Sawt Falasteen - Tour de France to go through Paris' historic Montmartre district

The world's most famous bike race will finish with a sprint on the Champs-Elysees as normal, but the climb of the cobbled hill to the domed Sacre-Coeur Basilica adds a picturesque new dimension.

At last year's Paris Olympics around 500,000 people lined the streets of Montmartre and the French capital.

The men's and women's Olympic road race saw competitors speed through some of the most iconic streets of the capital, including the famous Montmartre hill, and the Moulin Rouge cabaret made famous by 19th century artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

The inclusion of Montmartre gives organisers a logistical headache with the Tour peloton double the size of the 90-rider peloton at the Olympics threading its way through the district's narrow cobbled lanes.

At the Olympics, the road race started and finished in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Due to preparations for the Olympics, last year's Tour de France finished with a time-trial on the Cote d'Azur in Nice.

Traditionally the final day's stage in Paris is a parade with the battle for the coveted yellow jersey having been decided the day before.

The concluding 21st day of competition culminates in an eight-lap sprint of the Champs-Elysees, the French capital's most famous boulevard, with the finish in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe.

N.Shalabi--SF-PST