France Expansion [April 2025]

The French countryside is getting new roads for the first time since its launch for the Virtual Tour de France, and it’s just in time for the Paris Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift & Paris-Roubaix!

Starting on April 7 / 8 (depending on your time zone), Zwifters on game version 1.87 will have access to the new routes in France, with more climbs, cobbles and chaos than ever before.

** To see the new routes, please make sure your Zwift app version is up to date. You can learn more about checking your Zwift app version here.**

To learn more about Paris-Rouibax Femmes avec Zwift, click here.

There are eight new routes to look forward to with all new route badges:

  • Ven-10
  • Croissant
  • Three Musketeers
  • Gentil 8
  • Bon Voyage
  • Hell of the North
  • Knights of the Roundabout
  • Sacre Bleu

Learn more about the routes here.

We will also introduce our newest challenge, “Hell of a Route Chaser”, featuring five of the new France routes, starting on April 7, 2025. Click here to learn more about challenges.

Please note that if you are not on game version 1.87, you may not see route details in the event description.

To learn more about the new France Map Expansion, check out the FAQ here.

9 Likes

I loved seeing the new cobbled roads, but I didn’t see any new climbs?

I’m sure we will get all the info when Eric gets back from vacation.

The official Zwift information seems to indicate that there are “new routes” that include (the already existing) climbs. I assume that was what was meant?

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looks like there are just two small new sections with a few sprint segments, no new climbs, unless you count that uphill sprint that finishes on the bridge in the new cobbles section.

So I did the update on the companion app but can’t add the new routes from the France expansion the “My List”. Is there an issue with that?

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The two new roads are 2.7km and 3km long. It looks like Croissant is the shortest route with both of the new roads and it will take you on a clockwise lap that is 9,2km long (50m elevation gain per lap).

The numbers for this route appear to be different between the Zwift website (link posted in the OP) and in the game. The website says 3.1km lead in and 6.2km distance but the game seems more accurate with the same 3.1km lead in but 12.3km total distance. 3.1km lead-in plus one 9.2km lap (which is the actual lap distance).

Hi @Bionic_Sue_Hall_PHX welcome to Zwift forums.

Shuji at Zwift HQ here. Are you scrolling to the bottom of the My List screen in the Companion app? If no - please screenshot the My List page so we can see what you’re seeing?

Also - when add a route in the Companion app - those routes show up in the For Your row in the game’s Home Screen (the next time you log in to the game). Do the new expansion routes you selected show up in the For Your row?

@Aoi_Niigaki

Yup, confirming some discrepancies there. Thanks for calling it out.

A bit disappointed that France classic fondo still is event only and that there isn’t a classic fondo with an additional finish up Ventoux…

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If it was up to me, there would be a cluster of 3%+ little-moderate hills (265-600 feet) in all that boring flat section away from Les Intestines little rollers.

It’s bizarre how few low categorised hills (2/3/4) there are in Zwift and even more weird regarding their absence in the France world.

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Or that ventop is the only route that includes the summit of Ventoux…

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Do the cobbles have a different rolling resistance than the pavement, similar to the dirt?

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Macaron is the shortest route. 2.6km, flat, event only. Made specifically for tiny races :roll_eyes:

Yes, here is the list from zwiftinsider.com

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Does anyone know what the “Mostly Ventoux” segment is?
Is it from the petite kom to Ventop banner?
Also, if I ride up the petite kom and continue to the top, will I get the spinner?
(because I’m literally never going to do it again if I won’t get the spin)

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I can’t look at the screen when I’m on the ‘intestines’.
I would take a slower cobble road shortcut than a high speed nausea section.

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That is correct. That way up to the summit of Ven-Top misses the lowest 1/10 of the climb if you chose Ven-Top from the Route Selector, hence Mostly Ven-Top.

Yes, you will.

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Thanks, Shuji

I can’t seem to find the update anywhere. It’s April 7 at about 6:30 PM for me now and still no update on the forums or ZI. 1.87 was with the New France HUD updates so the new roads should be on 1.88 and I don’t see it. I usually get the update a day later on Tuesday on my device but I don’t see it on Zwift Insider either.

I guess it is 1.87 so I’ll check if I have the new roads, I just also know that 1.87 was 4 days ago with the Ventoux updates so I guess this might be 1.87 part 2?

The new roads were switched on by Zwift HQ on the server side, 1.87.2 is the current version (on PC at least)