See you on 29th October for the announcement of the routes for the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes with Zwift in 2025.

ITALY

Population: 58.94 million (2022)

Surface area: 302,073 km

Specialities : pasta (spaghetti, tagliatelle, penne, macaroni, fusilli, fettuccine, farfalle, papardelle, linguine, gnocchi...), sauces (carbonara, al ragu, arrabiata, alle vongole, all'amatriciana, pesto), ravioli, lasagne, pizzas, risotto, bruschetta, focaccia, arancini, polenta, cheeses (ricotta, mascarpone, gorgonzola, parmesan, mozarella, pecorino, provolone), red wines (chiantis, barolo, montepulciano, valpolicella, bardolino), white wines, sparkling wines (prosecco), meats (carpaccio, Milanese cutlets, scaloppine al limon), Parma ham, fruit, olive oil. Desserts (tiramisu, panna cotta, canello, panettone). Soups (minestrone). Spirits (limoncello, Martini, Spritz, Campari). Chocolates (Toblerone, Nutella, Venchi, Caffarel...)

Sports clubs: National football team (Squadra Azzura, 4 world titles). National rugby team. Football clubs: Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, AS Roma, SSC Napoli, Torino, Fiorentina, Sampdoria Genoa, Atalanta Bergamo, Bologna, Parma, Udinese, Lecce. 

Competitions : Summer Olympic Games in Rome (1960). Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo (1956), Turin (2006) and Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo (2026). Football World Cups 1934 and 1990. European Football Cups. Six Nations Tournament. F1 Grand Prix at Monza and Imola.

Cycling: Giro d'Italia. Milan-San Remo. Tour of Lombardy. Tirreno-Adriatico. Strade Bianche. Legendary men riders - Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, Felice Gimondi, Marco Pantani, Vincenzo Nibali, Alfredo Binda, Francesco Moser, Mario Cippolini, Claudio Chiapucci, Florenzo Magni, Learco Guerra, Costante Giradengo, Ottovio Bottecchia. Legendary women riders – Maria Canins, Elisa Longo-Borghini, Giorgia Bronzini, Elisa Balsamo.   

Festivals: Venice Carnival (February), Palio in Siena (August), Venice Mostra (cinema), Verona Lyric Festival (June-September), Taormina Arte, San Remo Music Festival, I-Days Festival (Monza), Ypisgrock in Castelbuono, Lucca Summer Festival, Perugia Jazz Festival.

Economy: the world's eighth-largest economy. Luxury goods and textiles (Gucci, Armani, Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Benetton, Ray-Ban, Bulgari, Calzedonia, Max Mara, Fendi, Cerruti, Geox, Tod's, Ferragamo, Sergio Tacchini, Ellesse, Lotto, Kappa, Diesel, Kiton, Alcantara). 40 pc of the world's luxury goods are made in Italy. Food (Ferrero, Parmalat, Perfetti Van Melle, Bolton Group, Buitoni, Barilla, Giovanni Rana, Campari, Galbani, Martini, Lavazza, Kimbo, Carapelli, De Cecco, Zanetti Segafredo). Automotive (Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Pagani, Maserati, Iveco; motorbikes Aprilia, Ducati, Cagiva and scooters Piaggio. Pirelli tyres). Industry: Leonardo (defence), Prysmian (cables), Italcementi and Buzzi Unicem (cement), steel industry (Tenaris, Riva, Marcegaglia, Lucchini RS and Groupe Beltrame), Beretta, Simmel Difesa, MBDA (weapons), Fincantieri and Ferretti (shipbuilding), Mapei Group (insulation), Candy, Indesit, De'Longhi, Smeg and Zanussi (domestic appliances), Olivetti (technology), Bormioli Rocco (glass), Marazzi Group (tiles), BTP Webuild, Gavio Group and TreviGroup (construction). Tourism (cruise operators). Pharmaceuticals, banking, media. Agriculture (8 pc of GDP).

Websites: www.italia.it, www.visititaly.com

METROPOLITAN CITY OF TURIN

Replaced the province of Turin in 2015

Capital: Turin

Population: 2.2 million

Surface area: 6,827 km2.

Main towns: Turin (850,000 inhabitants), Moncalieri (56,500 inhabitants), Collegno (49,200 inhabitants)

Specialities: agnolotti (stuffed ravioli), tajarin (truffle pasta), Barolo risotto, polenta carbonara, chicken chasseur, stuffed artichokes, gianduiotto (chocolate), Bicerin, vermouth. Gressins. Sabayon.

Tourism: Residences of the Dukes of Savoy. Turin, city of art and history. Ski resorts of Oulx, Bardonecchia and Sestrières. Ivrea. Lake Maggiore. Turin Film Festival. Lovers Film Festival. International Women's Film Festival. CioccolaTo (chocolate festival). Torino Jazz Festival. Artissima (modern art), Mito Settembre Musica (September). Turin International Book Fair.

Economy: the province of Turin's main exports are automobiles, machinery and metal products. Services are the most important economic sector, accounting for 66% of gross domestic product. The other two main sectors are industry (32%) and agriculture. To promote entrepreneurship, the province has launched the "Start Your Own Business" operation.

Km 4.2

VILLAR PEROSA (POP: 4,200)

It is the hometown of the Agnelli family, owners of FIAT and Juventus. Since 1955, a traditional friendly match between the Juventus A team and the B team has been held in the town (known in French as Grand-Villars). The match is famous for its tradition: a pitch invasion puts an end to the match after the start of the second half.

Km 18.2

ROURE (POP: 900)

The village's name, deemed too French by the Fascists, was changed to Roreto in 1937, before the inhabitants voted in a referendum in 1975 to return it to its original name of Roure. 

Km 29.1

FENESTRELLE (POP: 570)  

Fenestrelle fortress

Nicknamed the "Great Wall of the Alps", it stretches for three kilometres along the crest of Mont Orsiera. Built in the eighteenth century, it comprises three forts, three redoubts and two batteries, on a slope over 600-metres high. Its construction was ordered by Victor Amedeo II of Sardinia and was designed by the architect Ignazio Bertola to protect Piedmont against a French invasion. A staircase with 4,000 steps leads up the fortress along three kilometres of walls. The fortress was so impressive that it was never attacked. It was later used as a prison.

Km 34.4

USSEAUX (POP: 200)

Usseaux is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and has been awarded the "orange flag" by the Touring Club Italiano in recognition of the quality of its tourism and environmental policies. The village has followed the same historical course as the other communities in the Val Chisone, changing its allegiance to successive rulers: Dauphiné of Viennois from 1091 to 1349, Kingdom of France from 1349 to 1713, Duchy of Savoy in 1713 following the Treaty of Utrecht. After Napoleon's conquest, the region reverted to French rule until the unification of Italy in 1860.  In the village, there are a number of buildings dating from the 18th century, such as the bread oven, the washhouse and the mill, as well as a number of fountains. Usseaux is also adorned with some forty murals, with themes ranging from life in the countryside, the world of nature and animals, to fairytale characters. The parish church dedicated to St. Peter is remarkable. The hamlet of Balboutet boasts a large number of original painted sundials, all different and adorned with graceful illustrative motifs. A nobleman from Usseaux, Eugenio Brunetta d'Usseaux, was one of the founding members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Km 37.7

PRAGELATO (POP: 780)

In French Pragela (frozen field). Pragelato is first mentioned at the end of the 11th century as belonging to the abbey of Sainte-Marie de Pignerol. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the region was ruled by the Dauphins of Viennese, as was most of Val Chisone. In 1343, Pragela became part of one of the four escartons created by the Dauphins in their mountain possessions, the Escarton of Oulx. In the 14th century, the Waldensian church moved to the valley to escape French repression. In the 15th century, the predominantly Protestant Val Chisone became the Escarton of Pragela. In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht ceded the region to the House of Savoy. In 1747, a battle took place at Assietta between French and Sardinian troops. The 19th and 20th centuries were marked by mass emigration to France. Pragelato hosted the Nordic skiing and Nordic combined events at the 2006 Olympic Games.

Km 50

SESTRIERE (POP: 920)

A winter sports resort created between 1930 and 1934 by the Agnelli family on the idea of Benito Mussolini, Sestriere is a major centre of alpine skiing and in 2006 hosted the events of the Turin Olympic Games, which saw Antoine Denériaz win the downhill, Benjamin Raich win the technical events and Michaela Dorfmeister win the women's downhill and Super-G events. Sestriere also hosted the World Championships in 1997.  Cycling has also made its mark here, with the Tour de France stopping here on four occasions, three times crowning the eventual overall winner and, in particular, the first finish in 1952, when Fausto Coppi won in yellow, the day after taking over at l'Alpe d'Huez. The Giro has also been visited Sestriere on eight occasions: during its last passage in 2020, the riders had to cross the eponymous pass three times, the passage into France having been made impossible by covid-19. Tao Geoghegan Hart won there, leaving the pink jersey to Jai Hindley by just a few hundredths of a second. The resort is symbolised by its two towers, one red and one white, built in 1930 by Giovanni Agnelli to provide a holiday destination for FIAT workers in Turin. 

Km 61.4

CESANA TORINESE (POP: 1,040)

Césane (in French) was one of the highlights of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, with the town at the foot of the Montgenevre pass hosting biathlon, bobsleigh, luge and skeleton. One district of the village, Cesana Alta, is one of the highest villages in Europe (between 2,000 and 2,300 m). Its 12th to 17th-century church of St John the Baptist is the village's main landmark, along with the 15th-century fountain next door. In 2013, Cesana Torinese hosted the start of a Giro stage won on the Col du Galibier by Giovanni Visconti. 

SOUTH PROVENCE-ALPES-CÔTE-D'AZUR REGION

Departments: Alpes de Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Vaucluse.

Population: 5.1 million

Prefecture: Marseille

Surface area: 31,400 km2

Specialities: Mediterranean cuisine, pizza, pissaladière, panisses, chichis, bouillabaisse, petits farcis (stuffed vegetables), alouette sans tête (mea trolls), pieds et paquets marseillais (lamb feet), salade niçoise, pan bagnat, gardiane de taureau (bull stew), sea urchins, fish (sea bream, sea bass, red mullet, denti, marbled, pageots, pagres, sars), wines (rosés of Provence, côtes de Provence, côtes du Rhône, Palette, Bandol...).

Sports clubs: Olympique Marseille, OGC Nice (football), Rugby Club Toulon. Cercle des Nageurs de Marseille (swimming).

Competitions: football world cup, Euro 2016 football, rugby world cup, rugby test matches, Tour de France cycling, Paris-Nice, GP La Marseille, Haribo Classic, Tour du Haut-Var, Tour de la Provence, beach volleyball, beach football, rugby in Toulon. Mondial à pétanque in Marseille. 

Tourist attractions: beaches and seaside resorts (Saint-Tropez, Nice, Saint-Raphaël, Fréjus, Cassis, Bandol etc...), Palais des Papes in Avignon, Arles (amphitheatre, Roman remains), Marseille (Old Port, Panier, calanques, château d'If, Mucem), Nice (Promenade des Anglais, old Nice, old port), Mont Ventoux, Cannes, ski resorts in the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes maritimes (Serre-Chevalier, Le Sauze, Orcières-Merlette, Isola 2000), Briançon (citadel), Aix-en-Provence.

Economy: 7% of French GDP, 3e region in France, 16e in Europe. Agriculture (wine, market gardening), service sector (80%), universities (Aix-Marseille, France's leading university, Nice, Toulon), ports (Marseille, La Ciotat, Nice), petrochemicals (Fos), logistics, Nice and Marseille airports, tourism.

Festivals: Cannes Festival (cinema), Avignon Festival (theatre), Chorégies d'Orange, Aix en Provence Festival (opera), Jazz à Nice, Marseille Festival (dance). Midem (Cannes), Marsatac (Marseille), Fiesta des Suds (Marseille), Plages électroniques (Cannes), Rencontres d'Arles (photography).

Websitewww.maregionsud.fr

HAUTES-ALPES (05)

Prefecture : Gap

Sub-prefecture : Briançon

Population: 141,800

Number of municipalities: 162

Surface area: 5,549 km2

Specialities: Tourtons (doughnuts), Oreilles d'âne (a gratin made with cream, lasagne and spinach), honeys (mountain, lavender, all flowers...), wines (Tallard and Avance valley), fruits (apples and pears from the Durance valley), cheeses...

Sport: France's second-largest department in terms of number of sports people per inhabitant, with almost 500 clubs and some fifty disciplines ranging from alpine skiing to ice hockey (Diables Rouges of Briançon and Rapaces of Gap), cycling (cyclo, mountain biking), team sports (football, rugby, handball, basketball), athletics, swimming, etc.

Economy: Tourism, Agropastoralism, Wood industry, Crafts, Departmental aeronautics industry, etc.

Competitions: Women's Alpine Skiing Southern Regional European Cup in Orcières, Speed Skiing World Cup in Vars, Embrunman Triathlon, Trail Gapen'cimes, Mondial de l'Escalade Briançon, Alps Epic MTB, Windfoil and KiteFoil French Championships in Serre-Ponçon.

Culture and heritage: Vauban fortifications at Briançon and Mont-Dauphin (UNESCO listing). Lac de Serre-Ponçon, Massif des Écrins (Barre des Écrins and Meije), major mountain passes (Izoard, Lautaret, Galibier, Vars, Granon, Noyer...). Departmental Museum in Gap. Alpine botanical garden at Le Lautaret. Religious sites of Notre-Dame du Laus and Boscodon. The villages of Saint-Véran (Queyras) and La Grave (Haute-Romanche) have been awarded the Most Beautiful Villages in France label. Embrun Cathedral. Plateau de Bure and Iram astrophysics observatory (Dévoluy). Château Charance estate and park (Gap)

Festivals: Festival Tous Dehors...Enfin de Gap (May), Outdoormix Festival (Embrun), Trad'in Festival (Embrun), Chaillol Music Festival, Messiaen Festival (Haute-Romanche).

Websiteswww.hautes-alpes.frwww.hautes-alpes.net / www.phenomenalpes.com

Km 70.6

MONTGENÈVRE (POP: 460)

Montgenevre lies close to the French-Italian border, on a pass at an altitude of 1,860 metres. The Durance river rises here on the slopes of the summit of Les Anges. It is also part of the Franco-Italian Voie Lactée (Milky Way) ski area (the 5th largest ski area in the world, comprising Claviere, San Sicario, Cesana, Sestriere and Sauze d'Oulx). Situated on the Via Domitia, the town may have seen Hannibal marching on Rome. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte had the pass road widened and an obelisk erected to commemorate this work. Its border location made it a strategic sector dotted with forts, the Chaberton fort, the Gondran fort and the Janus fort. The ski resort was launched in 1907.  

Chaberton Fort

Construction: 1900 to 1914.

History: at an altitude of 3,131 metres, it was built by the Italians between 1900 and 1914. At the time, Italy was allied with Germany and Austria in the Triple Alliance. At the time, it was the highest fort in Europe and its batteries were turned towards the French side. To achieve this, the summit had to be mined to lower its height by 6 metres. No fewer than 300 civilian workers and miners were needed to achieve this technical and human feat, which consisted of eight turrets. These formed the visible part of the building, which was mainly underground. On 10 June 1940, Mussolini declared war on France. On 21 June, the French in the surrounding forts bombarded the Chaberton and its 320 men, even though they had a clear lead over them. It took just 57 mortar shells to destroy most of the Italian batteries. Attached to France in 1947 (Treaty of Paris), the fort was definitively disarmed in 1957. Today, it is a destination for hikers, and some of its remains can still be seen.

Km 71.1

MONTGENEVRE PASS (1,860 M)

The Montgenevre had not been climbed since 2011, when Sylvain Chavanel was leading the way. Symbolically for this transalpine pass, it was the two greatest Italian riders who opened the way on this climb, Gino Bartali in 1949 and Fausto Coppi in 1952. Richard Virenque has reached the summit in the front on three occasions (1992, 1996 and 1999). The Col de Montgenèvre is one of the places where Hannibal and his elephants might have crossed the Alps. The pass features an obelisk erected in honour of Napoleon I.

Km 82.1

BRIANCON (POP: 12,800)

A mountain town with a Mediterranean climate, cradled between the Écrins National Park and the Queyras Regional Nature Park, Briançon enjoys an exceptional natural setting. From the wide-open spaces of the valleys to the famous passes of the Route des Grandes Alpes, Briançon is a cycling stronghold. From the Izoard to the Galibier via the Lautaret, the roads in the area are a must for cycling enthusiasts and professionals alike. Briançon also boasts a rich cultural heritage, blending influences from the Alps and Provence. The town is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its Vauban fortifications. The shared history of the Tour de France and Briançon began in 1922 with a stage win by Philippe Thys, who was already the first three-time winner of the event. Since then, the names of some of the Tour's most illustrious champions have been added to the honours list of the fortified town: Gino Bartali, Louison Bobet, Fausto Coppi, Charly Gaul, Gastone Nencini, Federico Bahamontes and Eddy Merckx, all Tour winners. Of all of them, Louison Bobet is undoubtedly the one who left the biggest mark on the Hautes-Alpes prefecture, with three victories in 1950, 1953 and 1954. During the last finish in the town in 2007, Colombian Mauricio Soler, who that year was also awarded the title of best climber, achieved the most resounding success of his career. Ten years later, a stage that started in Briançon enabled Warren Barguil to win at the Izoard, confirm his victory a few days earlier in Foix and claim the polka-dot jersey of best climber of that edition. Finally, in 2022, Briançon served as the starting point for a stage that revealed the climbing and, above all, descending skills of Tom Pidcock, who won at L'Alpe d'Huez.   

Vauban's fortifications

Construction: between 1724 and 1734

Characteristics: Strategically located at an altitude of 1,326 metres, the upper town of Briançon is a unique mountain fortification. Encircled by ramparts designed by Vauban, it is itself crowned by high-altitude forts, making it impregnable. This majestic and imposing site provides an insight into the genius of the adaptations made by Louis XIV's famous military engineer. Although many of these works were completed after his death, they were built according to his principles until 1734.

Listing: since July 2008, Vauban's fortifications in Briançon have been listed as a World Heritage Site alongside eleven other French sites in the Vauban Major Sites Network . Seven works located in the commune have had the privilege of obtaining this recognition in view of their authenticity, their state of conservation, their representativeness and the development policy to which they are subject. 

Trois têtes Fort

Foundation: built in the 18th century.

History: this is the most important fortified structure in the Briancon region. It overlooks the Fontenil and Fontchristiane valleys and the fortified town. As early as 1700, Vauban emphasised the strategic importance of its position and construction began in 1721 under the direction of two engineers, Tardif and Nègre.

Characteristics: it is made up of three fronts and a low fort (with the full range of defences of the period: half-moons, reverse fire, covered path, etc.). Its surface area, one and a half times that of the old town, provided barracks for 1,250 men and around 70 artillery pieces in the event of the town being taken (it could also be used as a fallback base).  At the heart of the defensive system, it is linked to the town by the Asfeld bridge and to the Randouillet fort by a Y-shaped link. It was never completed. The chapel was converted into barracks in the 19th century.

Listed as: Historical Monument in 1989 / UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 (Vauban fortifications).

Km 87.2

SAINT-CHAFFREY (POP: 1,700)

The municipality, which borders Briançon, has hosted four stages of the Tour de France, finishing in Serre-Chevalier, of which Saint-Chaffrey is the most populous village. It lies at the foot of the climb to the Col du Granon, climbed by the Tour de France in 1986 (won by Eduardo Chozas) and in 2022 by Jonas Vingegaard, who secured the final classification here by outclassing Tadej Pogacar.

Km 88.4

CHANTEMERLE  

The Luc Alphand trail

Located on the Chantemerle site, the Luc Alphand piste is a real showcase for Serre-Chevalier. It winds its way between the Champcella and Souliers mountain chalets and plunges down a steep wall into the village of Chantemerle. The route features a variety of technical sections that are well known to competitors. Used for competition, it was given its name in 1998 after the World Cup victories of Luc Alphand, who has always trained on this track.

Km 90

LA SALLE-DES-ALPES (1,010 INHABITANTS)

La Salle-les-Alpes was the finish line of the 17th stage of the 2017 Tour de France, won by Primoz Roglic. At the heart of the Serre-Chevalier ski resort, the village is notable for its Saint-Marcellin church. This is the home of the Bréchu family, including Henri, who won a World Cup slalom on skis in Madonna di Campiglio in 1970.  

Saint-Marcellin Church

Construction: 12th to 15th centuries.

Style: Romanesque.

History and characteristics: dedicated to the first bishop of Embrun, it overlooks the former hamlet of La Salle, the modern districts and the resort of Villeneuve-la-Salle. Often remodelled (one of the old parts being the Romanesque bell tower), it is first and foremost admirable for its elegant 15th-century porch, set against the eaves wall of the nave. The second external architectural feature of the church is its 14th-century Lombard bell tower, considered to be one of the finest of its kind in the Briancon region, with its two storeys of triple round-headed bays resting on geminated columns.

Listed as: historical monument in 1914.

Km 95.9

LE MONÊTIER-LES-BAINS (POP: 1,010)

A Roman spa and later the seat of a priory that gave it its name, Le Monêtier is part of Serre-Chevalier and hosted the start of a stage of the Tour in 1996.   

Museum of Sacred Art

Opened in 1997, the Saint-Pierre Chapel Museum in Monêtier-les-Bains houses one of the finest collections of sacred art in the Hautes-Alpes. This religious heritage is made up of polychrome wood, silverware and liturgical ornaments, the oldest dating back to the 15th century. As well as being a feast for the eyes, they bear witness to the vitality of the local people over the centuries, and to their devotion, much of which is linked to the harsh mountain environment.

Km 110.1

COL DU LAUTARET

Open all year round, at an altitude of 2,058 m, it is one of the busiest passes in the Alps. The Tour has climbed it 30 times since 1911.

SAVOIE (73)

Region: Auvergne Rhône-Alpes

Population: 442,500

Surface area: 6,028 km²

Number of cantons: 19

Number of communes: 273

Prefecture: Chambery (Pop: 59,629)

Sub-prefectures: Albertville, St-Jean-de-Maurienne

Specialities: Raclette, tartiflette, fondue, crozets (square-shaped pasta made from buckwheat flour), diots and pormoniers (pork sausages cooked in white wine), Saint-Genix (brioche with red pralines), Savoy cake, chocolate truffles, bugnes (doughnuts), génépi (mountain plant liqueur), Savoy cheeses (Tome des Bauges, Beaufort).

Sport: Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Handball (D1), AG2R-Citroën team (cycling), Aix Maurienne Savoie Basket (ProB) / Events: Alpine World Ski Championships Courchevel-Méribel 2023, Mountain Bike World Championships-Les Gets, August 2022. 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics.

Heritage: Hautecombe Abbey (on the banks of Lac du Bourget), Château of the Dukes of Savoy (Chambéry), Esseillon barrier forts (Haute Maurienne), La Vanoise National Park, Bauges and Chartreuse Massifs Regional Nature Park, Lake Bourget, Lake Aiguebelette.

Economy: tourism, agri-food, eco-industries, mountain industries, composite materials, information and communication technologies, metalworking

Culture: Musilac in Aix-les-Bains, Les Estivales en Savoie in Chambéry, Le Grand Bivouac in Albertville, Les Arcs European Film Festival

Websites and social networks:www.savoie.fr / https://www.facebook.com/SavoieDepartement/ https://twitter.com/SavoieDeparthttps://www.savoie-mont-blanc.com/https://www.facebook.com/savoiemontblancFR/@savoiemontblancFRhttps://twitter.com/SavoieMontBlanc  / https://www.pinterest.fr/savoiemontblanc/https://www.instagram.com/savoiemontblanc/ / https://www.youtube.com/user/SavoieMontBlanc

Km 118.7

GALIBIER PASS (2,642 M)

The natural boundary between the northern and southern Alps, the Galibier is the most frequently climbed alpine pass in the Tour, with 60 crossings. In 2011, Andy Schleck won the highest stage finish of the Tour. In 2017, it was Primoz Roglic who was leading at the top before going on to win in Serre Chevalier. In 2019, it was Nairo Quintana who crossed it solo to take victory in Valloire, while in 2022, it was Anthony Pérez who led the way on the road to Alpe d'Huez. All these riders had the privilege of receiving the Henri-Desgrange prize of 5,000 euros, awarded to the first rider to cross the Col du Galibier when it is on the Tour programme. Just before the summit (on the Lautaret side), a stele pays tribute to Henri Desgrange, the first director of the Tour de France, who wrote in L'Auto in 1911 when the riders first crossed the pass: "Oh! Sappey! Oh! Laffrey! Oh! Col Bayard! Oh! Tourmalet! I will not fail in my duty by proclaiming that next to the Galibier you are pale and vulgar booze: in front of this giant, all you have to do is pull off your cap and bow low!”

Pinerolo

Zwischen Alpengipfeln eingebettet, bietet Pinerolo mit seinen reizvollen Plätzen vor imposanter Bergkulisse viel Ruhe und Charme.

Im Herzen der Stadt steht der majestätische Dom, der dem Heiligen Donato von Arezzo gewidmet ist. Die Stadt ist außerdem für ihre militärischen Verbindungen bekannt, die im Kavalleriemuseum beleuchtet werden.

Wenn Sie die mittelalterlichen Straßen von Pinerolo erklimmen, werden Sie mit frischer Alpenluft und spektakulären Panoramablicken belohnt. Kehren Sie anschließend in einer Trattoria ein und genießen Sie die hervorragende hiesige Küche und die Weine. Pinerolo ist das Tor zu den italienischen Alpen und ein idyllischer Ort für eine Auszeit vom Alltagsstress.

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Valloire

Der für sein Skigebiet bekannte Ferienort Valloire ist ein beliebtes Wintersportziel, aber er hat auch den Rest des Jahres viel zu bieten.

Wenn es schneit, zieht es die Ski- und Snowboardfahrer auf die Pisten von Valloire. Bei den alljährlichen Eis- und Schneeskulptur-Wettbewerben erschaffen Künstler aus aller Welt im Ortskern vergängliche Meisterwerke.

Im Sommer ist Valloire ein idealer Ort für Wanderer. Andere Aktivitäten wie Reiten, Golf und Seilrutschen sind ebenfalls im Angebot. Wenn Sie sich dabei ausreichend Appetit geholt haben, können Sie die regionale Küche mit ihren preisgekrönten Bieren und Käsesorten genießen.

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