Tour de France 2008 Stage 20 - Cérilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond

Saturday July 26, 2008

Just one day away from the end of the Tour de France, the cyclists have a time trial in central France. The day's cycling begins in Cérilly (in its debut as a stopover) and ends in Saint-Amand-Montrond.

The Tour de France description of Cérilly:

Situated in the department of Allier at the heart of France, Cerilly attracts many tourists. Its Romanesque church, dating back to the 11th century, is dedicated to St Martin. It is famous for its three-storied bell-tower and a superb 17th century Entombment. Many Cerilly natives went on to accomplish great things, notably naturalist François Peron, etcher and painter Marcellin Desboutin and writer Charles-Louis Philippe.
The playwright Jean Giraudoux also stayed in Cerilly where his father was tax collector. Cerilly has developed its economic activity around food processing, thanks in great part to Charolais cattle. With the nearby Tronçais forest (10,000 hectares), Cerilly has also turned itself to wood industries. The high-quality oak is used to make barrel staves for the best Cognac and Bordeaux wines.

The description of Saint-Amand-Montrond:

Saint-Amand-Montrond was created in Gallo-Roman times and became a major thoroughfare early on, being situated on the Clermont-Neris-Bourges Roman road. Later on, Saint-Amand-le-Chastel arose at the foot of the castle built atop the hillock, next to the parish church erected in the 13th century. Over the centuries, Saint-Amand-le-Chastel and Saint-Amand-sous-Montrond merged to make up the presentday Saint-Amand-Montrond. The street formerly marking the border between the two towns still exists.
The local economy took off in the 19th century with the opening of the Berry canal which developed activity between Montluçon and Val d’Aubois. The first printing shops opened in the early 19th century, and the first jewelers’ workshops in 1888. Alongside these two mainstays, other luxury industries have been set up more recently: leather, fashion, foundry, porcelain...

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

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