Vintage Photos of the Tour de France

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On July 1, 1903, the first Tour de France commenced in a Parisian suburb with five dozen competitors originating from France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Belgium. The brainchild of a struggling bi-monthly sports-based publication called L’Auto, the Tour de France was created with the intention of raising viewership and funding for upcoming issues. Bikers raced across over 1,500 miles of sometimes uncharted terrain in hopes of securing the championship title and a healthy 20,000 franc prize.

Today, the Tour de France encompasses over 2,000 miles and has three times the amount of riders, broadcasting each year in nearly 200 countries with billions of global spectators watching both at home and on the sidelines each year. This year, the competition, which has been delayed until August 29, will look a bit different, with smaller viewing crowds and a ban on “faire la bise,” the traditional shared kiss between riders and prize-presenters. The race will follow the same intended route from Nice to Paris, concluding the competition on September 20. As we await the 107th edition of the race and celebrate the anniversary of its inception, CR revisits archival images of the landscapes, competitions, and spectators over the course of the event’s history.

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