Tour de France Stage 17 - Embrun to L’Alpe-d’Huez

Today's Tour de France cuts through the stunning High Alpes, or Hautes-Alpes. It starts in picturesque Embrun, and ends in L’Alpe-d’Huez.

The Tour de France description of Embrun:

Many treasures from the past are to be admired in the streets of Embrun, such as fountains, sundials, arched passageways, ornate sculpted doors... At the heart of the old quarter rises Notre-Dame-du-Réal cathedral, erected in the 12th century. Of Lombardic inspiration, it is one of the architectural masterpieces of the Alps, reputed for its porch adorned with lions, its organ and its treasure house. Brune tower (13th century), the former donjon of the archbishops, is now an exhibition center for Ecrins National Park.

Chanonges house boasts a splendid Romanesque facade and wall paintings dating back to 1516. Frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries can be admired in the chapels of the former Cordelier monastery. Separated from Serre-Ponçon lake by a levee with promenade, Embrun’s man-made lake offers a wide variety of leisure activities on the water and in the vicinity of its grassy beaches: kayaking, rowing, sailing, pedal boats, mini-golf, pool, water slides, children’s playground... In the summer, a free shuttle service is available from the city center.

The description of L'Alpe-d'Huez:

Summer and winter resort, well deserving of its “Island in the sun” nickname, L’Alpe-d’Huez lies at 1,860 m, facing south, at the foot of Grandes Rousses massif. The panoramic view from the top of Pic Blanc, culminating at some 3,330 m, spans across Ecrins National Park and its majestic peaks, encompassing one fifth of the French territory from Italy to the Massif central.

A Mecca of cycling, L’Alpe-d’Huez is hosting the Tour de France for the 26th time in 2008. Other noteworthy cycling events are held here in the summer, the Marmotte and the Mégavalanche. A host of other leisure activities are on offer : horseback riding, hiking, mountain climbing, aerial rides, fishing, golf, tennis... For the more cultural-minded, weekly classical music concerts are held in Notre-Dame des Neiges church as well as exhibitions at the Huez and L’Oisans Museum.

Find out more about the Tour de France: Tour de France 2008

Find out more about the route: Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur Region

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_{Photo of Embrun (top) and L'Alpe-d'Huez, copyright Tour de France.}