From bike race to outdoor adventure: all the ways to tackle the Tour de France route in Denmark

From 1-3 July 2022, the first section of the Tour de France, the Grand Départ, will take place in Denmark. You don’t need to be a professional cyclist to enjoy what Denmark has to offer however – with options along the route from hiking to kayaking, paddleboarding, birdwatching and yachting, Denmark is bursting with exciting outdoor activities for allcomers. Get active in the capital city of Copenhagen, tackle ancient hiking routes in Jutland or island hop around Fyn – the Tour de France is just the start! 

Here are some of the best active options all along the Tour de France Route: 

Stage 1 Highlights: City Adventures in Copenhagen

The first stage of the Tour de France runs right along the harbour and centre of the city, where there are always plenty of activities for visitors to try. Copenhagen’s canals combine outdoor activities with the urban spirit of Denmark’s capital city, and unique options abound, from skiing down a power plant to exploring inner city farming and outdoor dining.

• In the world’s most bicycle-friendly city, renting a bike is a great way to get around. Visitors can explore the city on two wheels or in a cargo bike and traverse bike-only bridges across the harbour. Families will love the Traffic Playground in Fælledparken, a special playground set up to help children learn to cycle on roads with working traffic lights. Travellers wanting to test themselves against the professional cyclists by cycling the Tour de France route in Copenhagen can find a map of the route here.  

• Explore the urban outdoors, with the 24km hiking route Amarminoen starting in Ørestad neighbourhood and running to Dragør, unique accommodation options including a floating shelter, and outdoor dining and urban farming initiatives at Øens Have and Banegaarden. 

• Copenhagen is an excellent city for runners. Join the locals running round The Lakes, run the longer Harbour Circle route (13 km) or go trail running in Dyrehaven, a beautiful deer park just outside the city. 

• Urban skiing and climbing are a unique ‘only in Copenhagen’ active choice at the multi award-winning Copenhill. The spectacular and innovative building was named World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival in 2021; its climbing wall is the highest in the world at 85 metres high. 

• Explore Copenhagen’s meandering and historic canals with GoBoat’s solar-powered boats, where you can be the captain for the day, or take a  Green Kayak for a tour. This sustainable tourism initiative invites tourists to do good and have fun at the same time, asking them to collect litter during their trip. Copenhagen’s famously clean harbour also offers plenty of chances to swim in the summer, particularly in the Bjarke Ingels Group-designed harbour bath at Islands Brygge. 

Stage 2 Highlights: Hiking, Biking and Island Living in Fjordlandet & Fyn

The second stage of the Tour de France starts in Roskilde and runs around the fjord area and down to Nyborg, in Fyn. Travellers can expect an introduction to some of the best nature experiences in Denmark, including some serious hiking and biking trails, along with unique islands and white sand beaches in the south.

• Around Roskilde, a 22-minute train ride from Copenhagen, you can discover the wide sandy Kulhuse beach, plus natural playgrounds, beach meadows and views of the Roskilde Fjord at Salvadparken, and see the legendary Ice Age Bolund Stone north of Risø. The story goes that a giantess threw the stone, furious at the sound of the bells of Roskilde Cathedral; thankfully she missed! 

• Also in the Roskilde area, you’ll find Zealand’s first national park, Skjoldungernes Land National Park, named after the fabled Skjoldungerne kings. The ice age landscape of hills and meltwater valleys includes unique nature and cultural history; the Gl.Lejre area is also famous for the heroic poem ‘Beowulf’. 

• Island hopping on Fyn offers a glimpse of a different side of Denmark, where life passes at a slower, more relaxed pace. Explore the many islands by ferry from Svendborg, Faaborg or Rudkøbing or hike the 220km Archipelago Trail around the South Funen Archipelago, a 9-day trip that can be broken into shorter sections for day walks.  

• An authentically Danish way to experience Denmark’s nature is to stay in a shelter. Try Skåret Shelter on the east coast of Ærø, approximately midway between Søby and Ærøskøbing. The free semi-outdoor camping huts often require that you arrive by kayak, on foot or by bike only.  

• The Tour de France route is not the only cycling route around – this area also includes the eastern part of the N8 Baltic Sea Cycle Route and the new Castle Route, a 665km route connecting most of Fyn’s majestic, fairy-tale castles and grand manor houses, due to open 1 May 2022. 

Stage 3 Highlights: Ancient Hiking Trails and Nature Experiences in Vejle & Sønderjylland

Hikers and nature enthusiasts will love the conclusion of the Danish leg of the Tour de France, running from Vejle to Sønderborg. Here, expect hiking trails and world heritage sites plus some of the country’s most spectacular wildlife experiences.

• Hiking enthusiasts could start with Jutland’s original main road, The Ancient Road (Hærvej), which takes you through over 500 km of Jutland’s most scenic landscapes. Two further routes are the Grejsdalstien, a 16-kilometre hiking route between Vejle and Jelling, and the Gendarmstien, an 82-kilometer route used by gendarms on patrol prior to the area being returned to Denmark in 1920. 

• Vejle and its vicinity offer a kingdom of cycling opportunities in a landscape shaped by the ice age. You can also cycle the Baltic Sea Cycle Route and the Flensburg Fjord Route, two long distance trails that run through the scenic eastern part of the border lands via the area’s most-visited attractions.  

• On the water, Vejle Fjord is a great place to try sea kayaking, while on the islands off the Wadden Sea National Park, e.g. in Sønderstrand on Rømø, blo-karting is another high-octane activity to try on the windswept sandy beaches where speeds can reach up to 70km/hr. 

• Back on land, it is possible to cycle the Tour de France route, which will be signposted as a regional route in this area. Rail biking – where you cycle along part of an old railway track – is also a lovely way to explore the local area and is available in Haderslev and Aabenraa.

About the Tour de France 

From 1-3 July, the Tour de France Grand Départ will roll through some of Denmark’s most historic cities and beautiful landscapes, past breath-taking architecture, before it moves to France.  

• Stage 1 starts in Copenhagen, voted world’s most bike-friendly city, showcasing Amalienborg Castle, the Little Mermaid, parks, waterfront scenes and more on the way.   

• Stage 2 starts in front of Roskilde Cathedral and promises a windswept sprint across the Great Belt Bridge and a spectacular finish in Nyborg. 

• Stage 3 takes on Vejle’s challenging hills, and continues to the historic Jelling Rune Stones, Christiansfeld UNESCO World Heritage site, before a final sprint to the finish line in Sønderborg.  

Media library 

Find downloadable videos and images connected to the Tour de France here: Crowdriff Media Hub: Tour de France