FrenchDuck’s databank

The penultimate stage of the Tour before the finish tomorrow in Paris - this is a time trail which starts in Cognac (16 Charente, Poitou-Charentes) and finished in Angouleme 56km to the East.

Most of the big names in Cognac are based in the town (Hennesy, Remy Martin, Courvoisier, Martell) but there are also many small producers who often produce great brandies - and usually at better prices - as you are not paying for the name and marketing hype that goes with the big Cognac houses. For example see Maison DEAU who produce excellent Cognacs and Pineau des Charentes - and also offer a magnificent garden, greenhouse and museum.

For more info on the Tour de France 2007 see www.letour.fr or UK Eurosport where there are some good interactive maps of the route.