The 2012 Tour de France will start in Liège (Belgium) on June 30th, 2012. The Province of Liège is situated in south eastern Belgium, in the Walloon Region - or the French-speaking part of the country. Like Canada, Belgium is officially bilingual with Dutch and French as its two official languages. The French-speaking minority is concentrated in the south near the border with France whereas the Dutch-speaking majority lives in the northern part of the country along the border with Holland. 

Liège has a population of slightly more than one million inhabitants and is made up of 3 “arrondissements” (Liège, Verviers, Huy-Waremme) and 84 municipalities, spread over a surface area of 3, 862 km². The city of Liège (192, 000 inhabitants), bears the same name as the province, of which it is the county town. Seraing has 62, 000 inhabitants and the population of Visé is almost 17, 000 inhabitants. The Province of Liège is also a political entity, run by a Provincial College and a Provincial Council.  

Liège will host both a 6.1 km prologue race and the first Tour de France stage. Stage 1 is a 198 km (122.8 mile) loop to the Belgian village of Seraing (pop 62,000). This small town has twice hosted past Tours de France. The stage will end with a moderate 2.5 km (1.6 mile) climb.