Friday, July 19, 2024

Tour de France 2024 Stage 19: Embrun to Isola 2000


Where are we? In the Haute Alpes and the Alpes Maritimes

Embrun: From the local travel site, with some help from Google translate:
The town of Embrun is nestled on its rock and is open to the valley of the Durance.
Its origins are Celtic, its name indicates its topographical location: Embrun comes from Eburodunum, Ebur: water and Dunum: elevation.
Capital of the Maritime Alps under the Roman Empire, it became the seat of a bishopric from the 4th century onwards, and from an archbishopric in the 12th century. The arrow of Notre-Dame du Réal Cathedral, the lions' porch and the Treasury of the Prince-Archbishops are the witnesses of this rich religious past. Its colorful streets and its sunny squares, welcome you for moments of relaxation and pleasure.
Ideally located on Serre-Ponçon, the town offers a multitude of mountain activities, discover nearby, the fauna and flora of the Ecrins National Park. But also nautical activities on the Durance, the lake of Embrun and of course the lake of Serre-Ponçon.

Le Tour specialties: honey, trout farming, cheeses, game, fruit jam tarts, apples from the Alpes de Haute-Durance (Golden)

Isola 2000: Another stage, another mountain resort. Their website tells me that: The village of Isola offers a different aspect of the Tinée valley. Located in the upper valley, it has the characteristic features of a mountain village. The barns, built with materials found on site, denote a more rigorous climate. The Isolians lived in virtual autonomy, pioneers of the circular economy. Water is omnipresent in Isola. As evidenced by the numerous fountains , the wash house located in the old town but also the dam located on the Tinée. This water was not only a source of well-being. It was the cause of numerous inconveniences, in particular the floods caused by the overflowing of the Vallon de Chastillon which was not without consequences for the village. 
Indeed, the Saint-Pierre bell tower , in the Lombard style located at the entrance to the village, is the only survivor of this difficult period and therefore arouses curiosity because its church was swept away by the waters, as was the old village. 
Set off to discover the chestnut grove which was the main food resource for the Isolians who held a virtual monopoly on production in the county of Nice. It is now winter tourism that has made the town famous today with the Isola 2000 resort.

Le Tour specialties: Vacherie de Chastillon (cheese and charcuterie), Mercantour cheeses (carline, miche gavotte, tommes). Specialities from Nice. 

Christian Prudhomme says:  The menu for this ultra-mountain stage could well make you dizzy, but it’ll also whet the appetite of the very best climbers. Although the stage is less than 150km long, the riders will climb above 2,000 metres on three occasions, the biggest test the climb to the summit of La Bonette, the highest road in France at an altitude of 2,802 metres. Its 360-degree panorama is breath-taking.


The stage: Would there be gc changes today? It was tome to find out.
Our break of the day had some familar names As they continued, that rgoup would shrink to six: Jorgenson, Kelderman, Carapaz, Yates, Hindley and Rodriguez.  On they went, with Jorgenson getting a solo lead. He was chased byCarapaz. With 10 kms to go, about 3 minutes behind them was a very small gc group. 
From that group, to the surprise of no one, an attack by Pogacar. He really has been riding at a different level. A reminder though, that Vingegaard is still recovering from injuries this spring. Would Pogacar reach the front and take the stage?
Behind, Evenepoel would attack, but Vingegaard was able to stay with him. 
Ahead, Pogacar reached Yates, only Jorgenson was ahead. Wow did Pogacar go by fast. It was no longer a question of the stage win, it was just a matter of how much he would win by.  Evenepoel and Vingegaard would come in together. 


The wine: Riviera Ligure di Ponente Rossese “Vigneto Isasco”
From Copake Wine Works 

The food: Since there was a mention of a chestnut grove. Chestnut cake (Turinois)

Ingredients:

  • 500 g chestnuts
  • 100 g chocolate
  • 100 g sugar
  • 100 g butter

Slit the chestnuts.
Boil them 40 min in water.
Leave them in the water while you peel off both skins and mash them with the mouli-grater.
Melt the chocolate with the butter; add the sugar and then the chestnut purée.
Grease a rectangular cake tin.
Pour the mixture into the tin and leave in fridge for 24h before cooking

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