Tourrettes-sur-Loup
220 km
Saturday 13 March
The longest stage of this edition of Paris-Nice starts in Peynier, which welcomed the centenary edition of the Tour de France in 2003 on the Gap-Marseille stage. The first major difficulties arise when crossing the border between Bouches du Rhône and the Var, where the sequence of climbs synonymous with the final stages of Paris-Nice commence, with in particular, the slopes of the Côte des Tullières just outside Draguignan. The riders will pass the point of the finishing line during the stage after having climbed the slopes of the Côte de Chateauneuf (1.3 km at a gradient of 9.5%). However, they will still have to tackle the formidable ascent leading to the Col de Vence (9.7 km at a gradient of 6.6%), which makes its return to the Paris-Nice route this year. Nobody will be safe from a sea-change in the standings at Tourettes-sur-Loup.
Peynier, situated near to Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence, has managed to preserve its authentic Provence village character based around its historical centre symbolised by the 12th century Saint-Julien church and the 16th century castle. A town of the Aix district with 3,000 inhabitants, erected opposite the south face of Mount Sainte-Victoire so dear to Cézanne, its name originates from the old French “Puie-nier” (“Puit noir” or dark well) due to the dense forest that covers its confines and the layers of brown coal found on the surrounding slopes. A wine-making land conducive to production of the tasty Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire wines, Peynier is not only a sporty town with many facilities (football pitch, tennis courts, BMX circuit, walking trails, etc.) but also a town of culture which welcomes each summer, during the month of June, The Musical Nights of Sainte Victoire that bring together more than four thousand music lovers from all over the world.
Majestically perched on a limestone outcrop, Tourrettes-sur-Loup is a village of 4,500 souls. Boasting a long history and nicknamed “Constantine of Provence” for a long time due to its picturesque character reminiscent of Algerian villages, at the beginning of the nineteen forties, thanks to a perfect alchemy between the men who worked the land growing violets and the artists who fell in love with the place, it became and was recognised as “the City of Art and Violets”. Film-makers, painters, sculptors, weavers, goldsmiths, and potters have all blossomed in an ambience conducive to creativity. The Victoria, a suave tasting variety of violet planted on the raised terraces of the local hillsides, has for more than 150 years been the symbol of discrete love in bouquets, perfumes, confectionery, etc. Throughout the year, Tourrettes welcomes visitors who come to see the wide array of its riches, in particular during the Violet Festival at the beginning of March.
