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Vintage pictorial map showing the route of the 1955 Tour de France.
This edition of the Tour started in Le Havre before criss-crossing the Belgian, Luxembourgish, German, Swiss, and Italian borders. The race then followed the French Mediterranean coast and the Pyrenees before finishing in Paris. The map shows the various stages of the race, climbs along the route (including the famous Aubisque and Tourmalet climbs), and cities along the Tour. To the left of the map, blank slots are printed for fans to annotate the winners of each stage.
This race was dominated by the Frenchman Louison Bobet, who would become the first person to win three Tours in a row. During the race, Bobet suffered severe saddle boils which would require surgery and force him to skip the 1956 Tour.
This map was printed by Miroir-Sprint, a French sports newspaper headquartered in Paris. Advertisements for Air Algeria and Petit Luc cookies (a biscuit company still adored by French schoolchildren) are also shown.
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