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Article published 18/08/2026

As Britain prepares to welcome the start of the 114th Tour de France in 2027, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been appointed by Grand Départ GB 2027 to deliver the opening moment of the Grand Départ - the iconic official team presentation.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo will stage and produce a spectacular opening ceremony celebration to begin the Grand Départ, including the official Presentation of Riders Ceremony for the 2027 Tour de France, on the early evening of Wednesday 30 June. The event will see the world’s top elite cyclists and their teams introduced to fans, ahead of the stage starting in Edinburgh on Friday 2 July, during a spectacular event to be held at The Edinburgh Castle Esplanade.

Credit: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

What to expect

Positioning Edinburgh Castle at the heart of an unforgettable international moment for sport and culture, a live audience of 8,500 fans within the arena – and millions watching live globally – will experience a production filled with music, movement, special effects, and storytelling.

In addition to fans at Edinburgh Castle, thousands more are expected to line the Royal Mile to join in the celebrations to ensure that as many fans and residents as possible can watch.

Blending the Tattoo’s seven decades of world-class outdoor performances with the heritage and energy of the Tour de France, the ceremony will feature the cultures of all three nations that the race passes through.

 

Fans will also be treated to a Highland welcome, massed pipes and drums, a bespoke song created by Angus MacPhail of the iconic Scottish band Skippinish, and cultural showcases celebrating the best of Britain and France. The event will blend elite sport, world-class Scottish traditional arts and community participation. 

The event will honour the athletes, celebrate the cultures and landscapes of Scotland, England, and Wales, and set the tone for their epic journey of the men’s Tour de France across its opening three stages through the Scottish Borders, the Lake District and north west England, and the heart of Wales across the 2, 3 and 4 July 2027, before Le Tour continues in France.

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of Scotland’s most spectacular cultural events. It’s fitting that the highly experienced and talented team behind the REMT will help deliver a celebration to mark the start of what promises to be one of the biggest sporting events Scotland has ever hosted.

Major events like the Tour de France Grand Départ shine an international spotlight on Scotland, driving global awareness and delivering lasting benefits for our visitor economy. They demonstrate our ability to host world-class experiences that bring together sport, culture and community on an extraordinary scale; the 2027 Grand Depart will be another global moment in Scotland.

Rob Dickson, Director of Industry & Events, VisitScotland

The 2027 Grands Départs will make history as Britain becomes the first nation outside of France to host both the men’s and women’s race starts in the same year, thanks to the support of funding partners the UK Government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, UK Sport and British Cycling.

The men's Tour De France will begin in Edinburgh before heading south through Midlothian, the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. 

Crowds at the team presentation in Lille. Credit: ASO &  Aurélien Vialatte

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