Stage 10, Chambery to Gap
Allons enfants de la Patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrive!
Come children of the homeland, the day of glory has arrived.
That is the first two lines of La Maresillaise, the French national anthem and since today is Le Quatorze Juillet (Bastille Day) it is rather fitting. Bastille day is what we call it in the US, but in France it is Fete National or National Celebration, much like America’s 4th of July. It commemorates the Fete de la Federation of 1790 that was on the one year anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1790. Each year on July 14th the Champs Elysees is closed to all traffic and a parade and ceremony is held. It won’t be closed again until the 25th of July when the Tour concludes on the fabled street.
The start town of Chambery in the Savoie region was the ancient capital of the Dukes of Savoy. In 1232 the Count of Savoy Amadeus V made the city of Chambery his seat of power. It remained the seat of the Dukes until 1563 when the Duke Emmanuel Philibert moved the capital to Turin, Italy and the decline of Chambery began. The Chateau de Chambery sits on the end of the Montjay hill dates back to 1285 when it first took over an existing chateau and made renovations in the 14th century. After Philibert moved the court to Turin the chateau fell in disrepair and was the site of more than a few fires. In 1640 the Duchess of Savoy, Christine Marie of France decided to hold court at the Chateau and in 1684 it was the site of the marriage between Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia and Anne Marie d’Orleans, the niece of Louis XIV. Victor Amadeus III enlarged it in 1786 and added what is now the Royal Wing. Napoleon rebuilt the South wing and decorated it into a more elaborate Napoleon style. Today it is the house of the department of Savoie.
One of the most interesting items in Chambery is the Fontaine des Elephants, the Elephants Fountain. The statue was built by sculptor Pierre-Victor Sappey in 1838 to commemorate the return of Benoit de Boigne’s return from India, although he would die seven years before it was completed. The four realistic life size elephants appear to be coming out of the statue, but they are really only the head and front legs. Built into the base of a tall column that is the shape of the Savoyards cross and topped with a statue of Benoit de Boigne. Like the Eiffel Tower in Paris at first the people of Chambery were against the statue, but now it is the beloved symbol of the town.
The small village of Apremont just outside of Chambery is well known for its white wines but who they became that way is all thanks to a natural disaster. Hidden into the foothills of Mount Granier, the large rock overlooks the valley. On November 24, 1248 part of the Mount crumbled and a landslide buried the town of St Andr’s and anything in its path. Some thought that it had been the fault of the water pressure beneath the cliff that caused the landslide, but the mass spreading of rocks made the perfect place for growing wine. The Jacquère grape is a dry white wine and pairs perfectly with the Savoy regions Fondue.
Here is a little hint and trick when it comes to French names. When you see Les-Bains in the towns name, you will know it has something to do with the waters of the area. Uriage-Les-Bains is no exception to that rule. Uriage was founded by the Romans, who seemed to work their way up and down the area east edge of France enjoying the therapeutic waters. The discovery of the water rich in sulfide, sodium chloride and plankton gives it a quality known as istonia, the molecular concetraion similar to that in blood. It is used to help treat the ailments of psoriasis, eczemas, arthritis, sinusitis and many allergies.
After the French Revolution the village and spa was rediscovered and a new hotel and spa facility was built, but over the years it would fall into decline again. Finally today it has come into its own and has become a tourists destination complete with a state of the art spa and casino.
The town of Vizille is home to the very grand Chateau de Vizelle. Built in the 17th century by Francois de Bonne, Duke of Lesdiguieres and the last Constable of France and incorporated 250 acres of gardens, water and hunting grounds. It stayed in his family past his death in 1626 until the late 18th century. At that time it was purchased but Claude Perier and turned it into an fabric printing factory, On July 21, 1788 a meeting between priests, aristocrats and representatives took place at the Chateau since they were not allowed to call a meeting in Grenoble. The group gathered to raise complaints against the crown to protest against the new tax system. Some look upon this meeting as a foreshadow to the French Revolution. The property stayed in Claude Pierre’s family until 1924 when it was acquired by the state. From 1925 to 1960 it was used as an official house of the French President with many of them staying over the years. In 1973 it was handed over to the department of Isere and today holds a museum of the French Revolution with many rare materials are housed.
In a large meadow near the small village of Laffrey a famous standoff between Napoleon and the troops of Louis XVII took place. After his escape from Elba Island he landed at Juan-les-Pins near Cannes on the Mediteranian on March 1, 1815. He made his way towards Paris on what is now known as La Route Napoleon that starts outside of Cannes, through Grasse, St Vallier-de-Thuey, Castellane, Digne, Sistern (stage 11) Gap, (the finish town today) Corps,(Laffrey) La Mure and to Grenoble. On March 7, 1815 Louis XVIII sent his troops to halt the advanced of Napoleon, and they met in the large meadow, known as the “Meeting of the Prairie”. Napoleon advanced alone toward the army that once stood with him and said “Soldiers of the 5th line, I am your Emperor, recognize me!” the soldiers stood facing Napoleon with guns drawn and Napoleon opened his jacket and said “If among you a soldier who wants to kill his Emperor, here I am”. The soldiers dropped their guns and with a cheer ran towards Napoleon in tears. Napoleon responded to his general, “It’s over, in eight days we will be in Paris”
Sitting in a meadow above the small village of Saint Disdier surrounded by trees is the small church, Mere Eglies Saint Disdier. The “church of the mother” dates back to the 11th or 12th century and was made a historical monument in 1927. It was built in the Romanesque style with three vaulted bays of arches and a semicircular apse with side chapel and tower. In recent years it has fallen in disrepair but is currently under restoration. Nestled amongst the trees it is what makes me truly love the amazing sights of France.
The finish town of Gap sits on the upper edge of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region and is the closest we come to the French Riviera this year. Sitting in the valley and where two major roads intersect, the Route Napoleon and the road of Valence to Briancon. Dating back to the Gauls before Augustus, the Roman emperor took the town in the 14th century and renamed it Vapincum. Little remains of the architecture of the past but the street layout are much the same, narrow and lined with colorful houses.
As we leave the Alps and the Savoy region behind on this Bastille Day it is fitting that we enjoy two things, potatoes and cheese. Gratin Savoyard, it can’t get more authentic and simpler then that, and since it is on the French national holiday I decided to serve it up a little bit differently.
Gratin Savoyard
2 lbs boiling potatoes
Salt and pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 ¾ cups grated Beaufort or Gruyere cheese
1 cup broth
4 Tbsp butter
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the potatoes and slice them very thin, using a mandolin. Don’t soak them in water; you don’t want to wash off the starch. Rub a baking dish with butter and layer potatoes in, after the first layer, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and some of the cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients are used but ending with just potatoes. Pour in the broth until it comes just to the edge of the top layer, dot with butter and bake in hot oven for 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 50 more minutes until the top layer is brown and tender.
Bon Appétit!






