Which mountain range did the Tour de France first cross in 1910?

The Tour de France first crossed the Pyrenees in 1910.

Race organizers introduced the mountain range to make the Tour more demanding and spectacular. The 1910 edition included difficult Pyrenean stages, notably routes over the Col de Peyresourde and Col d’Aubisque. Octave Lapize won the overall race and became the first Tour champion to conquer these major mountain stages.

The Pyrenees form a natural border between France and Spain, extending from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea. Their steep roads immediately changed the character of the Tour, making climbing ability a decisive part of the general classification.

The Alps did not make their Tour debut until 1911. This distinction is often overlooked because Alpine climbs later became closely associated with the race, including famous ascents such as Alpe d’Huez and the Col du Galibier. The 1910 Pyrenean experiment came first.