Aix-en-Provence
157 km
Friday 12 March
Following a transfer, the start of the stage will take place in Pernes les Fontaines, in the Vaucluse department. The town boasts a cycling museum where visitors can discover the evolution of the bicycle over time. However, it will not be on penny-farthings but on traditional bicycles that the riders will leave Pernes les Fontaines and head towards the Col de Murs (a 2nd category climb of 10.5 km with a 4.3 % gradient). Following on from the Luberon, the combat will continue in the Bouches du Rhône department, with visits to the towns and villages of the Pays d’Aix area, before reaching the finishing line on the Avenue Saint-John Perse.
With its famous forty fountains, Pernes-les-Fontaines is located at the foot of Mont Ventoux, next to the Vaucluse Mountains, near Avignon and the Luberon plateau. Also called “The Pearl of the Comtat”, Pernes boasts the “Most beautiful detour in France” and “Arts and Crafts City” labels. This former capital of the Comtat Venaissin area possesses a rich architectural heritage with many listed historical monuments. Pernes offers visitors a wide array of gardens, squares, gateways, townhouses, a covered cross, the Ferrande tower, 13th century wall paintings and three museums. One of these is the cycling museum, in the vaulted cellars of the town hall, where visitors can discover how bicycles have developed over the last century. The home of Paul de Vivie also known as “Vélocio” (1853-1930), the founder of cycle touring in France, Pernes-les-Fontaines is an authentic village of Provence, proud of its roots and traditions.
Bursting at the seams with history, Aix-en-Provence is a city on the move, whose soul has remained intact. With a population of 150,000, it has undergone very significant urban growth over the last thirty years. The University of Aix-Marseille has recently seen it join the exclusive club of campus cities.
A cultural forum has emerged focused on the Cité du Livre book centre, as well as the National Choreographic Centre and the Grand Theatre of Provence. The International Festival of Lyrical Arts now cohabits with the Second Nature festival, whilst the Granet museum organises major exhibitions: Cézanne, Picasso or Alechinsky, for example. The appeal of Aix never dims. At the intersection of excellent transport networks (TGV high-speed train, motorways, Marignane airport, the Port of Marseilles, etc.), the historical capital of Provence has become home to seven competitive clusters as well as ITER, the most advanced energy research centre in the world. Its economic success is both genuine and discrete.
