Saturday: There's always drama when the Tour reaches Mount Ventoux but this year local fire-fighting planes must tackle a wildfire at the base of the 'Giant of Provence'
The riders themselves will ride the majority of the 104-mile (167km) course through the rolling lavender fields of Provence before the final category-five climb
A good ride from Alberto Contador (l) should guarantee that he wins the Tour but fellow mountain expert Andy Schleck (r) will want to push him all the way while Lance Armstrong (c) will fight to keep third place overall
There are also team battles to fight as Contador and Armstrong's Team Astana bunch together ahead of Team Garmin to push for the foothills of 'Mount Baldy'
The mountain itself, it is estimated, is lined by over 500,000 spectators, some more enthusiastic to show their support than others
Juan Manuel Garate of Spain and Team Rabobank is first across the line, just ahead of Germany's Tony Martin, only the second time that this stage has been contested so close to the end
Only 38 seconds later, Andy Schleck wins his personal battle against Contador but the Spaniard is home in time to retain the yellow jersey ahead of Sunday's near-procession through Paris
Sunday's leg through Paris is flat, with several sprint and bunch-sprint sections, meaning that as long as Contador stays on his bike he is as good as guaranteed his second Tour win
It's also a day of personal triumph for Team Garmin's Bradley Wiggins who is all-but assured of fourth place overall, the joint-highest overall finish for a British rider
Sunday: Schoolchildren take part in a yellow jersey ride through Paris ahead of welcoming Contador and the peloton over the final finish line
With the final stage being a traditional, flat, 102-mile (164km) ride to Paris, there is little competition for places expected and Contador leads out the riders in the leader's yellow jersey
Even so, Contador (r), third-placed Armstrong (l) on his first Tour since 2005, and Astana team-mate Sergio Paulinho won't let anybody think today is hard work
The rivalries are put aside and the celebrations begin as Andy Schleck, Contador's nemesis on Mount Ventoux, and Alessandro Ballan, an early contender on the tour, congratulate Contador
Even Fabian Cancellara, sporter of the yellow jersey for many of the stages in the first week, joins the throng of press photographers and fans to get his snap of the procession to the Champs Elysees
Mark Cavendish, so hoping to wear the sprinter's green in to Paris, and Thor Hushvod, who does wear the jersey, put aside their argument earlier in the race to enjoy the day
The streets of the French capital swell between the national landmarks and the 156 riders cycling past, none of whom are making use of the city's 250 miles of cycle paths today
The peloton get their first sight of the Arc de Triomphe and those spectators along the Champs Elysees get their first sight of the yellow jersey
Manx man Cavendish still gets his moment of glory, winning the stage on the Champs Elysees (the first British cyclist to do so), his sixth stage win of the tour (another British record) and far ahead of Hushvod
The race is run and the final jerseys are awarded - the polka dots of the best climber to Franco Pellizotti, green to Hushovd, yellow to Contador, and the white of the best young rider to Andy Schleck
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