Punahou School hosted 24 10th-grade students from Lycée Sainte Marie du Port in Olonne-sur-Mer as part of a cultural exchange and homestay program Facilitated by the Wo International Center and the French Language Department at Punahou the program offered a meaningful opportunity for students from both institutions to engage with different cultures the visiting students attended classes alongside their Punahou hosts and completed community-based research projects they experienced life in Hawaiʻi through activities with their host families which included sharing home life and gaining insights into Hawaiian and French cultures Sasha Pager ’26 shared her excitement about the exchange: “It was super fun to learn about life in Les Sables-d’Olonne and to share what life is like here in Honolulu and at Punahou.” Maya Gaudiano ’26 similarly enjoyed including her guest in local Punahou traditions like the Sophomore Lu’au “I loved being able to practice my French and help my host student learn English.” Shen Kellogg ’25 also appreciated the language practice the exchange provided: “I was able to practice speaking French with them and learned new words and phrases.” Academy French teachers Claire Ligner and James Robb along with Assistant Director of the Wo International Center Tyler Fujita are grateful to the many Punahou families who opened their homes to the visiting students and hope to continue the partnership with Lycée Sainte Marie du Port into the future beautifully designed and comes with everything you need to engage your visitors and increase conversions The grand départ of the 2018 Tour takes place next weekend on the Atlantic coast Our writer rides his Brompton through dunes and forests with pit stops to sample fine local seafood The beaches, forests, lagoons and marshes of the Vendée coast will provide a scenic backdrop to the start of this year’s Tour de France on 7 July. And while football fans can’t have a kickabout on the pitch before a World Cup game, anyone with a bike can have a go at riding a stage of the Tour. But I looked at the race route and soon realised I’d best forget the bits that use fast main roads; instead I’d follow the traffic-free coastal bike path, the longest of the Vendée’s 1,800km of waymarked, often traffic-free cycling routes. Read moreI rode south on a cycleway whose verges were dotted with purple marsh orchids whitewashed windmills with witch’s hat roofs and a long tidal lagoon home to a large and noisy population of seabirds when they’re a stopping-off point for migrating species Noirmoutier’s rich but sandy soil is known for growing excellent potatoes claims the title of the world’s most expensive spud bonnottes are harvested by hand and can fetch absurd prices in Paris a much longer route along France’s Atlantic coast from Roscoff in Brittany all the way to the Basque country It’s well-signposted and my first few hours took me through fragrant coastal forests of pines evergreen oaks and mimosas bursting with scented yellow blossom Read moreAfter more sandy beaches, forest tracks, canals and marshes, I reached Les Sables-d’Olonne and the end of my first day’s ride. Its long seafront promenade looks out over the biggest expanse of sand I’ve ever seen, and its port is the start and end point of the Vendée Globe the solo round-the-world yacht race that is one of the few sporting events to rival the Tour de France as a test of physical and mental endurance It was once home to the largest cod fishing fleet in France Early morning guided tours of the wholesale market and auction halls are available (€6.30 Plage du Veillon is huge and back by dunes. Photograph: Jack ThurstonThe next morning I stopped for a swim at Plage du Veillon, a huge dune-backed strand with a surf school and a stylish, wood-clad beachfront bistro From here, I followed the Vélodyssée route inland across the Payré estuary. My destination was Port de la Guittière, home to France’s smallest oyster farm, Viviers de la Guittière where the oysters grow in sacks tied to wooden posts in the esturary’s clear water I ate a dozen oysters (€10 with a glass of local white wine) They engage all the senses: the scent of the sea cut with aniseed and wild thyme; the colours of blue-green sea holly and acid yellow and green euphorbia; the rustling sound of wind-blown marram grass it is decorated with exotic artefacts and hunting trophies: a tiger skin rug But Clemenceau’s greatest joy was the garden which he designed with the painter Claude Monet It is an impressionist vision of a Vendée dunescape with loose drifts of plants in a naturalistic style that was ahead of its time a century ago the area around La Tranche-sur-Mer is all holiday villas coastal forests and a seemingly endless sandy beach that’s perfect windsurfing as much of the cycleway runs alongside a busy main road; it gets more interesting around the mussel country of L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer Everywhere I looked little places were offering moules marinières a small museum just outside Chaillé-les-Marais (adult €5/adult) there were brightly painted bicycles and homemade banners welcoming the Tour It’s an honour for a town or village to be on the route and councils vie to host the start of a stage or For the Tour is much more than the world’s biggest bike race; it’s a 3,000km rolling jamboree in which France celebrates cycling and itself the teams will be ramping up the pace as each lead-out train jostles to deliver its star sprinter to the front of the pack in the final few hundred metres My Brompton and I continued our more leisurely journey following the meandering River Vendée upstream to the finishing line in the town of Fontenay-le-Comte The professionals will cover the distance in less than five hours But I’d seen a whole lot more of a corner of France that Bike hireFor short trips, it’s usually not worth taking your own bike, as bike hire is widely available in the region. Reckon on €100-€120 a week for a decent hybrid or tourer. Lyn Eyb of freewheelingfrance.com offers a free service matching cyclists with bike hire providers and arranging one-way hires Regional trains carry bikes for free and are a great way to get back to the start point of a linear ride Unless a bike folds – such as my Brompton – and can be checked in as normal luggage airlines levy an extra cost for bicycles (£40 each way) Le Petit Bouchot, an elegant seafood restaurant in Noirmoutier. On Noirmoutier, Hôtel Villa en l’Île (doubles from €62 B&B) is between the town centre and the wooded north coast Le Petit Banc (dinner only, three courses €25.50) has just seven tables and serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. For seafood, Le Petit Bouchot (menus from €20.50) is an elegant restaurant with rough limestone walls and an outside terrace In Les Sables d’Olonne, Maison l’épicurienne (doubles from €85 B&B two nights minimum) is a boutique B&B by the beach At Plage du Veillon, La Plage (mains €12-€17) is a stylish bistro serving moules frites In La Tranche-Sur-Mer, Les Isles offers a bewildering choice of artisanal-ice creams and sorbets while Slice Cafe breaks from French staples to serve fancy burgers, bagels and vegetarian dishes. L’Equinox has a great terrace by the beach The trip was provided by the tourist boards of Vendée and Pays de la Loire Jack Thurston is the author of the Lost Lanes series of cycling guidebooks Looking for cycling holiday inspiration? Browse The Guardian’s selection of cycling holidays on the Guardian Holidays website Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker REDON, France --- Two months ago, Tyler Farrar was demoralized, sleeping 20 hours a day. He had even stopped riding, overcome by sorrow after his best friend died in a crash at the Giro d'Italia. On Monday, Farrar became the first American to win a stage of the Tour de France on the Fourth of July. It was the first time he had won a stage in cycling's showcase race, and he dedicated the victory to the late Wouter Weylandt, of Belgium. After crossing the finish line, Farrar held up his hands to form a "W" with his fingers and thumbs in tribute to Weylandt. "This has been a horrible last two months with everything that happened in the Giro," Farrar said. "I've had a lot of ups and downs. But in the end, I wanted to be able to come back, and do something special to pay tribute, and this is certainly the biggest stage in the world to do that." Farrar, a sprint specialist from Wenatchee, Wash., who rides for Garmin-Cervelo, sped ahead in the last few hundred yards of the 123-mile course from Olonne-sur-Mer to Redon to win the third stage. He has now won a stage in each of cycling's three-week major tours -- France, Italy and Spain. The previous American to win a Tour de France stage was Levi Leipheimer, who in 2007 was first in the individual time trial in Angouleme. "I certainly would have taken it on any day," Farrar said. "But as an American, winning on the Fourth of July, it's the icing on the cake. ... Lucky me." Norway's Thor Hushovd kept the Tour de France's yellow jersey. Hushovd, however, is a sprint specialist and is not expected to hold his lead through the mountains in the second and third weeks. The top of the standings didn't change much after the mostly flat trip into western Brittany that included a ride on a wind-swept suspension bridge over the famed Loire River. It was during the third stage of another race -- the Giro in Italy on May 9 -- when Weylandt clipped a wall on a steep descent. He fell off his bike and slammed his head on the ground, dying almost instantly. It was the first death of a rider at one of the major tours in 16 years. The lead headline in The Times sports section read “HEAVEN CAN WAIT! ANGELS IN FIRST ON 4TH,” after they swept a doubleheader at Washington that put them on top of the American League standings, a half game ahead of the New York Yankees. The Dodgers, led by Tommy Davis and Frank Howard, swept the Philadelphia Phillies in a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium that gave L.A. a half-game lead in the National League over the San Francisco Giants. In those days tradition said the league leader on July 4 usually won the pennant. But it wasn’t to be because the Angels finished the season in third place, and the Dodgers lost the pennant to the Giants in a three-game playoff. Sports Here are some of the biggest moments in sports history to have occurred on June 30 including Willie McCovey joining the 500 home run club in 1978 The 2020 Dodgers were scheduled to play the second of a three-game series Saturday against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. The Angels had a night game with the Braves at Atlanta. Both contests, along with their fireworks shows, were postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here is a look at memorable games and outstanding sports performances on this date: 1914 — Harvard’s second eight is the first American crew to win the Grand Challenge Cup when it rows to a 1 1/4-length victory over the Union Club of Boston at the Henley Royal Regatta in a time of 7:20. The eight-oar race is the top men’s event at the competition at Henley-on-Thames, England. 1923 — A rusty Jack Dempsey, who hasn’t been in the ring in two years, beats Tommy Gibbon in 15 rounds for the heavyweight championship. The fight almost bankrupts the rural town of Shelby, Mont., which borrows heavily to stage it. The promoters, who guarantee Dempsey $300,000, bank that high-rollers from the East and West coasts will come by train, but only 7,202 tickets are sold and those who see the fight arrive by horse and wagon. 1925 — Two of the best left-handed pitchers of their time, Herb Pennock of the New York Yankees and Lefty Grove of the Philadelphia Athletics, hook up in the first game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium that New York wins 1-0 in 15 innings. Each pitcher goes the distance. Pennock gives up four hits and walks none. Grove allows 14 hits and strikes out 10. The winning run comes with two out on a single by catcher Steve O’Neill. 1982 — Jimmy Connors beats John McEnroe 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-4 for the men’s singles championship at Wimbledon. It is Connors’ first Grand Slam victory since he won the U.S. Open in 1978, and his first at the All-England Club since 1974 when he won his first Wimbledon title. The match against the defending champion McEnroe lasts 4 hours, 16 minutes. 1983 — Dave Righetti pitches the first no-hitter for the New York Yankees in 27 years when he blanks the Boston Red Sox 4-0 at Yankee Stadium. The 24-year-old left-hander walks four and strikes out nine. Bert Campaneris and Roy Smalley back Righetti’s effort with sparkling infield plays. He strikes out Wade Boggs, who leads the major leagues in hits, for the final out. 1987 — After seven months of not winning a tournament, Martina Navratilova fires a stinging service winner down the middle that seals her sixth straight Wimbledon singles title, besting Steffi Graf, 18, of West Germany 7-5, 6-3. The victory is Navratilova’s eighth at the All-England Club and puts her in an overall tie with Helen Wills Moody. Memorable moments in sports history from June 27, including left-hander Jerry Reuss throwing a no-hitter for the Dodgers against the Giants in 1980. 2004 — Meg Mallon wins the U.S. Women’s Open with a six-under-par 65, the lowest final round by a champion in the 59-year history of the tournament. Mallon finishes at 10-under 274 for a two-shot advantage over runner-up Annika Sorenstam at the Orchards Golf Club in Hadley, Mass. 2008 — Dara Torres pushes time and age aside when she makes the U.S. Olympic swim team for a record fifth time by winning the 100 freestyle at the U.S. trials in Omaha. Torres, 41, who had been retired for seven years, wins the final in 54.78 seconds. A nine-time medalist, she already was the first U.S. swimmer to make four U.S. Olympic teams. 2011 — Tyler Farrar is the first American to win a July 4 Tour de France stage when he dominates a sprint finish in the third leg of cycling’s biggest race. Garmin-Cervelo teammate Thor Hushovd of Norway keeps the leader’s yellow jersey after the ride from Olonne-sur-Mer to Redon. High School Sports Dodgers Kings Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Christian Prudhomme has described the fact that Mark Cavendish has won 15 stages over the last three years without ever taking the points title as "an anomaly" It's one that partly explains the overhaul of the intermediate sprints albeit one with a significant haul of points on offer Will the sprinters' teams now try to control some stages from beginning to end That's certainly the concern of some team directors An onshore breeze might complicate the finish but this will surely go to either Cav or his green jersey rivals Details - Distance: 198 km Highest point: 67m Category: Flat Bernhard Eisel says..."Heavy Brittany roads and crosswinds… We're not like the GC team guys who can ride themselves in over the first week It's actually less pressurised because you're not waiting for it to happen – you're making it happen…"Matt White says..."The first of very few days for the pure sprinters to shine Racing in Brittany is no picnic though with Cav and Farrar to go head-to-head." SEARCHThe global authority in superyachting Boat International has received news of the latest and biggest craft to emerge from the Tender Shipyard in Olonne-sur-Mer on France’s Atlantic coast The yard says the centre console craft is destined for the latest project from Sunrise Yachts, Irimari, currently in build in Turkey. The 85 Open, part of the yard's Tresco Line, can take a crew of two and a maximum of 14 guests, who will sit in a U-shaped VIP area at the bow. Boarding is via the transom or bow. With a carbon fibre steering wheel and carbon touches across the dashboard and elsewhere on the boat, she will look the part, while a sunpad aft and a shower to wash off the salt after a swim will keep guests in style for any trips off the mothership. Other plush finishing touches include an electric windlass, 60mm seat cushions and mattresses in Sunbrella, 10 LED cockpit lights, waterskiing kit, two fishing rod holders and extensive teak decking. The TS 85 Open has an overall length of 8.5 metres and a beam of 2.80m, with a height in the tender garage of 2 metres. She can be fitted with two lifting points and weighs 1.9 metric tons. A Volvo D3 diesel at 220hp should give a top speed of around 35 knots with six people on board, the yard says, but the boat can take a jet drive and a more powerful engine if requested. Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday SubscribeSign up to our newslettersSign up to BOAT International email newsletters to get the latest superyacht news Boat International Media Ltd © 2008 - 2025 Content presented under the "BOAT Presents" logo is an advertising feature and Boat International Limited has been paid to include this content Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience When one thinks of a MICHELIN Star restaurant Across France are exceptional Star spots offering diners fabulous set menus for under €50 we break down 20 of the least expensive One MICHELIN Star restaurants in France. Bon appétit La Grange de Belle-Église At this restaurant just an hour from Paris chef Marc Duval serves one of the cheapest lunch menus in France for a Michelin-starred chef: at €28 for starter This offering attracts regulars and newcomers alike – they are delighted to find this inviting restaurant housed in a converted coal barn where produce from France's terroir is cooked with passion and creativity "Menu du Marché": starter + main course + dessert for €28 Le Mascaret ("perfect" slow-boiled egg) with an almond milk emulsion.œuf parfaitFrom Paris to Lausanne chef Philippe Hardy has worked in some of Europe's most prestigious kitchens that he set up his first restaurant in 1995 he moved the establishment to Blainville-sur-Mer and turned it into an inviting hotel-restaurant he gives pride of place to local farm produce which he serves alongside vegetables and aromatic herbs from his garden Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert for €29.90 Les Genêts chef Nicolas Coutaud dreams up creative dishes inspired by the catch of the day This means that the menu features fish that are all too often overlooked modern approach is reflected in the bistronomy lunch menu priced at €37 Menu Bistronomique: starter + main course or main course + dessert or starter + main course + dessert + a glass of wine for €37 served at lunchtime excluding weekends and public holidays Les Cadets Cooking is often passed down from generation to generation but in this case it's shared between brothers Charles and Tristan Bernabé the division of labour is clear… Charles Bernabé runs the kitchen: influenced by his Breton origins which he serves with a simple accompaniment of a sauce and local vegetables is proof – if proof were needed – that this duo works wonderfully well Four-course lunch menu: two starters + main course + dessert for €36 L'Anthocyane L'Anthocyane is the culmination of an impressive career he chose to open his own restaurant with his wife Marie here in the town of Lannion He serves up his own brand of contemporary cuisine in which he masterfully incorporates top-notch seafood Menu à Midi Sonnant: starter + main course + dessert at €37 Les Tables de Gaspard Virginie Blampoix and Sébastien Corniau's restaurant is nestled in the main street of Saint-Crépin in the Hautes-Alpes département the pair transformed an old stable in this medieval village into a restaurant and bed and breakfast the premises have retained their old-world charm adroit cooking and a perfect balance of flavours this is also the ideal base for exploring the region further Set menu: starter + main course + dessert for €42 served for lunch and dinner from Thu evening to Mon evening L'Embrun The name Guillaume Pape chose for his first restaurant denotes the foam formed when the sea washes up on the rocks – both an obvious nod to the beaches of Finistère and a reference to the land cultivated by his parents and grandparents This heritage informs his work in the kitchen he aims to surprise by putting a new and modern spin on local and seasonal ingredients that are familiar to all Retour du Marché set menu: starter + main course + dessert for €39 Le Raisin This restaurant is located in the village of Pont-de-Vaux in the heart of the natural region of Bresse In the continuation of a successful career chef Frédéric Michel has taken over Le Raisin from his parents-in-law served from Tuesday to Saturday evening at the tempting price of €41 for three courses gives you a taste of the best local produce prepared with his very own touch of originality The vegetables are sourced from a local organic market gardener 2km from the restaurant you also get to choose from the cheese trolley – an opportunity not to be missed here in the Ain département Morbier and Bleu de Gex have protected designation of origin (AOP) status Menu de Saison: starter + main course + dessert for €41 served Tue evening to Sat evening Lunch formule: starter + main course or main course + dessert for €26 L'Aspérule rigorous cuisine is suffused with the skills learned during stints training with some of France's greatest chefs he spent several years working with Marc Veyrat he spread his wings and opened his first restaurant in Auxerre followed by a second of the same name in Dijon four years later Faithful to the principles of great French cuisine he has made a name for himself by incorporating into his cooking Japanese touches His unique dishes are featured in the €45 lunch set menu in which you can choose between meat and fish 
Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert Pastis This restaurant in Montpellier is the amalgam of the expertise of two industry professionals with impressive CVs for whom putting the ingredients in the spotlight is something akin to an obsession an alumnus of L'Astrance in Paris and Maison de la Lozère in Montpellier Sommelier Jean-Philippe Vivant exercised his profession all over the world before joining Mathieu de Lauzun's team in Gignac so it's impossible to predict what the €45 lunch menu will consist of Surprise menu: starter + main course or main course + dessert for €30 or four-course menu with two starters + main course + dessert for €45 Rozó The culinary heritage of the Hauts-de-France Yet the region has some very appealing restaurants Chef Diego Delbecq and pastry chef Camille Pailleau devise a modern technical and creative menu that explores the whole spectrum of flavours without making the slightest compromise when it comes to the freshness of the produce This unique universe secured its first star in the MICHELIN Guide in 2023 Parenthèses set menu: starter + main course + dessert for €45 L'Empreinte chef Maxime Kowalczyk blends medieval history with contemporary cuisine he and his partner Tiffany Gastal share a passion for Burgundy's terroir The couple opened their first restaurant in 2018 in the 12C stone-built Tour Rouge (Red Tower) creative cuisine characterised by unlikely combinations – cooking that earned him a star in the MICHELIN Guide in 2020 1 set menu: starter + main course + dessert for €45 Le Pot d'Étain When chef Philippe Zeiger and his wife Florence Zeiger took over Le Pot d'Étain in 2008 the 60-year-old restaurant near the city of Belfort had lost some of its shine The couple restored its lustre and warmth; on their watch it has become a friendly eatery where people go as much to chat with the chef as to tuck into the generous authentic dishes available for €45 at lunchtime on weekdays a price which includes a glass of wine and coffee Retour du Marché set menu: starter + main course + dessert + glass of wine + ¼ litre mineral water + coffee for €45 La Table de Philippe Girardon Chef Philippe Girardon has been at the helm of the restaurant of Domaine de Clairefontaine since 1983 and his masterful cuisine has always kept pace with the times once the summer residence of the bishops of Lyon he proposes a €48 set menu that changes to reflect the local produce available The chef likes to add the aromatic herbs he grows himself to his dishes guests have the option of staying in one of his two charming hotels or the cottage to bask in the tranquillity of the 3ha grounds Les Plaisirs du Déjeuner menu: starter + main course + dessert for €48 Maison Medard The son of a chef and grandson of a farmer chef Julien Médard has inherited a love of nature and quality produce At Maison Medard – which he and his wife Delphine opened here in the Cher département – he advocates respect for the environment and living things he designs his dishes with a view to using foodstuffs in their entirety excluding school holidays and public holidays Les Rosiers Andrée and her husband Stéphane Rosier have been united by a passion for food Their dishes have surprises in store for diners in the form of their combinations of the finest produce from the Basque country and Japanese flavours 
Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert for €46 Hostellerie la Montagne chef Jean-Baptiste Natali returned to his native Haute-Marne département in 2001 and opened his own restaurant which was awarded one star in the MICHELIN Guide a year later and still occupies this magnificent 17C stone house Menu du Marché: starter + main course + dessert for €39 L'Auberge du Pont Christelle and Rodolphe Regnault moved into this Auvergnat restaurant the earliest traces of which date back to 1835 chef Rodolphe Regnauld sets himself apart with dishes combining ingredients from his native Brittany with those from his wife's homeland Les Bateliers set menu: starter + main course + dessert or cheese for €40 La Renaissance Behind the atypical façade of hotel and restaurant La Renaissance Arnaud Viel pays a heartfelt tribute to his native Normandy Served from Tuesday to Friday by Cécilia Viel and her team the "Au Jour le Jour" menu takes diners on a pilgrimage to the beaches and plains of his childhood The bold balance of surf and turf and a focus on local produce are the two constants of the chef's cooking "Au Jour le Jour" set menu: starter + main course + dessert Le Mas Bottero chef Nicolas Bottero was always passionate about the produce of his home region – Provence in his farmhouse (mas) surrounded by vineyards and olive groves he makes the most of the magnificent garden to grow his own herbs aromatic flowers and Mediterranean vegetables He puts his harvest centre stage in recipes such as seasonal vegetable tartlet the ingredients for which change from June to September Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert for €50 For a break from Greece’s traditional veggie- and fish-forward tavernas carnivores can head to Athens' MICHELIN-recommended spots where meat takes center stage Who knew brisket and biscuits could be so good Discover which dishes our MICHELIN inspectors loved in this year’s selection Chef Ana Dolores González and her partner Carlos Pérez-Puelles reflect on their journey from a clandestine speakeasy to a celebrated Mexico City establishment From listening bars to neighbourhood restaurants explore all the top recommendations from Chishuru’s Adejoké Bakare One of the most prominent chefs serving Indian cuisine talks India and his New York What the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors Saw in 2025 The Mexican capital takes center stage alongside the culinary world's top talents From Texas Barbecue to Mexico City's cutting-edge dining these new MICHELIN Guide hot spots promise unforgettable vacations and world-class cuisine These are the best lake vacations for a summer break from Lake Tahoe in the US to Lake Como in Switzerland and the MICHELIN-recommended restaurants and bolt holes to bed down in when you visit where do fashion’s biggest names retreat for a bite and a bed We imagine the post-Gala sanctuaries of the chicest attendees these iconic chefs mentor professional chefs who have an ego From tartan fabrics and stag antler furnishings to rare Scotch whiskies and castle views you'll have no doubt which country you're in when staying at these Michelin-Key hotels she has championed America’s farm-to-table movement for 54 years The self-proclaimed “unofficial talent scout” shares his local favorites from the city he calls home Sustainability is more than a buzzword—it’s a core value embraced by some of North America’s most design-forward hotels Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial By continuing I accept the Terms & Condition and Privacy Policy. I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels Across France are exceptional Star spots offering diners fabulous set menus for under \u20ac50 we break down 20 of the least expensive One MICHELIN Star restaurants in France. Bon app\u00e9tit La Grange de Belle-\u00c9glise chef Marc Duval serves one of the cheapest lunch menus in France for a Michelin-starred chef: at \u20ac28 for starter This offering attracts regulars and newcomers alike \u2013 they are delighted to find this inviting restaurant housed in a converted coal barn \"Menu du March\u00e9\": starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac28 Le Mascaret (\"perfect\" slow-boiled egg) with an almond milk emulsion.\u0153uf parfaitFrom Paris to Lausanne Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac29.90 Les Gen\u00eats modern approach is reflected in the bistronomy lunch menu priced at \u20ac37 or starter + main course + dessert + a glass of wine for \u20ac37 Les Cadets but in this case it's shared between brothers Charles and Tristan Bernab\u00e9 the division of labour is clear\u2026 Charles Bernab\u00e9 runs the kitchen: influenced by his Breton origins Tristan Bernab\u00e9 is in charge of the wines is proof \u2013 if proof were needed \u2013 that this duo works wonderfully well Four-course lunch menu: two starters + main course + dessert for \u20ac36 L'Anthocyane Menu \u00e0 Midi Sonnant: starter + main course + dessert at \u20ac37 Les Tables de Gaspard Virginie Blampoix and S\u00e9bastien Corniau's restaurant is nestled in the main street of Saint-Cr\u00e9pin in the Hautes-Alpes d\u00e9partement this is also the ideal base for exploring the region further.\u2028 Set menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac42 L'Embrun The name Guillaume Pape chose for his first restaurant denotes the foam formed when the sea washes up on the rocks \u2013 both an obvious nod to the beaches of Finist\u00e8re With the \"Retour du March\u00e9\" set menu Retour du March\u00e9 set menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac39 Le Raisin chef Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Michel has taken over Le Raisin from his parents-in-law served from Tuesday to Saturday evening at the tempting price of \u20ac41 for three courses you also get to choose from the cheese trolley \u2013 an opportunity not to be missed here in the Ain d\u00e9partement Morbier and Bleu de Gex have protected designation of origin (AOP) status.\u2028 Menu de Saison: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac41 served Tue evening to Sat evening Lunch formule: starter + main course or main course + dessert for \u20ac26 L'Asp\u00e9rule Christopher Coutanceau and Jo\u00ebl Robuchon His unique dishes are featured in the \u20ac45 lunch set menu \u2028Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert Pastis an alumnus of L'Astrance in Paris and Maison de la Loz\u00e8re in Montpellier so it's impossible to predict what the \u20ac45 lunch menu will consist of Surprise menu: starter + main course or main course + dessert for \u20ac30 or four-course menu with two starters + main course + dessert for \u20ac45 Roz\u00f3 This unique universe secured its first star in the MICHELIN Guide in 2023.\u2028 Parenth\u00e8ses set menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac45 L'Empreinte creative cuisine characterised by unlikely combinations \u2013 cooking that earned him a star in the MICHELIN Guide in 2020 1 set menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac45 Le Pot d'\u00c9tain When chef Philippe Zeiger and his wife Florence Zeiger took over Le Pot d'\u00c9tain in 2008 authentic dishes available for \u20ac45 at lunchtime on weekdays Retour du March\u00e9 set menu: starter + main course + dessert + glass of wine + \u00bc litre mineral water + coffee for \u20ac45 La Table de Philippe Girardon he proposes a \u20ac48 set menu that changes to reflect the local produce available to bask in the tranquillity of the 3ha grounds.\u2028 Les Plaisirs du D\u00e9jeuner menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac48 Maison Medard chef Julien M\u00e9dard has inherited a love of nature and quality produce At Maison Medard \u2013 which he and his wife Delphine opened here in the Cher d\u00e9partement \u2013 he advocates respect for the environment and living things he designs his dishes with a view to using foodstuffs in their entirety.\u2028 excluding school holidays and public holidays.\u2028 Les Rosiers Andr\u00e9e and her husband St\u00e9phane Rosier have been united by a passion for food \u2028Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac46 Hostellerie la Montagne chef Jean-Baptiste Natali returned to his native Haute-Marne d\u00e9partement in 2001 and opened his own restaurant Menu du March\u00e9: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac39 L'Auberge du Pont Les Bateliers set menu: starter + main course + dessert or cheese for \u20ac40 La Renaissance Behind the atypical fa\u00e7ade of hotel and restaurant La Renaissance Served from Tuesday to Friday by C\u00e9cilia Viel and her team the \"Au Jour le Jour\" menu takes diners on a pilgrimage to the beaches and plains of his childhood \"Au Jour le Jour\" set menu: starter + main course + dessert Le Mas Bottero chef Nicolas Bottero was always passionate about the produce of his home region \u2013 Provence Lunch menu: starter + main course + dessert for \u20ac50 Hero image: Aurore Degaigne/Roz\u00f3 90 singlehanded sailors will take off from Les Sables-d’Olonne racing 21-foot (6.5-meter) Classe Mini boats alone for 4,050 nautical miles to the Canary Islands and then Guadeloupe in the legendary Mini Transat Renowned for its extreme challenges and the high-performance pocket rockets on which it takes place the Mini Transat is largely the domain of French singlehanders an American sailor has met the qualifying miles and races necessary to secure a start Marine Corps veteran Peter Gibbons-Neff will be on the line with his Classe Mini 6.50 sailing to meet his own hopes and dreams and to spread the word about an organization that has played a key role in his life The following is his story of finding his way to this singular class and his path through thousands of ocean miles he’s had to sail to make it to the starting line By the evening of the 12th day at sea in August 2022, I was beyond exhausted. With almost no direct sunlight on my solar panels for the previous week The final 300 miles into the Bay of Biscay were the most difficult of this 1,300-nautical-mile solo race from the Azores to France and with my automatic identification system (AIS) transponder shut off I was playing frogger with giant ships crossing between the mouth of the English Channel and Cape Finisterre Reaching speeds of up to 15 knots, I was surfing down waves with a large asymmetric spinnaker and flying it for days at a time. The two handheld VHF radios were dead, and all that remained was a little handheld GPS and a flashlight to shine on my mainsail I hove to that final night at sea for a brief three-hour nap before I hurt myself or the boat I was competing in my final qualifying race to earn a place on the starting line of the 2023 Mini Transat an extreme solo and unassisted race in a 21-foot (6.5-meter) sailboat that happens every other year 4,000-plus-nautical-mile race departs from the iconic Les Sables-d’Olonne the ultimate solo nonstop race around the world The first 1,350-mile leg to the Canary Islands is well known for rough weather and big seas The second 2,700-mile leg starts in late October with a finish in the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe This route comprises endless days of reaching in the trade winds—exactly the conditions this type of boat was designed for each participant must compete in sanctioned Classe Mini races for a minimum of 1,500 miles in the boat they plan to race in the Mini Transat They also need to complete a qualifying course of at least 1,000 miles solo an American sailor in this legendary world of French solo ocean racing I had grown up sailing and racing in Annapolis but that had less to do with how I ended up here than where I had been a few years ago on active duty as an officer in the Marine Corps I was going through a divorce and needed a hard reset on my personal life but my free time away from work was difficult that first day of frozen fingers working on the Farr turned into two days and soon I was spending as much time as I could out on the water The team gave me purpose and a reason to get outside and enjoy life once again but I needed both the sailing and the teammates in my life As I approached 10 years on active duty in the Marine Corps and the Annapolis team was there for me throughout my divorce and during my transition into the reserves—two major life changes over the span of two years the world was mostly shut down from the pandemic One of the first areas of professional sailing to re-emerge was solo ocean racing in France Skippers training for the Vendée Globe successfully started their race in November 2020 This sparked my initial interest in solo sailing I found that the Classe Mini was within my financial reach and offered the possibility of competing in the Mini Transat the following year It had raced in the Bermuda One-Two twice and was ready to sail I walked over to a local yacht club to check out the boat In the military we call our final time off “terminal leave.” This leave is used for the concluding time in service where we are paid for those days while not wearing the uniform It was only fitting to name my boat Terminal Leave since I had about three months of leave saved up and this would be my transition project off active duty After my quick decision to buy the Classe Mini I spent the fall of 2020 learning how to sail this new-to-me type of boat My work list included making the boat class-legal and ready to safely race across the Atlantic Ocean it’s easy to forget about all the initial preparations and just focus on the sailing but this was a crucial and challenging time Working full time at the Pentagon while completing the requirements to transition off active duty I was also taking night classes for a master’s degree in strategic intelligence and writing papers—all while trying to start a serious solo ocean racing campaign I drove the boat to Baltimore to load onto a car-carrying ship bound for Europe I was finally allowed into France on May 24 La Trinité-sur-Mer would be my home base when not out racing teeming with Class 40s and multiple large 100-foot Ultim trimarans designed to race around the world By June I was back offshore for the first time in almost a decade including many offshore races and deliveries on my parents’ Farr 395 Naval Academy’s TP52 Invictus in the 2010 Newport-Bermuda Race With more than 8,000 nautical miles of bluewater experience I knew I had the foundational skills to safely jump back into offshore sailing My first two races that season were doublehanded and took me from the Bay of Biscay through the English Channel to Deauville in Normandy My first solo sail was the delivery from Normandy back to La Trinité-sur-Mer 360 nautical miles through one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world along with Brittany’s notoriously strong tidal currents The next race was solo from Port Bourgenay and I continued to learn new things about how to sail it better every day This is where I first experienced the raw power of the Bay of Biscay a deep low-pressure system moved across the area With almost 40 knots of wind and steep seas in the southern part of the bay I went from sitting in the cockpit to standing on the inside edge of the cockpit and looking over the side as the boat was launched about 90 degrees over I could feel the full force of the wave pushing the entire boat and was worried about rolling over and breaking the rig but it can wake me up a few minutes early in a 12-minute nap but I feel the fear suppressed until everything settles down and then I realize just how close I am to a new limit in solo ocean racing require immediate decision making (like an immediate action drill in the military) while other situations require more contemplation and after discussions with sailors and officials in the class it was clear there was no way for me to qualify in time for that year’s Mini Transat I shifted my focus to preparing for the 2023 race I completed my required 1,000-nautical-mile solo sail from Ireland to La Rochelle After 10 days at sea alone and in light air the final stretch along the Irish coast proved the most challenging Wind speeds consistently averaged above 30 knots in a pitch-black night and steep waves buffeted me from two different directions A mark of the qualification course was about 2 miles off the Irish coast the boat was sailing upwind in an uncomfortable sea state as the boat was getting pounded by waves and crashing into the troughs I felt and heard everything in the boat shaking violently through each wave Earlier I could hear the waves breaking on these fearsome rocks If I were dismasted close to this lee shore I would have ended up on the rocky southern coast of Ireland I tacked away and bore off slightly to ride out the weather Terminal Leave was bounced around but survived another serious test I finished the 2021 season having sailed 3,406 nautical miles including over 2,000 miles solo—a solid basis to build on I returned to La Trinité-sur-Mer for a second season of Mini racing The objective was to complete my final qualifications for the Mini Transat and improve my performance on the race course The first race of the season was a 500-mile solo race conveniently starting in La Trinité-sur-Mer and the committee shortened the course by almost 90 miles My autopilot malfunctioned on the second day forcing me to hand-steer for the final three days all while dodging the large fleet of fishing boats operating in the Bay of Biscay This included sailing through multiple squalls and navigating close to shore Toward the end of this multiple-hour sail around the traps The severe sleep deprivation led to exhaustion and even hallucinations I remember seeing strange boats in the night in a glow of red light While it was probably the headlamp from another competitor sailing by At that point I had discovered my limit of sleep deprivation and knew I did not want to reach that point again The next race was 220 miles solo out of Douarnenez in northwest France This felt more like a sprint and was my best performance of the season and I was able to focus on the tactical situation more than I had in the previous races I competed in a 600-miler called the Mini Fastnet a double-handed race from Douarnenez across the English Channel to the Celtic Sea and back The fleet was supposed to round the famous Fastnet Rock but once again light winds forced officials to shorten the course Short-tacking just a few boat lengths off the rocky shores of Land’s End but worth the risk to avoid the strong currents the fleet compressed to just 10 miles as we entered the Bay of Douarnenez I have yet to see a closer finish in any of the other races it filled in sporadically for the final few miles at about 0300 The back half of the fleet ended up passing me as I continued to drift and watch helplessly It was a frustrating finish to a solid race The final race of the 2022 season was the Les Sables-Azores-Les Sables (SAS) we headed southwest 1,300 miles to Horta in the Azores With its famous high-pressure system sitting over the islands the fleet struggled over the final half of the course we only had about three days to rest and recover until we were back on the starting line for the return leg the weather models were not consistent and provided an interesting navigational dilemma: Do you sail a shorter distance closer to the rhumb line but spend more time sailing upwind or do you sail much farther north and gamble on more favorable reaching conditions racing in the Mini fleet comes with additional challenges: We aren’t permitted any form of satellite communications race organizers broadcast an audio weather forecast once a day (in French and English) over single sideband We have small SSB radio receivers and tune into this race-specific forecast each afternoon They provide the general location of pressure systems and wind data for large areas of the ocean since we’re also not authorized to use chartplotters or laptops Terminal Leave does not have the newer scow bow so she can’t capitalize as much on heavy-air reaching conditions I chose to sail less distance and stayed just north of the rhumb line the fleet had about a 500-mile lateral spread from the coast of Portugal almost to the coast of Ireland—an unprecedented separation in the race’s history Since we don’t have internet access to the race-tracking website the rankings are provided after each forecast We didn’t know how it would all play out until the final few days of the race The downside to my more direct southern route Solar panels were my only method of charging my batteries and normally they would be more than sufficient For a week straight I had almost no direct sunlight With 600 miles left in the race and just enough power to run the autopilot for two hours a day “Who would be crazy enough to start a Newport-Bermuda Race with dead batteries?!” But that was equivalent to what I was doing I hand-steered as much as possible because we were running downwind with the spinnaker up and surfing down waves and lashing down the tiller rarely works in those conditions We don’t carry wind vane self-steering gear because there is simply not enough room to install it on the boats before finishing the race with a handheld GPS and a flashlight dodging numerous ships and small fishing boats moving in all directions Terminal Leave and I finished the SAS on August 16 with an elapsed time of just over 24 days I was proud to have finished the most difficult race of the Classe Mini that year Completing this race was the best test of the boat and me for the off year and guaranteed my entry in this year’s race bringing me and Terminal Leave to 7,484 miles Each mile feels much longer on such a small boat I returned to France in March and began upgrading and prepping for the biggest test of all in September Major upgrades have included two new solar panels and adding a hydro-generator the hydro-generator can convert our speed through the water into usable power—no more depending solely on solar The combination of wear and saltwater over three seasons really adds up over the miles Preparations and boat improvements all come down to balancing funding with safety and performance My two main goals for the 2023 season have been completing at least one race (With class participation exploding over the past few years and most skippers are only entered in one or two races now due to long waiting lists.) When I start this Mini Transat in September my goal will be to complete the race and proudly represent U.S but simply finishing the race will be a massive accomplishment The road to the Mini Transat is long and difficult for each skipper With most campaigns taking three years now to qualify it requires a significant dedication of time and money to both qualify and cross the finish line This campaign has come a long way since the first time I saw the Mini in Annapolis and dreamed of racing it across the ocean It certainly would not be possible without all of the support from friends and family over the past few years and I’m grateful to everyone who has believed in me and donated to help me get to the starting line A version of this story first appeared in the CCA’s annual Voyages magazine in February 2023 and SAIL appreciates the opportunity to reprint it here Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen Sail Magazine may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site Copyright © 2025 Sail Magazine Firecrown. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. I decided to do the same with my own family using the same ferry company and the same tour operator the average age of our three sons was 17 — the very age that I was when I first visited France I have memories of that voyage in 1985 of a vessel that possibly hadn’t moved on much from Brittany Ferries’ vegetable-freight-transport origins I remember queasiness for hours on end as we spent half the night trying to watch Live Aid on the lounge’s television until the signal gradually faded out pictured with his father and younger brother 30 years ago.Nowadays They seem to have completely sorted out the rolling-and-pitching problems and you have television in your cabin with an unfailing signal You actually arrive in France feeling refreshed instead of sick (once you haven’t been bold and spent too much time in the bar on the way over Olonne-sur-Mer is a little suburb of Les Sables d’Olonne and they run seamlessly into one another with a huge array of places to choose from drawn to the long sandy beaches and the conviviality of campsite life Conor Power took his family to a campsite near Les Sables d’Olonne in France’s Vendée regionThere are clubs to look after the little ones and pubs to allow Mammy and Daddy partake in a bit of social activity My wife and I admired the increasingly flat landscape of the Vendée as we neared our destination while our three teenagers snoozed in the back Huge fields of alternating sunflowers and vines dominated the vistas we drove through with the occasional signpost tempting you to visit “La Venise Verte” — the so-called Green Venice where you can take a boat to explore the old canal system that’s in place since the ancient days of the Vendée’s salt economy it all looked familiar but a good deal smarter since my day The basic package hadn’t changed much in 30 years: it still involves essentially the same ingredients (mobile home The most noticeable transformation was the level of facilities at the swimming pool but now you have a variety of pools — indoor and outdoor — as well as various slides installed so that it’s more like a mini water-park Our neighbours were from Co Galway — a very nice younger family We were beginning to wonder whether or not it was a good idea to bring older children to such a set-up There wasn’t a complete lack of campers in their age range but because we had arrived early in the season our boys were a few years older than the average age of children here the trick is to pack the programme with activities We took to cycling on the fast-growing network of cycle paths and our lads enjoyed an evening visit into Les Sables d’Olonne itself — a few kilometres away It was World Music Day (known as Fête de la Musique in France where it all started) and every French town always makes a big effort we parked at La Chaume district (across the sound from the centre of Les Sables) and took the free electric boat shuttle into the heart of Les Sables The place was really rocking: A jazz band played us off as we boarded the little ferry the huge promenade was packed with thousands of people strolling and dancing in the closed-off streets and there were bands playing different music every couple of hundred metres Conor Power returned for the exact same holiday 30 years later with his own teenage sons.We went to explore some of the old canals another day a local company ( www.laroutedusel.com ) offers guided tours through some of the watery network as well as telling you about the history of the area Our guide was a Scottish man who’d been living in the area for many years he explained the history of the white gold in these parts before we all got down to drainage level and paddled energetically through some of the little canals and rivers We also went to visit the multi-award-winning Puy du Fou ( www.puydufou.com ) — just over an hour’s drive away inland For anyone who has been to this part of the world but who hasn’t yet visited it had barely started as a sound-and-light show telling some local history and entertaining the crowds it’s one of the biggest attractions in the country drawing 1.9 million people every year to a unique theme park with no queues there was a pub quiz down at the camp site bar The entire Irish congregation seemed to be there we checked with our sons to see how they’d enjoyed the holiday they agreed that it was good — the mixture of lazing around and fun excursions on the coast and inland they wouldn’t say no to coming back again next year We travelled from Cork to Roscoff with Brittany Ferries ( www.brittanyferries.ie ) who sail every Saturday from April to October CityJet ( www.cityjet.com ) have a new direct twice-weekly summer service from Cork to La Rochelle starting on June 18 next Ryanair ( www.ryanair.com ) also have a twice-weekly direct service from Dublin We booked with Ballinasloe-based Kelair Campotel ( www.campotel.com ) and stayed at La Loubine camp site The local sweet strong aperitif — Pineau des Charentes Visit some of the offshore islands — Nourmoutier is one that you can drive onto and which has a very special Mediterranean-like atmosphere then you simply can’t beat the plan of driving down to either the palatial-sized Leclerc at Olonne-sur-mer (just 3km from the camp site) or the Lidl around the corner buying some exotically-French barbecue stuff and cooking it on the gas barbecue that comes with every mobile home then the restaurants along the sea-front at Les Sables d’Olonne offer a great range of food even though many of them are a little pricey One of the best-value places in Les Sables is the Crêperie du Port (17 Quai Ernest de Franqueville) where you’ll get a smiley service and freshly-made pancakes at family-friendly prices Another option would be Mama (23 Promenade Georges Clemenceau) — a decent pizzeria on the main promenade with a view of the sea The La Chaume district — separated from the centre of Les Sables d’Olonne by a sea passage — has a more authentic crusty sailor kind of atmosphere and is also a good place to eat out Try your luck at any of them along Quai George V with Le Fatra (21 Quai George V) probably being the pick of the crop For more information visit www.vendee-tourisme.com  for information on the whole region From as little as €1 a week with our digital introductory offer Already a subscriber? Sign in Serena Williams beats big sister Venus for 3rd Wimbledon title and 11th Grand Slam See more sports news from today's date in history: pulled back as heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey missed with a left during their title bout in Shelby tennis star Billie Jean King holds up trophy after winning her sixth singles final at Wimbledon in London leaps high as he beats title holder John McEnroe to take the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Championship title in London on July 4 and Steffi Graf pose on Center court after the women's singles final at Wimbledon holds the trophy after he defeated fellow countryman Andre Agassi in the Men's Singles Final on Wimbledon's Centre Court Meg Mallon celebrates after putting out on the 18th green as the winner of the U.S Women's Open Golf Championship at The Orchards in South Hadley Mallon is one of four players to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame (AP Photo/Elise Amendola Dara Torres waves the US flag after winning the women's 100-meter freestyle final at the US Olympic swimming trials in Omaha in the women's singles final on the Centre Court at Wimbledon after defeating Tomas Berdych in the men's singles final on the Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon Tyler Farrar of the US forms a "W'' as he crosses the finish line to win the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 198 kilometers (123 miles) starting in Olonne sur Mer Farrar held up his hands to form a "W'' with his fingers and thumbs to honor his friend and training partner Wouter Weylandt who died in a crash during the Giro d'Italia in May Farrar had pulled out of the Giro after Weylandt fell off his bike and slammed his head on the ground in the third stage of the race celebrates at the end of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Germany and France at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account This year’s race begins in the Vendée and heads across northern France before turning south to the Alps and the Pyrénées Stage one, Noirmoutier-en-Isle-Fontenay le Comte 201kmStage 1A flat opener no doubt amid relief that the race is not crossing to the mainland via the tidal causeway of Le Passage du Gois although with long stretches on exposed coastal roads if the wind blows the race could splinter as it did in Holland in 2015 a sprint from a reduced bunch is a near-certainty with a single fourth-cat climb: another day for Mark Cavendish and company Time to explain a minor change to the format intended to liven up the the first nine stages; as well as time bonuses at the finish a few seconds are on offer at a sprint close to the finish; today’s is 14km out and should make the finale even more hectic For the GC men days one and two are about staying upright and in touch This is the first chance for gaps to open – particularly if it’s breezy or wet – and all eyes will be on Team Sky who have yet to win a Tour team time trial peppered with corners and with two little hills after halfway to put any strugglers under pressure Into the cycling heartland of Brittany for a third sprint day - no wonder the young Australian fastman Caleb Ewan was devastated to be left out The race should have a more controlled pattern now – breakaway sprint – where it is to be hoped that Peter Sagan will stay in a straight line avoiding last year’s controversy and a final 100 kilometres with five climbs with the bonus sprint on a further short ascent near the finish A good day for a break as the finale will be hard to control or for a sprinter who can climb like Sagan or Arnaud Démare A classic tense stage when the Tour won’t be won but it could be lost dead straight Breton Alpe d’Huez in the final 16 kilometres: the first true test for the overall contenders The run-in to the climb the first time will be hectic as the riders fight for position; a crash or a puncture could be ruinous this climb favours riders such as Spain’s Alejandro Valverde or Chris Froome probably with the wind on the riders’ backs on the rolling roads of Normandy; this will be fast and it is destined for a sprint although if the breeze is north-westerly and teams feel enterprising the race could split up in the finale One for the usual suspects: Mark Cavendish André Greipel and new kid on the block Fernando Gaviria The fifth flat day out of the first eight; let’s hope the sprints haven’t all gone to Marcel Kittel and that the shenanigans have been relatively restrained repeated small climbs and descents which look innocuous on the profile the wind could make life interesting; again Lots of cobbles on a potentially key stage: the final 109km includes 15 pavé sectors but offering little respite - the longest tarmac stretch is 12km - leaving little chance to regroup after a puncture or crash Toughest section is Camphin-en-Pévèle at 18km to go this could be carnage; Geraint Thomas will fancy his chances but Vincenzo Nibali won the 2014 race on a similar stage A lengthy transfer to the Alps for more off-roading two kilometres of unpaved road on the hors-catégorie Col de Glières; three other climbs will provide a rude awakening after nine stages on the flat With a descent to the finish after the brutal double of the Cols de Romme and Colombière the script is an attack from Romain Bardet Following the recent trend for short mountain stages this has three major ascents including a summit finish; La Rosière is draggy rather than steep so the main selection will come over the Cormet de Roselend tackled mid-stage after 38 mainly uphill kilometres One for a specialist climber with a sprint so ideal for a Movistar rider such as Mikel Landa or Alejandro Valverde a very traditional climbing stage: the Cols de Madeleine and Croix-de-Fer – 25km and 29km long respectively – followed by the Tour’s toughest summit finish With masses of points on offer in the King of the Mountains someone will take an option on that jersey here with the the overall distilled to half-a-dozen contenders at most The overall battle will go back on hold for a typical contest between a break and the sprinters teams depending on what they have in their legs after surviving the Alps rolling roads in the middle as the route skirts the Vercors The sprinters teams should handle it but it could be tight One of the few days when the break is highly likely to stay away so the tussle to get in it will be intense and the steep finish climb up to the airport is made for Julian Alaphilippe although British fans remember this as where Wirral’s finest Steve Cummings outwitted Romain Bardet and Thibaut Pinot for a tactically perfect win back in 2015 this includes the first-category Pic de Nore 40km from the finish with an elite selection of overall contenders behind them But these are roads eminently suited to a surprise attack from an all rounder such as Nibali the final week opens with a lengthy run in to the Pyrénées and three short steep climbs The winner should come from the early escape - a climber such as David Gaudu or Pello Bilbao - while the elite group of overall contenders are liable to watch and wait with tomorrow in mind this short stage will see the favourites “gridded” at the start as the battle for position will be intense with the race heading straight up the Col de Peyresourde before a summit finish made for Rafal Majka or Nairo Quintana – 2,215m above sea level after a 16km climb it should at least whittle the overall contenders down to two or three An abrupt transition to flat roads could offer an intriguing diversion from the main plot; a similar stage in 2012 witnessed a desperate contest to get in the early break This is the last chance for any non-climbers to try for the stage win – Edvard Boasson Hagen for example – and the sprinters’ teams may not be in sufficient shape to pull a group back A final day of classic Pyrenean climbing: the triptych of Aspin Aubisque – climbed via the little known Col des Bordères – before a descent to the finish A holding operation before the next day’s time trial for whoever is in yellow with a break going all the way – someone such as the Pole Rafal Majka for the win – and perhaps a final fight for the King of the Mountains jersey over a distance that would have been termed short in the 1980s or 1990s the final contre-la-montre witnessed a fraught battle for the podium The Basque country course is far from flat so Chris Froome will start favourite rather than Tom Dumoulin although the ups and downs will also suit Richie Porte the now-traditional evening stage in the heart of Paris and again using the full circuit around the Arc de Triomphe It’s 15 years since this was won from a break so the sprint seems inevitable: last year victory went to Dylan Groenewegen and this finish has also smiled on Mark Cavendish and André Greipel – but who will be in yellow This article was amended on 5 July 2018 to correct the name of Dylan Groenewegen from Tom Groenewegen as an earlier version said After a 2010 edition dedicated to the centenary of the Pyrenees the 2011 Tour de France will celebrate the centenary of the first time the race climbed the Alps At the launch of next year's event in Paris race director Christian Prudhomme unveiled a parcours ideal for climbers with only 64 time trial kilometres of which 23 are a team time trial there will be no time bonuses on the road from the Vendée region to Paris while a testing third week in the Alps sees the Tour return to the Galibier and L’Alpe d’Huez: two of its most legendary climbs The 2011 Tour's Grand Départ is in the windy Vendée region in Western France The first stage will see the peloton cross the famous Passage du Gois before the first uphill finish on the Mont des Alouettes in Les Herbiers famous for organising the Chrono des Nations time trial The team time trial is back after a one-year absence The collective test against the clock has a totally flat profile and will certainly re-shuffle the general classification even if the distance of 23 kilometres might not open up significant time gaps Stage three (Olonne-sur-Mer to Redon) will see the riders gear up for a probable bunch sprint as the Tour heads northwest from Vendée towards Brittany an uphill finish on the steep Mûr-de-Bretagne in central Brittany will suit the Classics riders and strong finishers with the yellow jersey probably again up for grabs The Tour will then move northwards on stage five from Carhaix to Cap Fréhel finishing on a windy and especially treacherous section of coast line the bunch will move over into Normandy for stage six from Dinan to Lisieux the Tour’s longest stage with 226 kilometres After the first week in north-western France the Tour route heads south into France's central mountain range via Châteauroux The stage starts in Le Mans and is another sure bet for a bunch sprint The first "real" uphill finish is scheduled for Saturday followed by a perfect day for audacious escapists on the hilly stage nine from Issoire to Saint-Flour on Sunday July 10 with the Puy Mary located more than 1500 metres above sea level The riders will be able to enjoy the first rest day on July 11 in Le Lioran in the Cantal cheese region Two transitional stages will then pave the way south to the Pyrenees on July 12 with stage 10 from Aurillac to Carmaux and then stage 11 from Blaye-les-Mines to Lavaur Many expected a first individual time trial at this point in the race but the 2011 Tour is set to feature even less time trialling than in 2010 with Prudhomme sticking to one race against the clock only as opposed to two in the past Three days in the Pyrenees with two mountain top finishes will provide plenty of climbing action  in the second week and will reveal who has a real chance of victory before the Grande Finale in the Alps in the third week Stages 12 and 14 will end on top of Luz-Ardiden and the Plateau de Beille respectively with the hard day from Pau to Lourdes surely to tempt the climbers to chase mountain points for the polka-dot jersey Stage 12 to Luz-Ardiden also has the famous Tourmalet on its profile and stage 14 includes a total of four passes before the final ramps of the Plateau de Beille: Portet d’Aspet After another transitional stage 15 from Limous to Montpellier a day that should be marked green on the sprinter’s calendars the race will head east across the south of France for the second rest day in the Drôme region on July 18 before the 2011 Tour reaches its climax in the Alps in the third week of racing The Tour De France climbed the Alps for the first time in 1911 with a 366km-long stage from Chamonix to Grenoble taking the riders over four testing passes: the Aravis stage 16 from Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Gap serves as a taste of the pain to come and three days in the high mountains begin on July 20 as the peloton departs on a 179km-journey from Gap to Pinerolo in Italy Three categorized climbs are on the menu: Col de Montgenèvre Sestrières and the Côte de Pramartino Italy will be the only foreign country visited by the 2011 Tour Riders will return to France on the next day for back to back mountain-top finishes no doubt - will finish on the prestigious Galibier (2645m) after crossing some of the most challenging climbs of the Alps: the Col d’Agnel (2774m) and the Izoard (2360m) The Galibier will be re-visited on the next day via its northern side as the 109km-long 19th stage finishes with the climb to L’Alpe d’Huez it seems this one could be just as decisive as the 41km-long individual time trial that will follow on the race’s penultimate day in Grenoble Prudhomme has prefered a “real-time” general classification without any time bonuses But the Tour organisers have altered the points systems in the hope of intensifying the fight for the green and polka-dot jerseys Prudhomme announced there one single intermediate sprint per stage awarding half the points on offer at the stage finish the sprinters will have to sprint twice a day if they want to be a contender for the green jersey The changes will surely change the pattern of the racing on most days and affect the chances of breakaways making it to the finish The mountains classification will also be changed with double points up for grabs at the four mountain-top finishes of the race This may be an additional lure for the strong climbers to show off their talent in the high mountains stage 1: Passage du Gois-Mont des Alouettes rest day at province of DrômeJuly 19 stage 16: Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux-Gap stage 18: Pinerolo-Galibier/Serre-Chevalier stage 21: Créteil-Paris/Champs-Elysées After a 2010 edition dedicated to the centenary of the Pyrenees, the 2011 Tour de France will celebrate the centenary of the first time the race climbed the Alps At the launch of next year's event in Paris, race director Christian Prudhomme unveiled a parcours ideal for climbers Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries The beaches of Les Sables d’Olonne in the Vendée bask in plenty of sunshine year-round © Getty Images Travel journalist James March is not immune to the charms of France's Côte d'Azur and gets why that may be your first choice for a beach holiday in France - but here's why he thinks you should consider visiting the Vendée region instead Ah, the French Riviera Flanked on one side by the Mediterranean's glittering turquoise waters and golden arcing beaches while craggy cinematic mountains rise on the other its glamorous coastal towns in between have attracted the world's high society and artistic glitterati every summer for well over a century Running from lemon-filled Menton near the Italian border down towards the historic port city of Toulon (though there's no official boundary) the Côte d'Azur is a picturesque stretch of Mediterranean coast in the south of France populated by several well-known and well-heeled towns and cities From the blue and white parasols dotting Nice's crescent-shaped shores to the pristine beaches and sleek million-dollar yachts at Cannes and Saint-Tropez there's an unmistakable allure to this corner of France and its popularity never fades And that's also not a surprise when sunshine beams onto its 115 kilometers of coastline for 330 days of the year It's not just wide-eyed international visitors who visit either. So many Parisians love escaping the French capital every summer that the A6 highway linking Paris to the Riviera has been nicknamed the Autoroute du Soleil and the Côte d'Azur now receives around 13 million visitors annually (pre-covid) meaning its towns become crowded and hotel rooms are snapped up well in advance That glamour and popularity have also led to invariably high prices at those hotels and among its some 3000 restaurants So as seductive as this famous slice of France is there's an intriguing alternative option around 800km away on the west coast Spreading out between the cities of Nantes and La Rochelle on France's western coast, the Vendée is a small but splendid region to the south of Brittany's protruding peninsula this is a far cry from the wild North Atlantic the Vendée sits in a mild microclimate and basks in the glow of 2500 annual hours of sunshine Vast yawning sands stretch toward the horizon at Les Sables d'Olonne and Demoiselles Beach while the dramatic corniche at St Gilles Croix-de-Vie conceals some glorious hidden coves that are often entirely vacant the Corniche Vendéenne is a breezy 3km walking trail that takes in some delightful views particularly when passing by the handsome Grosse Terre lighthouse with the sweet smell of the green maritime pine trees for company and distant fishing boats trundling across the shimmering waters Those calm waters are available for exploring too, and Semvie Nautisme leads easy-going boating trips from St Gilles Croix-de-Vie's quaint harbor offering guests the chance to steer their sailboats and enjoy some fantastic panoramic views Inland behind Saint Gilles, the landscape shifts dramatically. With its tree-less scenes of neat salt ponds, lonely hay bales, old stone cottages and elegant herons gliding overhead, the 500 hectares of flat salt marshes at Marais Salant Prédevie's a fascinating switch from the classic coastal scenes nearby and tours are available The variety of landscapes only flourishes further south, where e-bike tours from Libert E Trott start at Les Sables-d'Olonne's mast-filled harbor and wind out to the expansive coast before diving into the gentle dips and climbs of the lush green Forest of Olonne the electric push of the bikes means lower stress on your legs and more time to appreciate the passing scenery For those wanting to explore the marshes further, Octopusglisse guides newcomers on a glide through those calm waters in a pirogue hawaienne (a type of outrigger canoe) And under the Vendéenne morning sun with swaying reeds and cute cottages passing by it's a tranquil and almost therapeutic way to start a day Beyond the marshes, a more familiar French scene appears with acres of rolling green vineyards in neat rows. Wines from this region are known as 'Fiefs-vendéens' and come with their character, especially those whites like chenin and chardonnay with salty notes influenced by the nearby terroir. Explore some true fiefs-vendéens at Domaine St Nicolas where tastings with gregarious owner Thierry Michon shouldn't be missed However, this coastal region's gastronomy is ruled by one product - the humble sardine. Back at Saint Gilles Croix-de-Vie, harvesting this small fish runs deep into the cultural fabric and few places are better than Le Banc de Sardines eating is limited to wooden benches outside and the sardines are caught fresh that morning and served alongside fluffy potatoes After this tantalizing taste, learn more about how fishing in St Gilles has evolved over the years with the exciting exhibits on show at the Escale Pêche Discovery Centre, while the L'Atelier de la Sardine offers more of a deep dive (no pun intended) into sardine fishing itself Though the narrow lanes and pastel shutters of Les Sables' historic l'ile Penotte neighborhood would be achingly picturesque on their own, several walls are covered in the original seashell frescos of local artist Daniele Arnaud-Aubin, who has crafted colorful depictions of cats, ships, vampires, bats and other occasionally macabre images. So while the Vendée doesn't have the glitzy status of the Cote d'Azur, its gorgeous weather twinned with some fabulous beaches, curious local quirks, fine food and a love of the outdoors makes it an enthralling alternative. Nantes Atlantique Airport is the nearest international airport, and trains from Nantes city center to St Gilles Croix-de-Vie take around 1hr 14min, while Les Sables d'Olonne is a little longer at 1hr 35min. If you're starting your journey from Paris, then direct trains run from Gare Montparnasse to Nantes in two hours, where you can change toward either coastal town. This corner of France is very popular with Parisians looking to escape the City of Light for a few days, so book ahead as early as possible. James visited the Vendée on the invitation of Atout France. Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies in return for positive coverage. The Vallée du Paradis campsite, in a quiet location at the back of the town, bordering the river Agay, is conducive to chilling out in the evenings with a glass of rosé. Agay has a year-round temperate climate, so you can enjoy all its attributes early in the season. camping-vallee-du-paradis.fr, from €120 f0r two nights in a four-person tent fizzfieldgrass The route of the 2011 Tour de France was presented in Paris in the autumn, but there were very few surprises as the route had been leaked on the internet weeks before. The Vendée region hosts the Grand Depart before the race heads north in to Brittany and then down through the centre of the country.  The first mountain range is the Pyrenees with the Alps being celebrated in the final few days of the race that includes two passes of the Galibier, one of the highest roads in the Alps. The final time trial, on the penultimate day of the race, will be around the city of Grenoble. There is also a team time trial on stage two. However, this is just 23km long and, according to ASO, is flat fast and for the specialists. Stage 1: July 2, Passage du Gois - Mont des Alouettes 191km Stage 2: July 3, Les Essarts - Les Essarts 23km TTT The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox! Stage 3: July 4, Olonne-sur-Mer - Redon 198km Stage 4: July 5, Lorient - Mur-de-Bretagne 172km Stage 5: July 6, Carhaix - Cap Fréhel 158km Stage 7: July 8, Le Mans - Chateauroux 215km Stage 8: July 9, Aigurande - Super-Besse Sancy 190km Stage 9: July 10, Issoire - Saint-Flour 208km Stage 10: July 12, Aurillac - Carmaux 161km Stage 11: July 13, Blaye-les-Mines - Lavaur 168km Stage 12: July 14, Cugnaux - Luz-Ardiden 209km Stage 14: July 16, Saint-Gaudens - Plateau de Beille 168km Stage 15: July 17, Limoux - Montpellier 187km Stage 16: July 19, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Gap 163km Stage 18: July 21, Pinerolo - Galibier Serre Chevalier 189km Stage 19: July 22, Mondane - Alpe d'Huez 109km Stage 20: July 23, Grenoble - Grenoble 41km ITT Stage 21: July 24, Créteil - Paris Champs Élysées 160km Mark Cavendish and Andy Schleck point at a map of France Cavendish challenging for up to eight stages in 2011 Tour de France Cycling Weekly's 2010 Tour de France coverage Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1 Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video. Tyler Farrar became the first ever American to claim a Tour de France stage on July 4 - Independence Day across the pond - as Garmin-Cérvelo claimed their second Tour de France stage ever in as many days in Redon. Mark Cavendish and the HTC-Highroad lead-out train were expected to dominate the stage's finish, but two sharp corners on the run-in slowed the bunch down and Cavendish was crowded out before the last bend. As a result Cavendish was pushed behind his rivals round the final bend, and Garmin-Cérvelo were left in a perfect position with Thor Hushovd, Julian Dean and Tyler Farrar right at the front. From there, the American had it wrapped up - as he said afterwards, with a lead-out from yellow jersey holder and world champion Thor Hushovd, he was only called on to sprint from one hundred and fifty metres out. He crossed the line with hands outstretched making a W-sign in tribute to Wouter Weylandt, his best friend who was killed in a crash during the Giro d'Italia. Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-DSM) made a late challenge and finished second, and José Rojas (Movistar) was a close third, with Cavendish eventually finishing fifth. Geraint Thomas (Sky) made a late bid for glory, jumping off the front with five hundred metres to go. He was banking on the final corner, which was a sharp left-hander, being disruptive enough for him to stay clear, but it wasn't to be. Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil-DSM) also launched a late attack with two kilometres to go, but never got near gaining enough distance on the peloton to pose any danger. Cavendish declassified from intermediate sprint There were two main talking points to the action earlier in the day, with Cavendish and Hushovd both declassified from the intermediate sprint results, and a split in the peloton on the day's only classified climb causing a brief moment of panic. There was an early attack from Mickael Delage (FdJ), Niki Terpstra (Quick Step), Maxime Bouet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Ivan Gutierrez (Movistar) and Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskaltel-Euskadi), whose breakaway stayed away until the final kilometres, meaning that sixth to 15th were the only points-winning positions left available to the bunch at the intermediate sprint. Cavendish crossed the line first and it looked like he had taken the points with ease, but both he and Hushovd were declassified from the result after the end of the stage. There was a small amount of leaning as the riders jostled for position, although not enough to raise eyebrows until the omission on the results sheet. Cavendish tweeted afterwards expressing confusion at the ruling, a sentiment that may be shared by many given how tame the jostling looked. The commissairres, however, judged it to be illegal, and, in the absence of Cavendish, Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha) took the ten points. The day's only classified climb was a sixty-six metre hop over the Saint-Nazaire bridge. It didn't look too testing, but the peloton split as it climbed it at high speed and with strong crosswinds. A main group of about fifty riders came down the climb with a lead of several hundred meters and the race was briefly thrown into chaos. Although most of the top contenders were at the front, Ivan Basso (Liquigas) found himself trailing in a small group that also included Lars Bak (HTC-Highroad) eventually took control of the situation and urged Leopard-Trek and Garmin-Cervelo, the pace setters at the time, to ease off - surely much to Liquigas's relief.  There was also a late scare for Cofidis team leader Rein Taaramae. He punctured with twelve kilometres to go and made it back to the bunch just in time only thanks to three Cofidis teammates who paced him back. Hushovd remains in yellow and José Rojas will wear green tomorrow. His third position, combined with seventh in the intermediate sprint and fourth two days ago, put him seven points ahead of Tyler Farrar.  ResultsTour de France 2011, stage three: Olonne-sur-Mer to Redon, 198km 1. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Cervelo in 4-40-21 4. Sebastien Hinault (Fra) Ag2R-La Mondiale 10. Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Saur-Sojasun all at same time 1. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Garmin-Cervelo 9-46-46 2. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Cervelo at same time 10. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky all at same time 17. Mark Cavendish (GB) HTC-Highroad at 5 secs Tyler Farrar takes his first Tour stage win Tour de France 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index Sky at the Tour team time trial photo special Vaughters' Garmin-Cervelo team hits cycling's top Tour GC contenders: the winners and losers after stage one Already in white, can Geraint Thomas take yellow? Cavendish's train must adapt to win Tour stages Pro predictions: Who will win opening Tour stage? Tour de France teams presented, Contador booed Wiggins and Team Sky confident but not talking of Tour podium Contador faces tough questions in pre-Tour press conference UCI and AFLD collaborate on Tour de France dope tests UCI says 'respect Contador at Tour de France' Contador confirms taking part in Tour de France Bookies slash odds on Wiggins winning Tour Halfords launches free Garmin Tour de France fantasy game Tour de France 2011: Teams, riders, start list Stage two: Garmin win team time trial to put Hushovd in yellow Stage one: Gilbert blasts to victory as Tour gets off to spectacular start Tour de France 2011 team time trial training photo gallery by Andy Jones Tour de France 2011 team presentation by Andy Jones Tour de France 2011 team press conferences by Andy Jones Tour de France 2011 team presentation by Graham Watson Tour de France 2011 LIVE: CW's text coverage schedule British Eurosport Tour de France 2011 TV schedule Tour de France: The jerseys, what they are and what they mean Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Wiggins Tour de France 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index Cavendish to start all three grand tours in 2011 Cavendish challenging for up to eight stages in 2011 Tour Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms from good old-fashioned print to online journalism As expected the Vendée on the west coast of France was today announced as the starting point for the 2011 Tour de France and the 98th edition of the race should get off to a cracking start There's no prologue this year instead the racing starts from the get go with a reasonably flat 180Km stage starting at the Passage du Gols finishing with a sharpish climb up to the summit of the Mont des Alouettes at 232m - a pimple compared to what's to come but a nasty first day kicker none the less And the race organisers will continue to shake things up the next day with a 23Km team time trial starting and finishing at Les Essarts The opening ceremony takes place in Fromentine on the coast followed by a parade by the riders around the Ille de Normoutier followed by a crossing of the Passage de Gols (one of the iconic images from the 1999 Tour) and then off across the roads of the Vendee with 3471Km ahead of them to the finish in Paris Before the race reaches Paris the riders will have climbed the Galibier twice in 24 hours one of which on Stage 18 will be a stage finish at 2645m the highest in the Tour's history that comes after after 189Km in the mountains There will be three other mountain top finishes as well on next year's race including the small matter of Alpe D'Huez on stage 19 oh and that's followed up by a 41Km individual time trial on stage 20 If all goes to plan those should be the three most crucial stages in the race for yellow Andy Schleck though was refusing to be drawn talking to road.cc's Simon MacMichael at the presentation and the ways things look to be going for last year's winner young Andy will be the nailed on favourite to win come next July when asked to identify the cruicial days his response was "every day is crucial at the Tour" how true Ivan Basso was talking up his chances to road.cc too "It's definitely a lovely course this Tour de France lots of time trialling and some climbing so I'm really pleased." Basso wouldn't be drawn though on who he saw as his main rivals "the Tour is always a battle between the strongest in the world"… there're no flies on Ivan are there He was though more forthcoming when it came to how Liquigas who this year won the Giro and the Vuelta would prioritise the race: "It's definitely a goal for the squad we won the Giro and the Vuelta so the Tour de France is definitly important for us." Meanwhile Bradley Wiggins was focussing on the team time trial telling Sky News:  "That stage is definitely the main source of excitement for us given our track background and experience we've built up in those types of events this season “It's going to be a really important day for us in terms of our team selection and preparation "There's obviously more chance of losing time on that opening stage than there would be in a prologue but if all goes well there then stage two represents a great chance for us to win the stage and get someone in the yellow jersey." Cynics will no doubt argue that while winning the team time trial is undoubtedly a good thing it's hardly a springboard to a podium finish in Paris and perhaps betrays a paucity of ambition on the British team's part We're not the cynical types though so don't look at us Mountains and the race for the general classification aside there's also the small matter of the green jersey competition and the 10 flat stages that will go most of the way to deciding it Speaking to road.cc at the presentation Mark Cavendish said he's already targeted six of those as winnable no surprise either to know that he also has his eyes on the green jersey and the world championship for next year too We're guessing that he's discounted that first stage what with the uphill kick on the first stage although it would also be no surprise to see a bunch finish on that one - one for Thor Hushovd maybe Certainly the big man is aiming to take a stage in the first week as he told Simon earlier the whole dynamic of how the Garmin Cervelo sprint train will work should be fascinating with Hushovd there for the green jersey but Tyler Farrar the teams pure sprinter conceivably it could work well for both of them Certainly the competition for the green jersey is going to be even tighter than the last two edition of the race - that would seem to be the idea of the changes to the points competition for next year's race Each stage will only have one intermediate sprint and points on that will be awarded to the first 15 riders the idea being "to systematically involve the sprinters in the pack even after the passage of a breakaway" says the Tour That should be good news for the likes of Mark Cavendish because it means that breaks won't mop up all the points on the road - thus wiping out most of the points on offer to the sprinters on the stage and making the minor placings on a stage worth fighting for in the sprint Similar changes have also taken place in the way points are awarded in the mountain classification too from next year double points will only be awarded for those mountain top finishes on Hors first and second category climbs - the idea again being to keep the competition closer but also to make it a truer reflection of all out climbing ability 2011 Tour de France route facts• 10 flat stages • 6 mountain stages and 4 summit finishes • 1 individual time-trial stage (41 km) • 1 team time-trial stage (23 km).• 2 rest days Route highlights • le Galibier climbed twice 1 or highest level mountain passes or summit finishes • no bonuses will be awarded during the intermediate sprints and stage finishes Normally you can look at the Tour route and immediately see where the race is likely to be decided and this year the organisers have helpfully lumped all those key stages into a hellish triple-header in the final week which will sort out the podium from the also-rans the riders get a brief flat introduction before kicking into the ascent to the highest point on the 2011 tour From an altitude of 426m they ascend 2.3 vertical kilometres in 60km to top out at 2,744m on the Col D'Agnel A sharp descent is followed by the Col D'Izoard (980m in 18.5km 5.3%) and after coming off the second huge climb of the day it's time to hit the final ascent up to a mountain-top finish on the Galibier That's three enormous hills to tackle and no chance of clawing any time back on a final descent Such a short stage but such an important one: from Modane the peloton has to tackle the Galibier again this time from the other side via the Col du Telegraphe There's a huge descent into Bourg D'Oisans before the ascent of the Alpe D'Huez 24km of pain and the second mountain-top stage finish in as many days Who's going to have the legs to be up in the mix for two stages in a row There's no let-up in the last-week pain as the Saturday brings an individual time trial around the alpine city of Grenoble up to Eybens and the bottom of the climb to the ski station at Chamrousse The route hasn't officially been unveiled but there's really only one sensible loop that takes in those two spots and it features 500m of climbing which means it's more of an all-rounder's course than one for a true TTer please consider subscribing to the site to support us directly As a subscriber you can read road.cc ad-free The revenue from adverts helps to fund our site then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99 Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships better change that seeing as liquigas are feeling particularly litigious right now.. Now with added Wiggo quote Fringe It's all about the team time trial this year Most definitely not a Twiggo friendly Tour route what about Badley Wingnut is he at the presentation/ any quotes from his TeamSky lot its gonna be an exciting year for us - and the man in the cafe at the top of the Galibier got it right yeah he's pretty much gonna clean up this year So the etape will be the 109km Modane - Alpe D'huez There is a rumour going around that there will be 2 Etape stages this year A standard one covering one of the Massif Central stages All newcomers have to do this one first before graduating to the bigger one the following year A 'hardcore' one which the rumour said would be the Alpe d'Huez That would work with it being a shorter stage if the entrance list was less and reserved for the more serious cyclist The rumour might well be rubbish of course Edit: I see road.cc has already talked about this rumour Whats the significance of the changes to the points for the Green jersey incidentally the Alpe d'Huez stage looks awfully short for an etape but they've said they won't be doing it starting from Italy so that means either a) it's a short etape or b) it'll be the Luz-Ardiden stage in the Pyrenees Small image of the map at http://twitpic.com/2yyf6a Thanks for posting the map image - very useful road.cc's audience Report an advert on road.cc Privacy policy Subscribe All material © Farrelly Atkinson (F-At) Limited, Unit 7b Green Park Station BA11JB. Tel 01225 588855. © 2008–present unless otherwise stated. Terms and conditions of use. A Corkman was extradited from the UK this week and charged with dangerous driving causing the death, almost four years ago, of a young French man working for Apple. was killed while crossing the street at George’s Quay Det Garda O’Flynn told Cork District Court she arrested Mr Linehan at Cork Airport at 7.30pm on Tuesday and conveyed him to the Bridewell Garda Station where she later charged him The main charge against Mr Linehan was one of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Lege he faces two separate charges of dangerous driving at both George’s Quay and Lower Glanmire Rd He was also charged with driving without insurance and driving a dangerously defective vehicle on George’s Quay Mr Linehan was also charged with failing to keep a vehicle at the scene of a collision and failing to remain at the scene of an accident all related to George’s Quay on the same date Inspector Brian O’Donovan said gardaí were seeking a remand in custody Judge Olann Kelleher granted the State’s application and remanded Mr Linehan in custody for a week to allow time for the prosecution to get instructions from the DPP Mr Linehan is to appear again at Cork District Court on July 19 Judge Kelleher granted free legal aid to Mr Linehan formerly of Lagan Grove in Mayfield in Cork from Olonne-sur-Mer in the Vendee in western France died in Cork University Hospital from injuries sustained after he was struck by a van An inquest at Cork Coroner’s Court previously heard that Mr Lege died from shock and haemorrhage due to blunt-force trauma to the chest and abdomen Mr Lege had been working for Apple at its plant at Hollyhill and had been living in Cork for around three years He had been due to move into a new apartment in the Elysian just before he died paid tribute to her son’s colleagues at Apple and the people of Cork for the support and sympathy they had shown her and her family on their loss “Gabriel was knocked down in the prime of his youth and this country that he appreciated so much His head was filled with plans for the future and I would like to thank all of those who helped us when we came to Cork to bring Gabriel back to Olonne-sur-Mer “We’ve been given such a warm and kind welcome in Cork.” Follow and share the latest news and stories more courts articles News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice An award-winning wine expert at Gordon Ramsay’s Mayfair restaurant assaulted a colleague by repeatedly biting her arms during a champagne-fuelled romp invited the woman back to his Putney flat after a leaving party to mark his departure as head sommelier from the TV chef’s Maze restaurant She had bared her breasts at him and promised to “destroy him” during the party at the City of Quebec in Marble Arch Prosecutor Edward Aydin said the pair drank champagne and then had consensual sex in the early hours of May 1 but Bardary turned violent while they were in bed together who is among the world’s leading wine experts ignored her pleas to stop biting during “rough and tumble” sex Oasis: Noel Gallagher’s golf buggy and Liam Gallagher’s tambourine go to auction Gordon Ramsay says he was left in ’embarrassing’ situation after cycle accident Police investigating murder of Notting Hill Carnival chef release witness images Celebrating 25 years of Restaurant Sat Bains with the UK's top chefs “She had been kissing him at the bar and once at his address they had consensual sex,” said the prosecutor “It lasted for about an hour and during that time he began to bite the victim and the sex was quite rough “She asked him to stop because it was hurting her “This amorous liaison ended up not as an amorous liaison but a rough and tumble as if the victim there went into a tumble dryer.” Afterwards they finished the champagne and the woman took a taxi home but later she decided to go to police Bardary admitted they had rough sex and told officers he had “banged her hard” who now lives in Olonne-Sur-Mer in western France was fined £250 and told to pay £150 compensation to the victim yesterday after pleading guilty to one count of assault by beating said Bardary is “in a state of shock” and did not intend to assault his colleague [she] came on very strong to him,” she said “She was baring her breasts at him and using language that she would destroy him.” who became a master sommelier in August last year and was once named among the best young wine experts in the world is planning to continue his career in Australia after his departure from Maze must also pay £85 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications Man charged after London student nurse stabbed to death in Texas 'in row over cat' Man charged after London student nurse stabbed to death in Texas AquitainePhilippe StarckFrance is a country of balance," says Starck the Bassin d'Arcachon is the perfect example of this "The climate is not too hot and not too cold including amazing oysters and wonderful Bordeaux wines and the Bassin d'Arcachon itself is a kind of Venetian lagoon There are no rocks around so it is a place where you cannot hurt yourself Locals are happy to live there and their happiness is contagious." "It is a little village of oystermen and fishermen AquitaineHélène DarrozeDarroze was born in the Landes area but her grandmother was from the Basque country and the whole of that area is close to her heart "Biarritz is the most beautiful town in the country Chez Isabelle is my favourite place for vegetables – the quality is good and she sources a lot from local producers Last summer Isabelle sent me some extraordinary sweet peppers from Anglet like most of the people who go to the market They cook them in the traditional way: little pieces of bread garnished with anchovies That can seem very old-fashioned but there is something to be said for traditional ways and foods." For dinner, Darroze recommends Chez Albert (chezalbert.fr, two-course menu from €40), on the Port des Pêcheurs. But the best restaurant in Biarritz, for her, is Chez Philippe (restaurant-biarritz.com "Philippe [Lafargue] and I worked with Alain Ducasse at Le Louis XV in Monaco 15 years ago and Philippe cooks only with a real wood oven is one of Foucan's regular family holiday destinations In particular he loves the seaside town of Les Sables D'Olonne and the capital of the Vendée The latter was dubbed the dullest town in France in an English-authored 19th-century guidebook But it's also somewhere you can relax." he says: "You can easily find places with few tourists Jeremie RozanThe perfect summer getaway for Rozan is his best friend's house set at the end of a forest track outside Lauris It is in the centre of an otherwise empty valley and an ideal location for soaking up both isolation and heat "Every August we spend two weeks there with our oldest friends It's a time to go back to what is important – family It's very inspiring and I often end up planning what I'm going to shoot the following year while I'm there drink Bourgogne and watch a movie on an outdoor screen We have a lot of friends with houses nearby so often we also have nice house parties." La Bouquière guesthouse (+33 4 9075 8717, labouquiere.com), near Bonnieux, has doubles from €80. More on the region from provenceguide.com Jérémie Rozan is co-founder and creative director of French fashion brand Surface to Air (surfacetoair.com) Lili Reynaud-Dewar.jpgThere's no place like Paris for home-bod Reynaud-Dewar "I adore staying in the city in summer time My favourite walk is through the Parc des Beaumonts a suburban park with a fantastic view over Paris with a chaotic mix of nature and architecture and people have barbecues here and there." Its other great selling point is that there are "plenty of hidden places for kissing under the trees in the evening" Photograph: AlamyTHE SOMMELIER Benjamin Roffet The Alps/AlsaceBenjamin RoffetTime permitting "The ski resorts are popular winter holiday destinations but I prefer them in summer as a peaceful environment in which to relax as there are fewer wineries in this region "I often stay at the cosy Hotel Le Clos des Sens in Annecy," he adds. "Like Gordon Ramsay au Trianon the restaurant there boasts two Michelin stars so it's a great place to enjoy fabulous food." "This is truly my favourite area for countryside walks After visiting the region's exemplary vineyards I love to walk through Ribeauvillé's forest in autumn and go hunting for cèpes [porcini mushrooms] I then cook my day's takings and enjoy them with a good bottle of wine." David Jarre and Ara StarckFor Jarre, one of the five most beautiful places in France is a restaurant called La Guinguette de Talloires (laguinguettedetalloires.com "I went there twice on holiday in my early teens when I was starting to learn to play guitar and I was struck by the unknown beauty of the place I felt like I was in another world." It was therefore "an amazing coincidence" to find that one of his best friends now owns the place "He never knew it had been a special place for me." she recommends a walk through the Albert Kahn garden in Paris Strolling through the different gardens here which range from "a French garden to a tall pine forest to a Japanese village" creates "a poetic narrative and fantasmagorical stories" in Starck's head and "nourishes the writing of lyrics" Photograph: AlamyTHE WRITER Agnès Desarthe nr BiarritzAgnes DesartheWhen summer arrives between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz on the west coast very close to Spain." The coastline here promises everything she expects from a holiday waves and a very nice restaurant where you can eat grilled fish while gazing at the sunset "It gets crowded in August but if you go in the off-season or late in the day it is just perfect." If you're in the region Desarthe also recommends "great tapas in nearby San Sebastián peppers and beef in one of Asitigarraga's sidrerías" Mossessian loves the area so much that he has built a family home there "I like to stay at the Relais des Trois Mas in Collioure and to buy fresh fish at Port Vendres nearby the sculptor Aristide Maillol's native town." Relais des Trois Mas (+33 4 6882 0507, la-balette.com) has B&B doubles from €100. More information on the area from sunfrance.comArchitect Michel Mossessian's recent projects include the Carmine Building in Paddington Basin (mossessian.com) crêpes et arrivée d’un chiot : après le « Vendée » retour sur terre pour le couple Crémer-Le TurquaisDe quoi a-t-on envie après un tour du monde  Retrouver sa fille et faire une crêpes party avec ses amis  Clarisse Crémer raconte le retour à des plaisirs simples Après deux mois et demi en mer, la famille Crémer-Le Turquais est de nouveau au complet. À un détail près : Tanguy, quatre jours après son arrivée aux Sables-d’Olonne, est désormais au fond de son lit, cloué par un virus. Lundi, les câlins avec Mathilda, la petite fille de 2 ans, restée à la maison avec Lena, sa tante, durant le Vendée Globe « Elle faisait la sieste lorsque Tanguy a franchi la ligne Profitez des avantages de l’offre numérique A light magnitude 2.8 earthquake occurred in the Bay of Biscay near Ile de Noirmoutier island The quake had a very shallow depth of 16.1 km (10 mi) and was felt by many near the epicenter A light magnitude 2.9 earthquake occurred in the Bay of Biscay near Ile de Noirmoutier island The quake had a very shallow depth of 17 km (11 mi) and was felt widely in the area.