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Aubenas
178 km
Friday 24 July
The 96th Tour de France is almost over, but many racers still have something to prove. The most valiant survivors will have one last chance to raise their arms in Aubenas. The stage is cut out for firebrands.
Aerial view© City of Bourgoin-Jallieu
• 1-time stage-town
• Population 24,000
• Country town of Isère canton (38)
Positioned at the junction of the greater urban areas of Lyon and Grenoble, close to Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport, Bourgoin-Jallieu, a town of 25 000 inhabitants, benefits from a strategic location at the heart of the Rhône-Alpes region. With 72 clubs and sports associations for 10 000 licence holders, sport is one of the town’s signature fortes. The boxer Brahim Asloum, Olympic champion in 2000 and world champion in the light flyweight category, the rugby man Stéphane Glas and the handballer Stéphane Stoecklin are all natives of the town, and the CS Bourgoin-Jallieu rugby club, currently competing in the Top 14, is the town’s flagship team. Bourgoin-Jallieu is also reputed for its “intelligent” textiles and is market leader in the industrial manufacture of photovoltaic products (solar energy panels); the town’s influence and reputation is further highlighted through high calibre manifestations like the Electrochoc festival, combining all styles of electronic music, and a cultural approach symbolised by the “Objet Dard” a monument created by the artist Bertrand Lavier: a tribute to a colourful native of the town, Frédéric Dard, using the novels in which Dard related the adventures of Superintendent San-Antonio.
Market day in Aubenas© M. Rissoan
• 1-time stage-town
• Population 13,000
• County town of Ardèche canton (07)
Aubenas, perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Ardèche Valley, with a population of 12 000, benefits from the temperament, the accent and the radiant smile of the south. In the summer, the sunlight illuminates the treasures of the town, captivating the senses of those who visit the city of the Montlaurs. This dynasty that reigned over the town from 1084 to 1441 was at the origin of the economic expansion of Aubenas but also the social and material development of its inhabitants. Towering over the town for more than ten centuries the castle stands out as the city’s greatest historical heritage. Situated at the edge of the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Nature Park, Aubenas features a superb palette of scents and savours. Held every Saturday, the weekly market engulfs the pedestrian streets in delightful fragrances. It is one of the most beautiful markets on the periphery of Provence, and one that has recently expanded to include organic produce. Gourmet food lovers will not be disappointed by the delights of the local cuisine. Discover Aubenas, enjoy an exceptional spot in which to stroll, visit and appreciate the art of gracious living in the Ardeche.
• Office de Tourisme
• Conseil GĂ©nĂ©ral de l’Ardèche
• Agence de dĂ©veloppement touristique de l’Ardèche
