The revival of the Tour de France femme and the fact that Zwift's opening stage in Paris coincided with the end of the men's stage 21 was a symbolic gesture of the passing of the yellow jersey and a spectacle of racing on the famous Champs Elysees circuit this July It is undeniable that the event attracted widespread attention.

However, La Montagne (opens in new tab) reports that the Grand Depart of the 2023 Tour de France Femme will move from Paris and instead start on July 23 from Clermont-Ferrand, capital of the Auvergne region, located in Massif-Saint-Lar

Tour de France Femme will be held in Paris.

Tour de France Femme champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) has not seen an official route decision, but said that after the huge success of the inaugural event, next year's opening stage will not have to be held in conjunction with the men's race in Paris.

"This year I was really happy to start on the same day as the men's race, on the Champs-Elysées. It was strong and the crowd followed me," Van Vleuten said in an interview ahead of the Tour de Romandie Féminin in Switzerland.

"The Tour de France Feminin is already ready. Maybe] it is no longer necessary to travel with us on the same day to get people's attention."

According to the official Tour de France Femme, there were nearly 20 million viewers in total over the eight days of racing in France, with France 2 and France 3 averaging 2.25 million viewers per stage and a 26.4% rating.

The finale alone, with Van Vleuten's victory atop La Super Blanche des Belle Filles, was watched by over 5 million French viewers.

This year's eight-day race began with the first stage at the Eiffel Tower, where the peloton circled the Champs-Elysées for 82 km. Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM) won the opening stage and took the first yellow jersey.

Some saw the opening stage, the site of the first three editions of the Tour de France's La Course, as something of an exhibition, while others saw it as an opportunity to connect the women's and men's races and attract spectators, and a great day for the sprinters.

Van Vleuten said that circuit racing did not suit his skills as a racer, but that he enjoyed the Paris opener.

"I liked the concept of starting on the Champs-Elysées," he said.

"I'm excited to see the whole route and see if it makes more sense," she said, referring to the official route announcement scheduled for October 27.

"You don't have to travel all over France in eight or ten days. It's a good move to try to move all over France every year."

The Tour de France Femme will be held next summer from July 23-30, and according to La Montagne, could include several stages in the Auvergne region, with some speculating that the mountain stages could include the Puy de Dome.

Race director Marion Rousse, who visited Clermont-Ferrand to host the Grande Palais, also reportedly discussed the possibility of holding the second stage between Saint-Genès-Champanel (Puy de Dome) and Mauriac (Cantal).

Moving the Grande Palais from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand would mean a major change, but it would also allow the race to cover new and varied territory, including new mountain courses and individual time trials during the eight-day race.

ASO will announce all route details for the Tour de France and Tour de France Femme on October 27 at the Palais des Congrès in Paris.