Just a placeholder post for future posts on locations featuring in this year's TdF

It's gonna be fun if we got kmz file for each stage and got "tour" the route in 3D on Google Earth!

Stage 1 (Jul 2) Fromentine to Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile : description / Google Maps Sattelite image

I've done Stages 1-3.

http://staff.washington.edu/hlove/2005/06/30/2005-tour-de-france-with-google-earth/

Harry_Love,
This is way great!!! Fantastic! I will definitely use this and track the route while watching live coverage tonight!!

It should not be difficult to make another kmz for upcoming stages, if we know the detail route map right? Hard thing should be find unfamiliar French towns/spot on Google Earth/Maps, isn't it?

I'm glad you like it. It was fun to do.

The official Tour de France site (letour.fr) has all of the markers and roads for each stage. For the towns that aren't found by searching GE, I used Mapquest to locate them. Then I went back to GE to place a marker. Since there are more town markers than are necessary to follow a stage, I chose a few in each stage where a change in direction was made.

After that it's just a matter of refining camera angles and setting up establishing shots to put each stage in context.

It would be great if others would cover the rest of the stages and post them here. I would be glad to do a few more if others would join in, too.

Nice. with GE Plus one can even draw tracks and have them followed in real detail. that will require good knowledge of the street. so i am interested in where the detailed routes are available, if at all

That's good. I will try to make one.
You should post this message to much bigger TDF funs or cyclist communities to get help and get more people to have fun. Do you know any good place?

Here is my attempt at Stage 1 using the 'Path' tool.

Import this to Google Earth, clickon the Path and then play. you may want to have the France Roads turned on.

This is great! I'll overlay the route map onto the Stage 1 kmz file. I don't have the Plus version so I can't make the paths myself.

Edit: Nevermind, I just realized that I can follow the path using the Play button. That means there's really no need for me to continue making the route maps if you've got the Plus version.

For the rest of the routes, you can get them from the stage listings on the letour.fr web site. It gives the roads and interchanges. You'd have to zoom in quite close to get the routes through the cities, including the actual start/finish lines (and you'd also have to guess), but at least the major roads are marked.

Canyou at least view the path (ie fly it) on the normal version of GE?

Yes, most detail is guesses. doing stage 2 now, but it's slow going due to lack of detail in all, the stage lists, GE and mapquest..