As the riders start to warm up to the race many may be thinking about what lies at the finish for them. La Grande Motte is a two time stage town of the Tour and home to some of the most noteworthy balneotherapy and thalassotherapy spas in France. These spas rely on the rich minerals present in their mineral water or sea water to cure, treat, or prevent diseases. The treatments vary from bathing and water massage to simply just relaxing and enjoying the resorts where the spas are located.
Luckily, you can indulge long before the riders will have a chance too. Their start is in Marseille 196km away. The first time that Marseille was part of the Tour was in 1903 when it held the finish of an epically long 374km stage. Since then Marseille has been part of the Tour thirty three times and recent past winners include Roscioli in 1993, and Jacob Pill in 2003. In 2007, Cedric Vasseur , who once wore the yellow jersey in the Tour for five days, won here in his last appearance at the Tour.
As this flat sprinter’s stage leaves the old port in Marseille the riders will have to be wary of the windy sea air blowing off the coast. The peloton will pass the crossing of Camargue, a protected nature reserve of marshland, and continue to build their momentum to the finish in La Grand Motte. Here they will find what is referred to as “French Florida.” Right on the shores of the Mediterranean this area contains beautiful sandy beaches with over twenty kilometers of trails and bike paths. With such choices as spas, beaches, and outdoor activities it seemed a natural fit to have a stage of the Tour stop here.
