The Tour de France: a case study in managing large-scale events

Every year, for three weeks in July, the Tour de France moves around 4,000 people and 2,000 vehicles a day. Jean-Louis Pagès oversaw the logistics of this event for more than thirty years. Based on the roadmap defined by the Tour de France director, he had to overcome real challenges, such as organising a grand departure in Corsica or an arrival at the Col du Galibier. Each year, he studied the 3,500 kilometres of the circuit metre by metre, noting the width of the roads and potential obstacles. He would then discuss the route with the mayors of the stage towns and, under the authority of the relevant prefect, bring together the mayors of the municipalities crossed in each department, as well as the state (police, gendarmerie) and departmental (fire brigade) services to explain the route and overcome their objections. During the race, he had to oversee the starts, routes and finishes, which meant he slept only three or four hours a night, but with the exhilarating feeling of being the discreet driving force behind a global sporting and media event.