FRENCH gendarmes will help police the Yorkshire stage of the Tour de France.

The nation’s police force will pass on their experience to local police during the Grand Depart stages.

West Yorkshire Police will still be responsible for maintaining public order when it comes to Yorkshire next year.

Dee Marshall, head of communications at Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “The French police will send over a small delegation to visit and share their experience.”

The tour will come through Huddersfield on July 6, 2014, – the second day of the Yorkshire stages.

Alun Ireland, Kirklees Council’s lead officer for the Tour spoke at the Holme Valley Area Committee about the council’s involvement.

He said: “Our highways, investment and regeneration are already working on the race for obvious reasons, there will need to be some work done before the race.

“Once we know the mile by mile route later this year it will be clearer what needs to be done.

“There are economic benefits, we want to maximise tourism opportunities and help businesses to do the same.”

The race enters Ainley Top from Elland at and takes in part of Lockwood, Honley and Holmfirth on its way up to Holme Moss.

Details of rolling road blocks, spectator view points and timings will not be known until nearer the date of the race.

A working party of Yorkshire councils has been formed to make sure everything is in place for the race to run smoothly.

Alun said there would be nine helicopters capturing the race for the global media which buys rights to cover it.

So far 13,000 volunteers have been recruited to provide support for the race and Alun said their roles would be similar to London 2012 Gamesmakers.

The council’s public health teams, recently transferred from the NHS to local authority control, are working on using the race to promote healthy living.

And local authorities are about to join forces to British Cycling to execute the sporting and health benefits of cycling. Among the work British Cycling may do includes the Bikability, a scheme for children to have access to a cycle.

Clr Ken Sims, chairman of the Holme Valley Area Committee, said: “We want people to have full enjoyment of this and for our businesses to benefit from it too.”

The annual Holmfirth Art Week next year will be pushed back two weeks to July 20, 2014, as a result of the race.

Organiser Richard Raby said: “Art Week usually begins on the first Sunday of July, but that’s when the race is and Holmfirth roads will be closed off so people will find it difficult to get to the exhibitions.

“Even putting it back a week would mean the artists couldn’t bring their work the week before, so in 2014 we’re holding it two weeks later.

But he added: “We’re more than happy to do that, it’s a great thing for the area.”