Friday, July 8, 2022

Wine and Food of the Tour de France 2022 Stage 7: Tomblaine to La Super Blanche des Belles Filles

Where are we? Heading to the Vosges Mountains

Tomblaine: The local tourist site tells me that: With its islands, lakes and bridges, Tomblaine has always been the ideal venue for all water-related activities.
The aquatic areas and wetlands are also of significant interest in terms of their flora and fauna. Walking along the bird path during the different seasons, you can see moorhens, falcons and grey herons. According to a census by LPO, the French bird protection league, there are over 400 species of bird on Île aux Oies. The vast Méchelle Lake which straddles the border between Nancy and Tomblaine offers walks, trails and a nautical centre where you can enjoy numerous water sports including rowing and canoeing.
In old Tomblaine village, look out for Saint-Pierre’s church with its Romanesque tower and attractive 18th-century gate. The Department of Waterways and Public Works laboratory and the fire station were designed by Jean Prouvé in 1970 and 1973.
Le Tour specialties: mirabelle plums, bergamots

La Super Blanche des Belles Filles: Le Tour tells me that: Located in the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park, the Planche des Belles Filles is the only snow stadium in Haute-Saône. With its real potential for attracting tourists, the site is managed by Woka Loisirs on behalf of the Haute-Saône department, thus ensuring its development. The site takes its name from a legend dating from 1636, that of the young women who preferred to throw themselves into the water from the top of the mountain rather than suffer the abuse of Swedish attackers. Their leader, who fell under the spell of one of the girls, rushed to save her but only brought up a lifeless body from the water. He then carved an epitaph on a plank as a tribute to the girls and named the site “La Planche des Belles Filles” (The beautiful girls board).  

Le Tour Specialties:  cancoillotte, wine and cheese from Charcenne, kirsch AOC from Fougerolles, water from Villeminfroy, Grillotines from Fougerolles, blueberries from Belfahy (wild blueberry festival in July), biscuit factory from Montbozon, lace from Luxeuil, crystal glass factory from Passavant-la-Tarbes Rochère



From Christian Prudhomme: Although this is the first summit finish of the 2022 Tour, it doesn’t come at the end of an authentic mountain stage. However, Super Planche des Belles Filles always guarantees a high-intensity finish. As the one big climbing test of the day, the gaps at the finish shouldn’t be that substantial, but the riders’ finishing positions will give a strong indication of the form of the podium contenders.

The stage: A large breakaway! It had been larger earlier, but with 95 kilometers to go, 10 riders had a gap of almost two minutes: Max Schachmann and Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Kasper Asgreen (Quick Step), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Simon Geschke (Cofidis), Luke Durbridge (BikeExchange), Giulio Ciccone and Mads Pedersen (Trek), Dylan Teuns (Bahrain) and Cyril Barthe (B&B).  
LeTour wanted to remind us of previous visits.
As they continued, the breakaway group would shrink, leaving 5 in the lead: Geschke, Teuns, Schachmann, Kämna and Durbridge. They would be chased and eventually joined by Barthe and Erviti. Under 50 kilometers to go and they had a 3 minute gap to the yellow jersey group. Thirty kilometers to go and it was at 2:45. Under 20 kilometers to go and it was under 2 minutes. To be candid, there had been very little action on the day.
Le Tour had this for us: After winning up there in 2019, Dylan Teuns returned to La Planche des Belles Filles to propose his girlfriend... Lies Hoeyberghs, now Mrs Teuns, is present at La Planche.
Finally, action as Ineos surged to the front and upped the pace. 
Ahead: In the break, Geschke was pushing the pace, but not getting a large gap and was eventually caught and passed by Kämna . Behind, an autobus was rapidly forming as the pace challenged many. The yellow jersey group was down to around 30 and getting smaller. Among those dropped, Vlasov and Powless.
Eventually, it would be Pogacar leading a very small group of a dusty road, with only Kämna left ahead. He would be caught and passed by Vingegaard followed by Pogacar. At the very end, Pogcar surged ahead for the win. Heck of a finish.

Stage: 


GC:


The wine: Agathe Bursin Sylvaner Lutzeltal 2019 from Copake Wine Works
Christy says: going against type for Alsace - and suggesting a Sylvaner!
The importer tells me that The winery is located in the commune of Westhalten, about fifteen kilometers to the south of Colmar, three famous hills of calcareous formation, Zinnkoepflé, Strangenberg and Bollenberg, form a crown around the village. Westhalten is famous for its Mediterranean-like microclimate. Indeed, this area is among the driest areas of France (500 mm of precipitation per annum), because it is protected by the two highest summits in the Vosges, le Grand-Ballon and le Petit-Ballon

The food: Mirabelle Plums
It is stone fruit season, so have a plum! 
The local tourist site tells me t hat “Happiness exists, and I’ve experienced it. It weighs 14.3g (including the stone), and it comes from Lorraine. […] How could anyone fail to be amazed and grateful that such a tiny fruit can bring so much joy?” Jean-Pierre Coffe.
Over 70% of the world’s Mirabelles are grown in the region. Mirabelle plums can be eaten as table fruits, in fruit salad or in cakes and pastries. The fruits are also used in savoury dishes, as an accompaniment to duck breast, poultry, lamb, etc.
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