Thibaut Pinot trades bikes for an Airbnb-style farm: "I’m proud to open the doors to my new life"
Cycling
Thibaut Pinot has announced a very special initiative to coincide with this summer’s Tour de France. The former professional will offer one family the chance to stay for three nights at his farm in Mélisey, in the Haute-Saône region, completely free of charge.
The experience is part of a collaboration with Airbnb, an official partner of the race, and will run from July 16 through 19, matching the peloton’s passage through the Frenchman’s hometown during stage 13 of the Tour, scheduled for July 17.
The package includes exclusive activities with Pinot himself, among them a welcome barbecue, a local bike ride, a lakeside picnic, and access to the team paddock on the stage day.
A standout moment will be a helicopter ride with the ex-rider to follow stage 13 from the air, taking advantage of the Tour passing through his region.
Pinot opens the doors to his new life
The Frenchman explained the personal meaning of the initiative in a statement highlighting his bond with his surroundings and his new chapter after professional cycling.
"I’m proud to open the doors to my new life and my farm in Mélisey, in Haute-Saône, to help people discover the region where I grew up and to which I’m deeply attached," Pinot said.
The ex-rider also underlined the value of the rural environment where he now lives and works after retirement.
"With the Tour de France passing through the village, it’s the perfect opportunity to show that our countryside has as much to offer as anywhere else, and that we truly feel at home here."
The experience will be available to just one family of up to six people and will include free accommodation and meals, though participants must cover their own travel to the farm.
Bookings open on June 19, one month before the event, at 09:00 (UK time) on the platform airbnb.com/thibautpinot, and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis due to the exclusivity of the offer.
From Tour star to farm life
Thibaut Pinot retired from professional cycling at the end of 2023 after a 14-year career with Groupama-FDJ. During his career, he claimed three stage wins at the Tour de France and finished on the podium in 2014, establishing himself as one of the most charismatic riders in the French peloton.
Thibaut Pinot attacking the GC group at Prat d’Albis 2019
Since retiring, he has focused on his farm, where he raises goats, sheep, and cows, an activity he already combined with his racing career. "The idea of running a farm and working the land has always been part of me. Thanks to cycling, I’ve been able to build all this," he said in 2023.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
- dude, Lemond never even was in the same race as Armstrong. He throws all these aspersions on other American riders who might usurp his throne as the greatest ever American racer. He doesn't say a single thing about (foreign) dopers who he actually raced against. Biggest douchebag move ever. I used to revere that guy, now I despise him. His actions are so weird.fatsupermodel02-11-2026
- This is just stupid, You do what you are good at not what you are weak at. He has no results to speak of when he participated. Even Froome, Conatdor had very little. With Pogi there he wont win none of the classics. he is already 30+ with a few years left at the top. It takes years to get good at classics. Is that really worth the effort???abstractengineer02-11-2026
- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
- You'll be the ongoing joke of 2027 with anything you post here!frieders302-11-2026
- Awwww your inside information must be from PogiFanGirl. You two daughters of different mothers?frieders302-11-2026
- Hey PogIFanGirl...wipe that cream from your lips! You're ever loving drooling and whatever you have for Tadej has your brain fried!frieders302-11-2026
- Why should he 'let it go' ! Because you said so? Anytime LA Doper is called out is a win win !frieders302-11-2026
- Geez LeMond...let it go. You're a has been, albeit a former great one. But this is all water under the bridge and just undermines your legacy further.Mshark01-11-2026
- 'The Slovenian has collected four Tour de France titles' ... '[Kieran Wood's] ... reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis'. i would say that is pretty inaccurate accurate coverage, kieran wood ... too bad that AI's knowledge often lags several months behind ... but proof reading is certainly part of accurate coverage, isn't it? but fortunately does Kieran Wood place 'strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.' i would say the fifth tdf title is pretty new (and even verified) information, so feel free to update this article.Ketterechts01-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment