But while spectators are waiting for the cyclists to whizz past them between Thursday and Saturday, they might be tempted to do a spot of house-hunting.
Price-wise, and for natural beauty, Yorkshire is a fantastic place to relocate.
“We are surrounded by beautiful countryside,” says Karen Armitage, director of Pocklington and Market Weighton’s Hunters estate agency.
“You have got the Dales and we are part of the Yorkshire Wolds. Then you have all the coastal areas, the moors, and upmarket towns like Ilkley and Beverley with boutique shops, restaurants and cafes.”
Pocklington, a sleepy market town 20 years ago, has been transformed over the past 10 years into a vibrant community with a cinema and live entertainment at its arts centre.
Love Island narrator Iain Stirling is on next month, as is former Labour MP- turned writer Alan Johnson.
“A lot of people come to Pocklington because of the commuter links to York – and house prices are a lot cheaper,” says Karen, “but it has always been popular for its Tuesday market and in recent years there has been trendy cafes, shops and restaurants opening.
“We’ve also got some good supermarkets and Pocklington is very popular for downsizers because they can walk into town.”
Schools in the area, such as Woldgate School and Sixth Form, rated Good by Ofsted, and private Pocklington School – where William Wilberforce studied – attract growing families and there’s a five-bedroom period property on sale at nearby Seaton Ross that ticks many family boxes.
Geneva Willows has an Aga range in the kitchen, a conservatory, lounge and snug and comes with 2.5 acres of land plus three garages and two storage sheds for £600,000 (01759 487007; hunters.com).
While Pocklington is still “up-and-coming”, according to Karen, Beverley has already arrived.
Another popular market town, it is distinguished by its 13th century church: “It’s like a mini York Minster,” says Karen.
“Beverley is a very popular place and has improved dramatically in the past 10 years,” she adds.
“House prices have shot up as it has soared in popularity. It is very pretty.” Just a 15-minute train ride from Hull, which “has gone up in popularity” since being 2017 City of Culture, Beverley is another commuter and downsizing hotspot.
Hunters has a three-storey early 1900s house for sale in Beverley just a few minutes from the market square but also close to Westwood Pastures woods.
For sale at £700,000 (0800 008 6906; hunters.com), it has six bedrooms, three reception rooms, a cellar and mature garden with three brick outbuildings and a car port.
Stage Two of the Tour de Yorkshire is from Barnsley to Ilkley, finishing on top of Ilkley Moor at the famous Cow And Calf rocks.
Karen describes Ilkley as “the creme de la creme” and warns the prices are high: “It is very up-market and a former spa town in the southern end of the Yorkshire Dales.”
There are no spa baths any more but Ilkley Lido is a fabulous outdoor pool with views over the moors and you’ll always get a good cup of tea at Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms.
Downsizers may also like a two-bedroom first-floor apartment in the town’s Victorian former clock tower, which combines period features with contemporary fixtures and is for sale at £250,000 (0800 008 6906; hunters.com).
The two final gruelling sections of the Tour run through glorious countryside from Richmond to Scarborough then Halifax to Leeds.
But if you think that’s the big event over for another year, think again: August 1 is Yorkshire Day!
For more details of the race, go to letour.yorkshire.com
