Tour de France 2007 - Villers-Cotterets to Joigny

The Tour de France cyclists will get a picturesque ride today. The race begins today in Villers-Cotterets, the location where French replaced Latin as the official language in France in the 16th century. This is also the hometown of author Alexandre Dumas, one of the all-time best known writers of works like The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask. A museum there is devoted to Dumas.

The stage ends in Joigny located in the Burgundy region of France. This pretty village is worth a visit for the architecture alone, as it features 20 buildings listed as historic monuments. Visitors can take guided tours to view some of the small city's beautiful timbered buildings.

Go along for the ride: Tour de France 2007

_{Photo of Joigny, copyright City of Joigny}

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