the essential
The largest cycling race in the world, hosting the Tour de France is not free for municipalities. Moreover for a stage finish. The City of Villeneuve-sur-Lot has done the accounts.
Thursday July 11, 2024. Thousands of people are gathered in the streets of Villeneuve-sur-Lot. From the top of Avenue du Général de Gaulle via the Allée Georges-Leygues or the Route d'Agen, Villeneuvois and tourists are at the edge of the asphalt to applaud the Tour de France riders. Forgotten for a quarter of a century, the bastide welcomes the Grande Boucle with great fanfare. In addition to the desire to provide an unforgettable summer day for residents and people passing through, the municipality had pulled out all the stops. Entertainment villages, producers' market, big closing concert (unfortunately canceled due to the storm), everything had been designed to make “the cradle of prunes” shine.
Also read:
Tour de France 2024: Christian Prudhomme and Bernard Thévenet tasting on the most beautiful terrace in Villeneuve-sur-Lot
But hosting the Tour de France, like organizing its side effects, is not free. Even less when it comes to a stage finish. The first invoice, that of the “entry ticket” from ASO, the organizer of the cycle race, is €95,254.
145,500 euros in sponsorship
“On the Tour de France operation itself, the cost for the City, without roads, was €225,363” reveals Gérard Régnier, the mayor of the bastide, who had promised to present the details of the expenses – but also revenue – in municipal council. The ASO invoice subtracted, the two other expenditure items focus on events and territorial marketing operations (€117,899) and for other events linked to the Tour de France organized upstream such as Défi 47, the Dictation of the Tour and the Fête du Tour (€12,210).
Also read:
Tour de France 2024: during the Aurillac-Villeneuve stage, the central reservation at Sauvetat-sur-Lède caused a significant fall
The City went on a “hunt” for subsidies and support “so that these expenses weigh as little as possible on our finances, by succeeding in mobilizing numerous partnerships” continues the Villeneuvois councilor. In terms of public support, Villeneuve was able to count on aid of 55,000 euros from the Department of Lot-et-Garonne. For the rest, it is private partnerships which have reduced the bill for the Tour in Villeneuve. The €100,000 from the Bureau Interprofessionnel du Pruneau (BIP) first, then companies and individuals from the Lot valley and elsewhere. “We had 45,500 euros collected from entrepreneurial patrons and via Collecticity, the organization which allowed us to collect donations” welcomes the mayor.
With these revenues in the municipal bag, the net cost of the Tour de France for the City only amounts to €24,863. “Excluding roads and additional staff costs” comments Gérard Régnier. Indeed, the three days before the finish of the Tour generated an additional expense of “€9,000 in personnel costs”. A limited “human cost” thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who are involved in reception, security and activities. And for the roads, the expense dedicated to the Tour itself was billed at 30,000 euros. “I say the so-called “Tour de France” expense, because these road works continue and benefit the City and users over time,” says the Villeneuvois mayor. These 30,000 euros of road repairs included the resurfacing of Boulevard de la République and Allée Lamartine, the demolition of Berlin cushions and the resumption of the so-called “Jeanne de France” speed bump.
With an advanced bill of less than 25,000 euros, the bastide on the banks of the Lot has enough to make other stopover towns blush.
