Strasbourg -
Obernai -
Esch-sur-Alzette -
Valkenburg -
Huy -
Saint-Quentin -
Beauvais -
Caen -
Lisieux -
Vitré -
Rennes -
Saint-Grégoire -
Saint-Méen-le-Grand -
Lorient -
Le Creusot -
Montceau-les-Mines -
Sceaux-Antony -
Paris - Champs-Élysées
Strasbourg
First hosted a stage in 1919 (1st: Lucotti) and most recently in 2001 (1st: Kirsipuu).
Tour start in 1953 and 2006. Prefecture of the Bas-Rhin, capital of the Alsace Region, located on the Ill river, the Rhône - Rhin canal. 264,115 inhabitants (including environs: 451,240). Headquarters of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. Its magnificent cathedral symbolises its cultural heritage.
• Town official website:
www.strasbourg.fr
• Website of the tourist office (Strasbourg):
www.ot-strasbourg.fr
• Offical Alsace website:
www.region-alsace.eu
• Website of the tourist office (Région Alsace):
www.tourisme-alsace.com
Obernai
First appearance as a stage town.
Ditrict town of the Bas-Rhin. 11,700 inhabitants. Located at the foot of the Mount Saint-Odile, the town, with its old mansions and market square, surrounded by ramparts, is typical of the Alsace region.
• Town official website:
www.obernai.fr
• Offical Alsace website:
www.region-alsace.eu
• Website of the tourist office (Région Alsace):
www.tourisme-alsace.com
Esch-sur-Alzette
Stage in 1968 (1st: Grosskost).
This important commercial and steel center with 29,000 inhabitants is the second largest town in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Birthplace of Bim Diederich.
• Town official website:
www.esch.lu
Valkenburg
Stage in 1992 (1st: Delion).
Pleasant resort nestling in mountains nicknamed “the Dutch Alps”, associated with the famous annual Amstel Gold Race cycling event. 15,000 inhabitants. Four World Championships were organised in Valkenburg: in 1938 (1st: Kint), 1948 (1st:Schotte), 1979 (1st: Raas) and 1998 (1st: Camenzind).
• Town official website:
www.valkenburg.nl
Huy
Stage start in 1995 and 2001.
Borough town of the Province of Liege. Situated on the river Meuse. 18,000 inhabitants. Cradle of 12th Century Meuse goldsmiths. Pierre l'Hermite preached the First Crusade there. Finish town of the Fleche-Wallonne.
• Town official website:
www.huy.be
Saint-Quentin
Stage in 1938 (1st: F. Vervaecke).
Borough town of Aisne, situated on the river Somme. 61,000 inhabitants (including environs: 105,000). Badly damaged during the 1914-1918 war, this industrial sub-prefecture (textiles, mechanical engineering) is an important communications hub. Birthplace of the painter Quentin de la Tour.
• Town official website:
www.ville-saintquentin.fr
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.tourisme-saintquentinois.fr
Beauvais
Stage in 1980 (1st: Ti-Raleigh team).
Prefecture of Oise. 57,000 inhabitants (including environs: 100,000). Town of Art saved by the heroic Jeanne Hachette during the siege mounted by Charles le Téméraire (1472). Remarkable Gothic cathedral.
• Town official website:
www.beauvais.fr
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.beauvaistourisme.fr
Caen
First hosted a stage in 1905 (1st: Dortignacq) and most recently in 1978 (1st: Ti-Raleigh team).
Prefecture of Calvados and regional capital of Basse-Normandie. On the Orne. 117,157 inhabitants (including environs: 221,000). 75% destroyed during the Normandy campaign, this industrial centre is also a town of abbeys which perpetuates the memory of William the Conqueror.
• Town official website:
www.ville-caen.fr
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.ville-caen.fr/officedetourisme
Lisieux
Stage in 1964 (1st: Sels) and in 1970 (1st: Godefroot).
Borough town of Calvados. 24,000 inhabitants. Leading commercial centre of the Auge region. Town of pilgrimage devoted to Saint Therese. The Basilica and Saint-Pierre cathedral were spared during the 1944 bombardments.
• Town official website:
www.ville-lisieux.fr
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.lisieux-tourisme.com
Vitré
First hosted a stage in 1995 (1st: Matthys) and most recently in 2000 (1st: Wüst).
District town of l'Ille-and-Vilaine, situated on the river Vilaine. 16,000 inhabitants. Gateway to Brittany. Fortified town which has been able to preserve its architectural heritage and mediaeval aspect.
• Town official website:
www.mairie-vitre.com
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.ot-vitre.fr
Rennes
First hosted a stage in 1905 (1st: Trousselier) and most recently in 1994 (1st: Bortolami).
Grand start of the Tour in 1964. Prefecture of Ile-et-Vilaine and regional capital of Brittany. 212,000 inhabitants (urban area: 387,000). Administrative, intellectual and historical capital of Brittany. A dynamic town, at the leading edge in the domain of high technology, it has preserved the architectural heritage of its historic centre, notably with its famous half-timbered houses. Rennes belongs to the closed circle of large towns that are nice to live in.
• Town official website:
www.rennes.fr
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.tourisme-rennes.com
Saint-Grégoire
First appearance as a stage town.
Rural town in Ille-et-Vilaine, now substantially urbanised. 8,000 inhabitants. Start town of Tour de l'Avenir in 2002.
• Town official website:
www.saint-gregoire.fr
Saint-Méen-le-Grand
First appearance as a stage town.
District town of Ille-et-Vilaine. 4,000 inhabitants. Birthplace of Louison and Jean Bobet, as well as Francis Pipelin and Frédéric Guesdon. A town where the spirit of cycling is felt. Louison-Bobet Museum.
• Town official website:
www.cc-pays-stmeen.fr
Lorient
First hosted a stage in 1939 (1st: R. Louviot) and most recently in 2002 (1st: Botero).
Borough town of Morbihan. Fishing and military port. 61,000 inhabitants (including environs: 174,000). Cradle of the Compagnie des Indes. Lorient has an important submarine base and and was the scene of furious fighting in 1944. It was 90% destroyed.
• Town official website:
www.lorient.com
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.lorient-tourisme.fr
• Web site of the Communauté d'Agglomération du Pays de Lorient:
www.caplorient.com
Le Creusot
Stage in1998 (1st: Ullrich).
District town of Saône-and-Loire. 23,000 inhabitants. This active town, one of the most important steelmaking centres in Europe, has diversified its industries. It is now at the leading edge in special steels and precision electronics.
• Town official website:
www.le-creusot.fr
• Web site of the Communauté urbaine:
www.lacommunaute.fr
Montceau-les-Mines
Stage departure in 1998.
District town of Saône-and-Loire. 20,000 inhabitants. This mining town, created in the 19th century, is also one of the most picturesque towns in the Charollais with its environment of hills and forests.
• Town official website:
www.montceaulesmines.fr
• Web site of the Communauté urbaine:
www.lacommunaute.fr
Sceaux-Antony
First appearance as a stage town.
Located 5 km from Paris, Sceaux is a territory blessed by fortune: shopping
city, main educational and university center, its 20,000 inhabitants enjoy a
unique quality of life.
• Town official website:
www.sceaux.fr
Borough town of Hauts-de-Seine. 60,000 inhabitants. University town. This town in the southern suburbs of Paris, near the Parc des Sceaux, is reputed for its wine and cheese fair.
• Town official website:
www.ville-antony.fr
• Web site of the Conseil général des Hauts-de-Seine:
www.cg92.fr
Paris - Champs-Élysées
Climactic finish of the Tour de France. It used to be organised on the pink track of the Parc des Princes. Since 1975, it has taken place on the prestigious Avenue of the Champs-Elysées dominated by the symbolic &"8220;Arc de Triomphe”.
• Town official website:
www.paris.fr
• Web site of the tourist office:
www.parisinfo.com
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