President Emmanuel Macron again showed his presence at the sixth stage of the 2026 Tour de France between Pau and Gavarnie-Gèdre. In doing so, the French head of state continued a tradition he has maintained since taking office in 2017. For the first major mountain stage of this year’s tour, Macron traveled to the Pyrenees and accompanied the race on one of the most prestigious sections of the route.
According to the Elysée Palace, Macron boarded the race director’s vehicle of Tour director Christian Prudhomme before the climb to the legendary Col du Tourmalet. Afterwards he watched the finish in Gavarnie-Gèdre and took part in the awards ceremony, where the wearers of the classification jerseys were honored. The presidency said that with the visit the president wanted to pay tribute to the commitment of the riders, the organizers and the numerous public services that contribute to the smooth running of the Tour de France.
Macron’s participation in the Tour de France has long become a habit. In recent years he regularly visited mountain stages in the Pyrenees, including Hautacam in 2025, Cauterets-Cambasque in 2023, Luz-Ardiden in 2021 and the Tourmalet in 2019. Observers assume that this was likely his last visit to a Pyrenees stage as head of state, since his second and, under the French constitution, final term ends in 2027.
The 186.2-kilometer sixth stage from Pau to Gavarnie-Gèdre marked the first major test of the 2026 Tour de France. With the climbs to the Col d’Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet and the summit finish in Gavarnie-Gèdre, it was considered the first decisive barometer for the favorites for the overall victory. Accordingly, the cycling world’s attention was focused on this section, which could already early in the race provide important clues about the balance of power in the general classification.