After days of indulgence, there will only be time for quick picnics for the roadside spectators on Stage 13 of the Tour de France on Friday.
The shortest route of this year’s race, aside from the time trials, promises to be so fast and furious – with riders zipping up and down three mountain climbs in under three hours – that there’ll be no time for a full-course meal.
But with pates, dried sausages, cheeses, hams, honeys and preserves galore to choose from in the Pyrenees, there’s ample filling for a crusty baguette. Here’s a sporting, gastronomic and cultural guide to Friday’s 101 kilometers (63 miles) from Saint-Girons to Foix, all in the Pyrenees’ Ariege region.