The queen stage of the 2016 Tour, on the French National Day of Bastille Day, this mountain stage departed west out of Montpellier before quickly turning north-east to head through Castries and Sommières. The route then zig-zagged east through Vergèze to Bouillargues. Continuing east, the riders travelled through Beaucaire, Tarascon and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence to an intermediate sprint at Mollégès. The race then headed north-east through Cavaillon and ascended through Gordes to the Category 4 Côte de Gordes at . Turning north, with a brief descent, the race continued climbing into the Category 3 Col des Trois Termes to . The route then descended to Mazan and turned east to Bédoin. The riders continued east to begin the ascent of the Hors catégorie Mont Ventoux, at an average gradient of 8.8%, using the southern route to the summit. The finish line was to have been reached at an altitude of after a ascent. After a weather forecast of high winds at the summit of Ventoux, the stage was shortened by the day before. The stage finished at Chalet Reynard at , with approximately of ascent up the mountain.