Tour de France Stage 2 - Monaco to Brignoles

For stage two, the Tour de France cyclists leave Monaco and race towards Brignoles. Here is the official Tour de France blurb on Brignoles:

• First-time stage-town
• Population 17,000
• Sub-prefecture of the Var (83)

Brignoles remains steeped in the Medieval heritage of its past, when the city was the place of residence of the Counts of Provence. A bauxite mining area (named after Baux-de-Provence) for almost one hundred years, this red clay also played a role in forging the wealth and the vibrant identity of Brignoles and its surrounding area. The landscape, awarded recognition as a region of Art and History, illuminates a rich historical, natural and industrial patrimony, together with the keen memory of its inhabitants.

In the summer months Brignoles hosts outstanding events and shows: in August, the Brignoles Jazz Festival and the Medieval Festival, an occasion for lords and beggars to (re)-discover the city in the throes of a medieval gala and, in September, the Plum Festival.

The town also boasts several historical sites that are well worth a visit: the Palace of the Counts of Provence and the Saint-Sauveur church, both dating from the 13th century, and the town Archives, which provide a wealth of historical facts about the ancient city; the oldest documents also date from this epoch.

Find out more: Tour de France 2009 | Profile of Provence-Alps-Cote d'Azur Region

_{Photo of Brignoles, © Tour de France}