As we venture into the Seine-Maritime region skirting the northern coast of France, we edge a bit closer to Normandy, most famous for the D-Day invasion of Allied troops in World War II.  Normandy thrives on the bounty from land and sea, with apple production a key driver of the economy.  Everywhere you look, you’re greeted by the sprawling apple orchards that dominate the landscape in this rather chilly part of the country.  As you’d expect, apples take pride of place in the cuisine and on the tables here.  And hard cider (cidrein French) is as ubiquitous in the cafes here as draft beer is in an American bar.

If you tend to prefer beer to wine, cidre will be to your liking.  It’s dry, crisp, and refreshing, and has an alcohol content closer to that of beer (approx. 5%) than wine (roughly 12%).  A great choice on a hot, summer day.

My TDF BTG Recommendation

Ecusson Cidre (avg. price around $8/bottle) or any other dry cidrethat interests you.

Stage Six Overview:  A relatively flat day, with one designated sprint section and three Cat 3 climbs.

My Pick to Win the Stage:  Andre Greipel.  He’s on a roll!

My Pick to Wear the Yellow Jersey:  Tony Martin.  The cycling gods have favored him with yellow after testing his fortitude the first few days.

Vive le Tour!