The 1985 Tour de France started on 28 June, and had one rest day, in Villard-de-Lans. The race started in Brittany, Hinault's home region, with a prologue time trial in Plumelec. The route then headed north towards Roubaix, then south-east to Lorraine, then south through the Vosges and Jura into the Alps. From there, the Tour passed through the Massif Central en route to the Pyrenees. After leaving the high mountains, the route moved north to Bordeaux, before travelling inland, with a time trial at Lac de Vassivière on the penultimate day, followed by a train transfer to Orléans for the final, ceremonial stage into Paris. It was the first time since 1981 that the Tour was run clockwise around France. The highest point of elevation in the race was at the summit of the Col du Tourmalet mountain pass on stage 17.