Stage 4 Tour de France 2025

Food and Drink to Accompany Stage 4 Tour de France 2025

Stage 4 is from Amiens to Rouen, and so this is a trip into Normandy.

In what may be a translation of text originally written in French, Visit Rouen says that 'the cheese, apple and cider routes will whet the gustatory curiosity of the greediest'.

The Big Four Normandy cheeses are Camembert, Livarot, Pont-l'Evêque and Neufchâtel.

There are a lot of apple orchards in Normandy, and many of them produce cider apples. First, apple juice is made, then it transforms into alcohol as its sugars ferment.

Calvados, an apple brandy, is made by distilling cider. Pommeau is an aperitif made from calvados and apple juice.

Buy a bottle of Calvados (affiliate link).

Amiens

Stage 4 starts in Amiens Métropole. It has hosted 10 stage starts and 10 stage finishes - including most recently the finish of Stage 8 of the 2018 Tour de France. It was a day for Dylan Groenewegen.

Amiens is the capital of the Somme département, and has a population of 135,000. It is in the historic region of Picardy and on the river Somme.

The Gallic Ambiani people lived in this area, and when the Romans arrived, they called the site Ambianum. The Roman name evolved into Amiens.

Amiens was badly damaged in World War I, notably during the Hundred Days Offensive in 1918; it was hit again in World War II by Allied bombing.

Amiens is known for its C13th Gothic Cathedral, the largest of this type in France (by interior volume). It is regarded as a masterpiece of the classic Gothic style. It took only 70 years to build, which is a short time compared to other such Cathedrals, and helps to explain the consistent style.

Other attractions in Amiens include the Musée de Picardie and the House of Jules Verne.

One of France's biggest university hospitals is here, and there's a large student population (around 26,000 students and 800 researchers).

There's a dynamic economy based on industry and services. In the years after the last war automotive equipment was an important sector, and Goodyear still have a base in Amiens. Also here are Procter & Gamble. More recently, call centres and internet businesses have set up.

A December Christmas market is held in Amiens, which is large and popular. You can try macarons d'Amiens there.

The hortillonages are 'floating' market gardens on small islands in the marshes between the Somme and the Avre.

There are two bike-rental services, Buscyclette and Vélam.

Amiens was home to author Jules Verne from 1871 until his death in 1905. He found that it was close enough to Paris for him to visit the capital but without the unbearable noise and bustle of the big city in his day to day life.

Amiens is also the birthplace of Emmanuel Macron.

It is twinned with Darlington.

Richard the Lionheart

Richard I, or Richard the Lionheart, ruled England from 1189 to 1199 - but he was only in England twice for a few months in that time. His mother Queen Eleanor was his English representative.

He liked war and fighting. Churchill said that 'the advantages gained for him by military genius were thrown away through diplomatic ineptitude'.

Richard I wanted to go on a Crusade in the Holy Land, so he raised as many taxes as possible on his English subjects. He also sold Berwick and Roxburgh to the King of Scotland.

In the Crusade Richard fought well, but disunity on the Christian side prevented an outright victory.

On his way back to England in 1192, Richard was shipwrecked and tried to go home over land. In Austria he was captured by Duke Leopold, who sold him to the Holy Roman Emperor.

The Emperor demanded a ransom of 150,000 marks, which was twice the annual revenue of the English Crown. It was collected from English subjects and paid to the Emperor, and Richard returned home in 1194.

Richard's possessions in France were now under attack so he left England, never to return.

In 1199 he besieged a castle at Chaluz and was struck by a crossbow bolt fired from the castle wall and wounded on his left shoulder. Gangrene set in. Richard named his brother John as his heir then died.

Skiing Made Easy

Skiing Made Easy is a practical guide to learning to ski based on many happy seasons of ski teaching.

It takes you through the beginner's progression from snowplough to parallel turns, starting at the very beginning and not assuming any prior knowledge.

The book suggests relevant exercises to develop and improve your skills. Common faults are identified, along with the best ways to correct them.

'By the way' sections contain information about many of the little things that people assume you just know, but you may not.

'This is the book I wish I'd had when I started skiing' - reviewer on Amazon.

How to buy:

• get the paperback direct from the author at ValThorensGuide (cheapest paperback option)
• order the paperback from Amazon
• order the ebook from Amazon

Skiing Made Easier

Skiing Made Easier is the follow-up to Skiing Made Easy, and picks up from where the first book left off.

The first chapter is Refining Your Parallel Turns.

The chapters on ski technique beyond basic parallel turns are Carving, Short Turns, Bumps and Off Piste.

There are then further chapters on Avalanche and Mountain Safety, Ski Psychology, Physical Preparation, Ski Servicing and Alpine Wildlife.

As in Skiing Made Easy, common faults are identified and exercises suggested to correct them and to develop your skills.

'By the way' passages contain bits of skiing knowhow that could otherwise take years to pick up.

How to buy:

• get the paperback direct from the author at ValThorensGuide (cheapest option)
• order the paperback from Amazon

The Amazon URLs are affiliate links.

Rouen

The Stage 4 finish city is Rouen.

It's on the river Seine, and is the capital of the Normandy region. The population of wider Rouen is around 478,000.

History

The Celtic tribe that lived here in the pre-Roman era called the place Ratumarcos, and the Romans called it Rotomagus. In Roman times, it had an amphitheatre and Roman baths.

The Normans captured Rouen in 841, and it became the capital of the Dukes of Normandy from 912.

Rouen became part of France under King Philippe Auguste in 1204. Around this time, a textile industry developed, using wool imported from England.

During the Hundred Years War, Rouen surrendered to the English (1419). Joan of Arc was a leading figure on the French side, but she was burned at the stake in Rouen in 1431. The French retook Rouen in 1449.

Rouen was the HQ of the Nazi Navy in World War II. The city was badly damaged by Allied bombing in 1944, and its Cathedral nearly destroyed.

Sights

Rouen Cathedral is the city's most famous sight.

The Tour de Beurre was financed by the sale of indulgences, allowing people to consume butter during Lent. The facade was finished in the 1500s.

Monet did a series of paintings of the Cathedral at different times of day in different light.

The Gros Horloge is a big astronomical clock.

The Donjon de Rouen is where Joan of Arc was brought in 1431 and threatened with torture. It's on Place du Vieux Marché that she was burnt.

There's a Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics with Rouen pottery from the 1500s to the 1700s. The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen has Monet paintings.

The Jardin des Plantes de Rouen is a notable botanical garden.

Notable People from Rouen

Novelist Gustave Flaubert and politician François Holland were both born in Rouen.

Cyclist Alexis Gougeard is from Rouen.