France hosted the first modern Tour de France in 1903. The race was created by the sports newspaper L’Auto to increase circulation and was organized by Henri Desgrange, who became its first director.
The inaugural event covered about 2,428 kilometres in six stages. Maurice Garin, a French rider, won the overall classification after the demanding route linked Paris with cities including Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nantes.
The Tour quickly became a major annual sporting event. Although the race has sometimes started outside France, its identity remains closely tied to French roads and the traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The first edition was much longer and less standardized than the modern race, and early riders faced rough roads, limited support and very long stages.