Roubaix becomes the center of the world for one weekend… and of course it creates a bit of chaos 😉
If you’re not from around here, you should know that the Roubaix Velodrome is quite far from the city center and not very close to the metro or tram. Personally, from the VERA shop in the city center, it takes me about 15 minutes by bike.
And during the Paris-Roubaix weekend, as you can imagine… road traffic around the velodrome quickly turns into a bit of a mess.
So here are my best logistical tips so you can enjoy the incredible show that the Queen of the Classics gives us every year, without the stress!
Long story short, without spoiling anything… you’ll need a bit of patience and a good pair of shoes… and maybe a rain jacket! But the last time it actually rained at Paris-Roubaix was during the October 2021 edition, which had been postponed because of Covid… so that one doesn’t really count! :p
Alright then! Car, metro, bus, bike… I’ll walk you through everything.
+ Bonus: tips on how to access the stands. 🙌🙌🙌
🤓 Quick context first…
The finish of the race takes place at the André Pétrieux Historic Velodrome, which is part of the Roubaix Sports Park. It’s a large complex that spreads out quite a bit (remember what I said about good shoes). Here is the address: 130 Av. du Parc des Sports, 59100 Roubaix
Also, the Sports Park has two entrances:
One on the Stab Vélodrome side, Avenue Maxence Van der Meersch, and one on the Parc des Sports side, Rue de Lannoy. I strongly recommend using the Rue de Lannoy entrance.
👉 In previous years, public access on Sunday didn’t open before 1:00 PM. On Saturday it opens early in the morning for the Paris-Roubaix Challenge starts
🚗 Coming by car
→ Roads are open on Friday and Saturday without much trouble if you want to soak up the atmosphere, visit the Paris-Roubaix Expo Village, or take part in the Paris-Roubaix Challenge.
BUT next to the velodrome there’s a factory outlet that attracts quite a lot of people.
There is a large parking lot, BUT part of it is taken over by the race organizer ASO, so don’t rely on it too much.
→ On Sunday, race day for the Elite Men and Elite Women, things get more official. If you want to come by car, either arrive early (around 8-9 AM) or be ready to walk..
👉 So don’t expect to park right next to the velodrome.
The rest of Roubaix is actually pretty calm, like nothing special is happening… the traffic mainly builds up around the velodrome area.
The city of Roubaix also has a very detailed article street by street about traffic restrictions around the velodrome during Paris-Roubaixlodrome pour Paris-Roubaix
👉 So that’s it for the car.
🚌 What about public transportation?
Well… it’s not ideal either, because no metro or tram stops near the velodrome.
The closest metro station is Eurotéléport, which means about a 30-minute walk… like I said, it’s quite far out.
But there are buses.
Including Bus L3, which gets fairly close to the velodrome and departs about 100 meters from Eurotéléport metro station. Get off at Motte, or Pont Rouge if traffic is disrupted.
🚲 Coming by bike
Clearly the best option.
However, the velodrome doesn’t offer dedicated bike parking during the weekend – ironic, right? You’ll have to park wherever you can, so don’t forget your locks.
Is getting to the velodrome during Paris-Roubaix a bit of an obstacle course? Absolutely! But good news: no cobbles for you on the way, unlike the pros.
🏟️ What about accessing the stands?
Here again, arrive early.
➡️ For the Elite Men finish, plan to be there about 3 hours before the finish so you have time to walk around, grab some fries, and secure a good spot. They should arrive around 4:30 PM, I’ll let you do the math.
➡️ For the Elite Women, it’s harder to give advice this year because the schedule has changed! Instead of racing on Saturday, the Elite Women will race Paris-Roubaix 2026 AFTER the men, with an expected finish around 6:15 PM. So… you’ll already be there, you’ll see how it goes 😉
As you can imagine, many areas are reserved for VIPs, so the space for spectators at the finish is somewhat limited.
🤓 So yes, it’s controlled and a bit protocol-heavy… but it’s absolutely worth coming!
The insane tension, the helicopters, the champions arriving, the crowd going wild, the last laps on the track, the bell ringing… pure joy!
And if you arrive early, you definitely won’t get bored.
The U23 and Junior races finish early in the afternoon, which is perfect to warm up the atmosphere. You can also explore the Sports Park, check out the murals, and visit the Paris-Roubaix Village with giant screens, beer taps, fry stands and exhibitors… including me! 🙌
And if you’re REALLY bored, come say hi at my cycling cap booth !
I’ll also have my HELL OF A RIDE special collection with me. See you soon for the greatest cycling celebration of the year! ! 😍😍😍
