Friday, March 12th, 2004 Stage 6 - Rasteau > Gap - 173,5 km           Rasteau Friendly hospitality has come to be one of Rasteau's hallmarks. Yet the ubiquitous smiles conceal the people's intransigence when it comes to quality – explaining how some of the wines here have nothing to blush about even side by side with the finest grand crus. Several thousand wine enthusiasts indeed converge on Rasteau for the Balade des Gourmets (Gourmet's Stroll) and Nuit des Vins (Wine Night) and its hymn in honour of Bacchus. Rasteau stands very much where the earth and sky meet, nestled among Ouvèze pebbles and lavish vines. Everything about this hill-perched village is characteristically Provencal. Its people are as generous as their land and as lively as the mistrals that sweeps it. The refreshing unpretentiousness here is what makes the welcome so warm.   Gap Gap is at the foot of Col Bayard, and the dividing line between the Northern-Alp and Southern-Alp climates. And it's simply a radiant town. Sports, nature and culture come in every shape and size. Just about one in every two people here is a member of a sports club. And sports involving nature are by far the most popular in this town which is also the Hautes-Alpes department's administrative centre. The main places sports enthusiasts in Gap haunt are Gap-Bayard (especially the oxygenation centre, cross-country skiing terrain and 18-hole golf course there) Gap-Charance (home to the Conservatoire Botanique National Alpin and Parc des Ecrins), Gap-Ceüze (a world-famous mountain-climbing centre) and Gap-Tallard, a temple to airborne and parachute-jumping sports. www.ville-gap.fr   Map of the stage The route 1 Sunday, March 7th 13,2 km   Chaville > Issy-les-Moulineaux / Vanves 2 Monday, March 8th 166,5 km   Chaville > Montargis 3 Tuesday, March 9th 229 km   La Chapelle-Saint-Ursin > Roanne 4 Wednesday, March 10th 179 km   Roanne > Le Puy-en-Velay 5 Thursday, March 11th 215 km   Le Puy-en-Velay > Rasteau 6 Friday, March 12th 173,5 km   Rasteau > Gap 7 Saturday, March 13th 185,5 km   Digne-les-Bains > Cannes 8 Sunday, March 14th 144 km   Nice > Nice  Total 1 305,7 km