Tour de France Stage 11 - Lannemezan to Foix

Wednesday July 16, 2008

Today's Tour de France should have some interesting scenery as well as challenges as the cyclists hit the beautiful High Pyrenees. The day starts on Lannemezan and ends in the quaint and surprisingly wonderful gem of a little city, rich in history and unique architecture, Foix. Foix is one of my favorite smaller cities in Southwest France, and the entire Ariege is stunning.

Here is the Tour de France blurb about Lannemezan:

Plateau lying at the foot of the Pyrenean peaks, Lannemezan and the Aragnouet-Bielsa tunnel remain the quickest gateway to Spain. Located halfway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with Toulouse only an hour away and Pau a mere forty-five minutes, Lannemezan is ideally situated, as major chemical and industrial plants have acknowledged, breathing new life into an already thriving economy. Pleasant living conditions have been enhanced by the city’s environment charter.
Sporting facilities (golf course) and numerous sightseeing options (Pic du Midi, Lourdes pilgrimage) provide a wealth of leisure opportunities. Many clubs and associations carry out diverse artistic, sporting, social and charitable activities. Along with the local rugby club and the alpine and snowboarding training scheme at the high school, they do their part in promoting such values as respect, effort and competition. Lannemezan, the balcony of the Pyrenees where the living is easy!

Here is the description of Foix:

Situated at the heart of the department of Ariège and at the foot of the Pyrenees, symbolized by the three towers of its castle, Foix offers the advantages of a small town while benefiting from the nearby presence of Toulouse, Spain and Andorra. Proudly standing atop its rocky perch, the castle (10th-15th centuries) was once home to the counts of Foix, notably the flamboyant Gaston Phoebus (1343-1391). It is well worth the visit.
A tourist and stopover town, Foix boasts an attractive city center with true historical authenticity as well as a diversity of shops. Its well-preserved natural setting lends itself to all sports and outdoor activities: cycling, hiking, horseback riding, white-water rafting, hang-gliding across the valley... Foix is the ideal starting point for discovering the many treasures of Ariège: medieval castles, Cathar citadels, Romanesque abbeys, prehistoric caves, sublime landscapes!