Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race

Road bicycle racing

Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...

 in northern France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 near the Belgian frontier. Since its beginning in 1896 until 1967 it started in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 and ended in Roubaix

Roubaix

Roubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...

 (hence the name); since 1968 the start city is Compiègne

Compiègne

Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...

 (about 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) north-east from Paris center), whilst the finish is still in Roubaix. Famous for rough terrain and cobblestones (setts

Sett (paving)

A sett, usually the plural setts and in some places called a Belgian block, often incorrectly called "cobblestone", is a broadly rectangular quarried stone used originally for paving roads, today a decorative stone paving used in landscape architecture...

),Paris–Roubaix is popularly known throughout the English speaking world for its 'cobbled sectors', but this is a misnomer as the sectors are actually paved with granite setts

Sett (paving)

A sett, usually the plural setts and in some places called a Belgian block, often incorrectly called "cobblestone", is a broadly rectangular quarried stone used originally for paving roads, today a decorative stone paving used in landscape architecture...

, roughly hewn blocks, which are considerably smoother and safer than true cobblestones (prominent rounded pebbles often used on inner city streets).