Embrun to Isola, France – Day 19
We remain in the Hautes-Alpes, beginning in the town of Embrun. This town sits atop a cliff on a plateau 870 meters over the Durance River. Here in the Alps, you can find the beach of Embrun-Plage, where the Durance River empties into the Embrun Lake.
Domaine du Mont Guilllaume the highest vineyard in France
Just west of our starting point, you can find Domaine du Mont Guillaume, the highest vineyard in France in the Vine des Hautes-Alpes IGP.
The owners grew up in this region but worked in Bourgogne and returned with that experience to cultivate vines in the rugged mountains here. Their cellar is 1000 meters above sea level, that’s 3200 feet! They also use organic methods in the vineyard.
They have a wine called Altitude 880. The back label reads
“880 meters is the average altitude of our vines. At the heart of Hautes Alpes, the highest plots of land flourish in a unique environment that is both demanding and privileged. This bottle of varied and sometimes rare grape varieties can be enjoyed in a friendly atmosphere. It will easily accommodate all palates. Our Domaine is part of a sustainable and responsible approach. The harvest is, of course, manual.”
Their grapes include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chasan, Mollard, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Gamay.
You can read more about them here. https://www.domainedumontguillaume.fr/
We spend the rest of the day in the Alps
From Embrun, the Peleton rides to Saint Clement sur Durance and on to the east.
There is a sprint at Guillestre, the picturesque town at the mouth of the Gorges du Guil. https://www.beyond.fr/villages/guillestre.html
As the race heads south, there are 2 (count them 2!) HC climbs. The first is at Cole de Vars, reaching 2019 meters (converted to feet).
We then go through Saint Paul sur Urbaye where there is the Tournoux Fort, built originally to guard the region from invasions from Italy.
The next climb at Cime de la Bonette is 2,802 meters, the highest road ever ridden in a Grand Tour race.
At the foot of this high climb is the city of Jausiers, within the Mercantour National Park. This park is redolent with biodiversity! In France, you will find around 4,200 plant species. Over 2000 of those are found in the Mercantour!
They ride through Saint-Étienne de Tinée. This village was not part of France until 1860! It is remote and isolated. A fact that kept it safe from invasions and out of mind for the reigning Counts of the region. The city has a beautiful church that is a mesh of styles, from Gothic to Lombard Romanesque to Baroque. It fell into disrepair, and much of it was torn down and rebuilt, but the Choir and the bell tower remain.
Finally, we reach Isola 2000. This ski resort has been a recent training ground for many teams in today’s race. The final climb to the finish line here is a Category 1 climb at 2024 meters.
For more information on all of the Stage’s of the “Tour de France”
Wine along the “Tour de France” – 2024
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
Check out our book series, “Tempting Spoonfuls” available through Amazon!
Inspired by the flavors and aromas in wines, these books create “tempting spoonfuls” of flavors to pair with wines.
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This book is 60 pages, 18 recipes, lots of beautiful photos, and insights into some fantastic small wineries!
“Tempting Spoonfuls – small bites paired with wines from around the Globe” – This book takes us around the globe to explore 12 wine regions, a wine from the region, and then gives you a recipe for a pairing!
A slightly larger book at 104 pages, this time you learn about pairing with a type of wine from a region. Rather than a specific bottle, you can look for a style of wine from a region and feel confident that it will go well with the recipe pairing we provide. We give you 12 recipes, each to pair with a wine.
The goal is to make your mouth water and encourage you to create your own “Tempting Spoonfuls.”
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