Saint-Laurent-du-Pont
191 km
Monday 7 June
Evian is a lively town, open to the rest of the world. Since the 19th century, Evian has enjoyed international renown thanks to its waters. Today, this spa town plays host to major world events, such as international meetings like the G8 summit in June 2003 or sporting and cultural events. Evian, once nicknamed the “Sleeping Beauty”, has had new life breathed into it. However, it is still attached to the development of local activities. Thanks to a dense associative fabric of more than 60 associations, it puts on more than two hundred events per year. This spa town lives its life according to the passing of the seasons and events: after the Critérium du Dauphiné, it will be welcoming the Alpine Cup motor rally, the international tattoo exhibition, an exhibition of works belonging to the prestigious modern art foundation Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, not forgetting the Evian Masters, one of the major international tournaments in women’s golf.
At the foot of the western cliffs of the Chartreause range, well known to cycling enthusiasts for its famous trio of passes (Porte – Cucheron – Granier), Saint-Laurent-du- Pont (with a population of 4,500), is reacquainting itself with professional cycling by welcoming the Critérium du Dauphiné. It is a fine opportunity to reminisce about the French professional road-racing cycling championships won at Les Echelles by Pierre-Raymond Villemiane in 1980 and the stage at La Ruchère on the Tour de France in 1984 in which Laurent Fignon triumphed. Thirty years ago, to reach Les Echelles, the riders took the same Route de Villette road from Miribel-les-Echelles. This year, they will stop at Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, where several generations of cycling lovers, whether natives of the town or visitors, will be ready to give them a warm welcome. The Chartreuse regional nature park, the Chartreuse Guiers federation of municipalities and the town of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, would like to bid welcome to the Critérium du Dauphiné 2010 in Chartreuse country.
