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Nîmes
182 km
Friday 18 July
As in the previous day’s stage, final sprint specialists will make it to the front to scrounge up a few extra points before reaching the Alps.
Narbonne Beach (Picture: J.M Colombier / City of Narbonne)
7 times stage host.
First time in 1935; winner René Le Grevès.
Most recently in 2003: start town.
Sub-prefecture in the Aude département.
53,000 inhabitants.
Nestled at the heart of a regional park, Narbonne is blessed with splendid natural surroundings, notably the La Clape and Fontfroide massifs, true hiking havens. On the seaside, the beaches of fine sand are ideal for all nautical sports and some R-and-R. Narbonne is also blessed with a rich architectural and historical heritage. The Canal de la Robine, a Unesco World Heritage site, flows through the town. A walk along the streets in the town center feels like a trip back in time, with countless traces of the past there for the admiring. At the crossroads of several highways and railways, Narbonne enjoys a privileged geographical location and has much assets to provide companies who settle here with growth opportunities. Boasting a wealth of hotels, Narbonne is the starting point for many tourist circuits. Whether you enjoy the outdoors, the seaside, historical vestiges or the Mediterranean way of life, Narbonne is sure to fulfill all your desires!
The Maison Carrée and its renovated southern facade (Picture: City of Nîmes)
15 times stage host.
First time in 1905; winner Louis Trousselier.
Most recently in 2004; winner Aitor Gonzalez.
Capital of the Gard département.
146,000 inhabitants.
Nîmes is famous throughout the world for its Roman vestiges, such as the amphitheater, the Maison Carrée (Square House temple), Magne Tower, and Pont du Gard bridge, only a few miles away. While proud of its past, the city knows how to live with its times. In the early 1980’s, the municipality undertook a voluntarist urban policy. Great contemporary architects were called upon to modernize the cityscape. Norman Foster designed Carré d’Art, the city’s museum of modern art, Jean-Michel Wilmotte renovated the theater and the city Hall, Vittorio Gregotti conceived Costières stadium. Today, Nîmes keeps growing and putting on a new face. The Arènes Esplanade Feuchères project (now in its second stage), the renovation of many squares, the erection of new schools and an olympic-size swimming pool, have all contributed to embellishing the city. Situated a mere three hours by TGV from Paris, Nîmes stakes its claim as a city to be reckoned with at the center of France’s Mediterranean belt.
• Office du Tourisme
