drama mile by mile.

The cartography is deliberately legible and enthusiastically didactic. A bold, continuous line parades the stages with clarity, while a cross-section illustration translates the Pyrenees, Alps, and Massif Central into an elegant ribbon of gradients. Cols are crisply labeled—Tourmalet, Alpe d’Huez, La Colombière, and the volcanic Puy de Dôme—summits that punctuate the narrative like fanfares. Dero’s lively hand and the editor’s eye collaborate to show not just where the road goes, but how it rises and fractures. The result is a map that doubles as a race manual: an illustrated choreography of climbs, descents, transfers, and decisive terrain rendered in a language anyone can read at a glance.

Cities and regions are given the warmth of personality. Paris presides as the ceremonial terminus, but the outlying scenes steal their share of attention: Bordeaux and Toulouse suggest sun-washed avenues of speed, while Metz and Grenoble beckon toward harder country. Leiden opens the curtain in the Low Countries, Brussels offers a cosmopolitan waypoint, and Lausanne leans into the alpine promise to come. Biarritz draws a salt-bright breath from the Atlantic, where playful fish and jaunty umbrellas hint at seaside stages and summer light. A Breton woman, a Normandy cow, and a sunburnt Belgian child populate the margins, and even a dragon coils in playful watch—folk archetypes that turn geography into story, inviting viewers to remember the route as much by character as by compass.

Published under the Leroy Merlin banner and drawn with Dero’s genial wit, the design belongs to a cherished French tradition of pictorial cartography—half guide, half poster, all charm. Every element is orchestrated with a graphic clarity that rewards close study: taut lines for the route, deftly balanced titles, and sprightly icons that never overwhelm the message. The logos of Le Parisien and L’Équipe situate the piece in the media-rich world of late-20th-century sport, where reportage, art, and public spectacle met on the page. It is popular art at its best, a map that speaks fluently to fans and flâneurs alike, making complex logistics feel effortlessly graspable.

Historically, 1978 marks the first Tour de France victory for Bernard Hinault, a moment when the peloton’s old guard gave way to a new sovereign. Retirements and injuries among prior champions reshaped the competitive field, and the map reflects that sense of turning page—crossing borders at Leiden and Brussels, brushing Lausanne, then plunging into the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, and the Alps where the general classification would be forged. Names like Tourmalet and Alpe d’Huez rise here like omens, while interludes in Bordeaux or Toulouse promise speed before the next reckoning. By the time the line curls back to Paris, the sheet has narrated a season’s transformation, preserving a decisive Tour as both an itinerary and a talisman of change.

Cities and towns on this map

• Paris (modern-day population: ~2.1 million)
• Toulouse (modern-day population: ~1.4 million)
• Bordeaux (modern-day population: ~250,000)
• Metz (modern-day population: ~120,000)
• Grenoble (modern-day population: ~160,000)
• Nantes (modern-day population: ~310,000)
• Brussels (modern-day population: ~1.2 million)
• Lausanne (modern-day population: ~140,000)
• Leiden (modern-day population: ~124,000)
• Biarritz (modern-day population: ~25,000)

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Route Path: Clearly marked route for the Tour de France across various stages.
• Col Labels: Key mountain passes like Tourmalet, Alpe D'Huez, La Colombiere, and Puy de Dome.
• Cross-section Illustration: Depicts hilly stages in the Pyrenees, Alps, and Massif Central.
• Regional Illustrations: Various character sketches like a sunburnt Belgian child and a caricature of a Brittany woman.
• Logos: Logo representations of "Le Parisien" and "L'Equipe," indicating involvement from these major French publications.
• Stylized Icons: Cartoonish representations of features such as fish, umbrellas, and a dragon.

Historical and design context

• Creation Year: 1978.
• Mapmaker/Publisher: Published by Leroy Merlin, with contributions noted from Dero, a French artist.
• Design Style: Pictorial and thematic cartography with whimsical, brightly colored illustrations representing regional cultures (e.g., a Breton woman and a Normandie cow).
• Themes and Topics: Illustrates the 1978 Tour de France route, featuring famous mountain passes (cols), towns, and notable regions.
• Historical Significance: First Tour de France victory for Bernard Hinault, amid shifting race dynamics due to retirements and injuries of previous champions.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 90in (230cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.