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Brignoles
187 km
Sunday 5 July
The first part of the stage hugs the seafront, part of a series devoted to the theme of water, central to the geography and construction of the 2009 Tour’s first week. The route is not mountainous, but the rugged terrain could make this a spirited stage.
Oceanographic museum© Monaco Press Center / Charly Gallo
• 5-time stage-town
• Population 32,000
• Capital of the Principality of Monaco
The Principality’s spectacular development together with its condensed surface area make Monaco one of the world’s most densely populated States. This distinction motivates the Government’s policy dedicated to the preservation of the natural heritage and the marine ecosystem and the restriction of pollutant waste products.
Green spaces represent 20 % of the surface area in the Principality, and the Oceanographic Museum, inaugurated in 1910 by Prince Albert I, “the Scientist Prince”, symbolises the campaign to preserve the marine environment. Its aquarium houses a magnificent collection of 6 000 fish occupying 90 seawater tanks.
In 1992, at the Rio Conference, Prince Rainier III pledged his support in favour of sustainable development and, continuing in the same vein, Prince Albert II created the Monaco Prince Albert II Foundation in 2006 to support sustainable development and ethical environmental projects with a focus on three main challenges: universal access to water, climate change and the safeguarding of biodiversity and natural environments.
Fountain on place Caramy© Brignoles communication service
• First-time stage-town
• Population 17,000
• Sub-prefecture of the Var (83)
Brignoles remains steeped in the Medieval heritage of its past, when the city was the place of residence of the Counts of Provence. A bauxite mining area (named after Baux-de-Provence) for almost one hundred years, this red clay also played a role in forging the wealth and the vibrant identity of Brignoles and its surrounding area. The landscape, awarded recognition as a region of Art and History, illuminates a rich historical, natural and industrial patrimony, together with the keen memory of its inhabitants.
In the summer months Brignoles hosts outstanding events and shows: in August, the Brignoles Jazz Festival and the Medieval Festival, an occasion for lords and beggars to (re)-discover the city in the throes of a medieval gala and, in September, the Plum Festival.
The town also boasts several historical sites that are well worth a visit: the Palace of the Counts of Provence and the Saint-Sauveur church, both dating from the 13th century, and the town Archives, which provide a wealth of historical facts about the ancient city; the oldest documents also date from this epoch.
