The start town lies on the River Ain, at the foot of Mont Rivel. The Tour last visited Champagnole in 2020, when Søren Kragh Andersen won solo from the breakaway.
Right from the start, the road tilts slightly uphill, and it continues that way for the first 22 kilometres, though there are some short descents along the way. Averaging just 2.1%, the gradients are negligible.
After a 6-kilometre descent, the riders reach Morez, where the Côte de Doppes begins. It’s another easy asecnt – 15.2 kilometres at 3.6% – this time preceding a sheer endless descent. The route goes downhill for nearly 50 kilometres, broken only by the Côte de la Mulaz: 3.6 kilometres at 4.2%.
The riders reach the val;ley floor in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, at the confluence of the Valserine and Rhône rivers. Soon after, the road starts to rise again on the modest Côte de Vulbens, 4.3 kilometres at 3.1%. Without a descent to follow, the road keeps climbing gently for another 15 kilometres.
After a brief plunge downhill, the easy climbing changes into the opposite. The Col de la Croisette delivers 7.6 kilometres at an average gradient of 8.8%, with the final 4.7 kilometres ramping up to a brutal 11.2%. At the summit, there are just under 50 kilometres remaining.
Straight from the descent comes the Côte de la Moussière, 2.5 kilometres at 7.3%, followed by a long downhill into the Arve valley. Just beyond Bonneville, the final climb opens with 4 kilometres at double digits. After that, the gradient oscillates between 8 and 10%, easing only slightly over the final 1.3 kilometres. The climb to the Plateau de Solaison totals 11.3 kilometres at an average gradient of 9.1%.
In 2022, the final stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné finished at the Plateau de Solaison, with Jonas Vingegaard crossing the line alongside his then-leader Primoz Roglic. The Dane took the stage win – and rightly so, as he was clearly the stronger climber thay day – while Roglic secured the overall victory.
Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 15th stage 2026 Tour de France.
Tour de France 2026, stage 15: route, profiles, videos
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