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Saint-Étienne
196.5 km
Thursday 24 July
A few difficulties still remain through the hills of the Monts du Forez on the road to Saint-Etienne. Watch out for end-of-the race fatigue and long breakaways which could create suspense, just possibly shaking up the overall placings.
Bourg-d’Oisans, the peaceful mountain side (Picture: Marc PARISET)
Nineteen times stage host.
First time in 1952: start.
Most recently in 2006: start.
3,350 inhabitants.
Bourg-d’Oisans lies nestled in picturesque landscape on a plain at the heart of the Oisans region, peaceful haven surrounded by majestic peaks. Located next to Ecrins national Park, the largest and highest of the seven French National Parks, Bourg-d’Oisans is both a winter ski resort and a summer vacation spot, a window on alpine culture and its vast natural heritage. A sanctuary where each and everyone can feel at home, occasional amateur hikers as well as sports enthusiasts out for a daredevil experience or families seeking a quiet holiday, Bourg-d’Oisans boasts a wide array of assets sure to satisfy all desires. Today, Bourg-d’Oisans has surely become the capital of mountain cycling, thanks to the famous passes which encircle it, such as Lautaret, Galibier, Croix de Fer, Glandon, and of course the legendary climb to Alpe d’Huez.
• ADT (Association de développement touristique de l’Oisans) spécial vélo/VTT
The gorges of the Loire - Saint-Victor-sur-Loire nautical base (Picture: Communications Department in Saint-Etienne)
23 times stage host.
First time in 1950: winner: Raphaël Geminiani.
Most recently in 2005; winner: Lance Armstrong
Prefecture of the Loire département, 180,000 inhabitants
The Saint-Etienne metropolitan area lies in a privileged natural setting which includes the Pilat regional park, the Forez mountains and the Loire river gorges. With 43 towns and nearly 400,000 inhabitants, it is the sixth largest urban district in France. Its assets are manifold, most notably a strategic geographical position, a well-established competence in various hi-tech industries (design, optical engineering, precision mechanics, industrial engineering), and many world-renowned cultural institutions (museum of modern art, theater, opera). Still undergoing profound renovation, Saint-Etienne has turned to design, culture and sports to build on its reputation and attractiveness. Fittingly, it has applied for the Firminy Le Corbusier sight, unique of its kind in Europe, to be listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.
Saint-Etienne, greener than ever!
• Office de Tourisme
• Communauté d’Agglomération
