There were 21 stages in the race, covering a total distance of , shorter than the 2010 Tour. For only the second time since the 1967 Tour, the race started with a mass-start stage instead of a prologue (an individual time trial under ), the last occasion being in 2008. The longest mass-start stage was the seventh at , and stage 21 was the shortest at . The race featured only of time trialling, with stage two's team time trial and stage twenty's individual time trial. Of the remaining stages, ten were officially classified as flat, three as medium mountain and six as high mountain. There were four summit finishes: stage 12, to Luz Ardiden; stage 14, to Plateau de Beille; stage 18, to Col du Galibier; and stage 19, to Alpe d'Huez. It was the first time a stage had finished on the -high Galibier. It was the highest summit finish in Tour history, beating the finish of the -high Col du Granon during the 1986 Tour. The highest point of elevation in the race was the -high Col Agnel mountain pass on stage 18. It was among nine hors catégorie (English: beyond category) rated climbs in the race. There were fifteen new stage start or finish locations. The rest days were after stage 9, at the Le Lioran mountain resort, and after 15, in the department of Drôme.