Guillaume introduces the French philosophy of savoir vivre, and to live the best life in France, food is the foundation of their lives. Today Guillaume creates his Ratatouille – a classic Provencal dish accompanied by his ‘secret’ recipe of home-made olive tapenade. The olives and the ratatouille are a nod to today’s start and finish stage city of Nice, home to some of the world’s best tasting olives.
Today the Tour starts and finishes in Nice again, and Guillaume pays tribute to a dish from one of France’s most infamous chefs Auguste Escoffier, who was born in the region. Guillaume is serving his version of Escoffier’s classic Steak Tartare and dishes out some expert advice when ordering this raw meat dish in a French restaurant.
As the Tour prepares to leave Nice, Guillaume pays homage to the city’s Italian influences and shows us how to make Pissaladière - a French tribute to pizza. Australia is gaining a reputation for producing amazing chesses and Guillaume shows us a local goat cheese that takes this dish to the next level. Pissaladiere is the perfect dish to share, so Guillaume invites some friends to enjoy this classic street food snack and bid farewell to the Mediterranean.
Today’s race starts in Sisteron, which is famous for its spring lamb, so Guillaume celebrates by cooking a traditional lamb roast, and also shares his secret to making any roast spectacular. We also meet a local butcher who gives Guillaume a few tips for the dish.
Pears are a celebrated fruit in France, and in Autumn they are found in abundance at the fresh markets throughout Gap, today’s stage start town. Guillaume uses his favourite Australian variety to make Poire Belle Helene, a classic French dessert that celebrates the humble pear, and shows us the ‘Guillaume Challenge’ to make the perfect whipped cream.
This stage of the Tour begins on The Rhone, and Guillaume follows the river down to the Mediterranean to make Bouillabaisse - a classic fish soup. Guillaume cooks with the freshest seafood and shows us how to make a rouille (sauce) – the key to any good Bouillabaisse.
Blue cheese – one of the most divisive ingredients in the culinary world. Today, Guillaume pays homage to Roquefort, the home of its namesake cheese and just 30 minutes from today’s tour start. We learn how to make his twice baked Roquefort souffle, the perfect gateway meal to the best blue cheese in the world.
Steak frites is a French classic that you can find in many Australian pubs or bistros, but today Guillaume shows us how to make a Béarnaise sauce that will have you making steak frites at home in no time. This is a meal fit to replenish riders and spectators alike after today’s tour stage takes us on the first of several demanding climbs through the Pyrenees.
Today’s stage runs through the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region. This area includes French Basque country which has a rich culinary heritage and a tradition of simple hearty rural meals made with fresh produce from the region - especially capsicums. To celebrate, Guillaume makes a traditional dish from Northern Basque Country called Piperade, and serves it with a medley of seafood.
With the Tour de France doing some island hopping today, Guillaume takes an excursion to the coast to show you how the French eat their oysters and chats with a fourth-generation oyster farmer. He also makes an aioli with an unexpected ingredient that will make you jealous!
Today’s tour stage begins in a charming seaside resort on France’s west coast – Châtelaillon-Plage. Today Guillaume celebrates the town’s shellfish festival with his take on Mussels Marinieres and also talks to his fish monger Costa about mussels and Australian seafood.
Two hours north of today’s start town of Chauvigny is Lamotte-Beuvron, a small rural town best known as the home of the tarte Tatin. The dish may have been created by accident, but it’s been chosen by Guillaume on purpose – this upside-down apple tart is a heart-warming dessert that is perfect in winter months, and the perfect way to celebrate the Aussie-grown Granny Smith apple.
Today’s tour stage finishes at Puy Mary, a volcanic peak in the Puy-de-Dôme region, whose lush green hills support a thriving dairy industry. In honour of this Guillaume talks us through the importance of butter in French cuisine and grills king prawns in an herbed butter recipe which has remained a secret for more than a century.
Story outline: Today’s tour stage ends in Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, and according to the French, the world. So, Guillaume celebrates by making the world’s best fish and chips. From filleting to frying, learn how to put a truly French spin on a dish that is also close to Australia’s heart.
Today’s tour starts in Lyon, the gastronomical capital of the world that is all about butter and cream. To indulge, Guillaume whips up an Ile Flottante - a rich and magical dish that is so light they say it’s like eating clouds. These light fluffy meringues floating in a sweet pool of crème anglaise also pay tribute to another important staple of French cuisine – freshly laid eggs.
Today’s start town of La Tour du Pin is a gorgeous historical town known for its mosaic festival, and what else is a charcuterie plate if not a mosaic of food? Today Guillaume reveals the secrets behind a great French artform – the charcuterie plate.
Today’s tour starts in Grenoble, the flattest city in France surrounded by the incredible French Alps. The city is home to some of the world’s most renowned potato dishes. To celebrate the humble potato, Guillaume makes one of his specialties, a potato dish he has named after a famous French magazine.
Today the Tour is riding through Beaufort, so Guillaume is celebrating one of the most popular ingredients in French cooking – cheese! Get ready to discover some of the best cheeses Australia has to offer (and what to pair them with) as Guillaume demonstrates that less is more when curating a cheese board.
Today’s start town of Bourg-en-Bresse is home to the most famous of French poultry – they raise more than one million Bresse Chickens each year. In a nod to this region’s famous export, Guillaume shows us his version of a hearty French classic, and talks all things mushrooms as he creates a classic Chicken a la creme.
Today’s tour kicks off in Lure, just down the road from Luxeuil-les-Bains, a town renowned for its Luxeuil ham. And what better way to celebrate ham than with a Croque Monsieur, France’s deluxe answer to the humble ham and cheese ‘toastie’.
To celebrate Paris on this final day of the tour, Guillaume makes a dish that originated in the famous 10th Century food market of Les Halles. It is one of the most humble yet special dishes in all of France - French onion soup. It’s a dish that champions the simple onion and also the notion of Savoir Vivre, and Guillaume reflects on what this means to him as he cooks his final dish of the 2020 Tour.
Guillaume is back to celebrate another year of the Tour de France, sharing some of his favourite mouth-watering French classics to warm your heart. Today, he is making his dad's favourite cake, the Paris Brest. This light and airy dessert was created in honour of another famous French cycling race and is presented in the shape of a bicycle wheel – making it the perfect way to say Bonjour to the Tour.
As the tour continues through the Brittany region, Guillaume shows us a traditional Breton dessert that is all about enjoying life to the fullest. The kouign-amann is known as the "fattiest pastry in all of Europe" – luckily tonight's hilly stage will burn off some of those extra calories, as Guillaume makes this pastry that is all about butter.
It's day three of the tour in Brittany – a region that is celebrated for its abundant seafood. Today's start town of Lorient is home to the second largest fishing port in France. Today, Guillaume is meeting with one of Australia’s best spear fishermen to cook some freshly caught rock lobster on a wood fire.
As we say goodbye to Brittany, Guillaume celebrates the region's most famous creation – the crêpe! Guillaume shows us the trick for making the perfect Buckwheat Galette – the traditional savoury version of a crêpe. This is a dish just waiting to be enjoyed with a glass of apple cider.
Today's stage finishes in Laval, the capital of the Mayenne region – also known as apple country. Guillaume meets with Jo-Anne Fahey from Darkes Glenbernie Orchard to try her award-winning cider. He then shows us how easy it is to make his delicious pork belly and apple dish.
Today, the tour winds through the Loîre valley, which is also known as the Garden of France. To celebrate the earthly delights on offer, Guillaume is making a vegetarian version of the quiche Lorraine which uses his favourite Autumn vegetable – the leek. He shares some of his mum's secret tips to create a savoury dish to share with the whole family.
Today the tour stops in Burgundy – a region that is most famous for its beef and bountiful red wine. A crossroads of trade, the cuisine of Burgundy also has influences from Northern Europe and the Mediterranean - so what better way to celebrate than by making a rich red wine and beef stew with a surprise twist of orange…
Today we arrive in Auvergne-Rhônes-Alpes, a farming region that celebrates pork in all its glory – from hams, to sausages, to the pork mince that Guillaume will use to stuff some beautiful vegetables. This rustic dish uses colourful, seasonal produce to highlight a dish that is full of delicious provincial flavours.
Today the Tour continues through the mountainous Auvergne-Rhônes-Alpes region where the most popular dishes are made with potato. And what better way to celebrate than a tour of potatoes! Guillaume meets the Hill family from the Southern Highlands to source the perfect spuds for three mouth-watering potato dishes. This is French comfort food at its best.
Today the race finishes just minutes from the greatest French chocolate factory in the world. So of course Guillaume shows us how to make the greatest chocolate tart in the world using Australian-made chocolate from Gelato Messina, in a special recipe he learned first-hand from legendary French chef Joël Robuchon.
The race today begins in Sorgues, just an hour from the French Riviera which is home to some great seafood, including snapper. Guillaume swaps the kitchen for the beach to show us the technique for cooking a salt-crusted snapper on an open fire.
Today the race starts in the truffle capital of France – so there's no better time for Guillaume to show us how to make a spectacular truffle soup. Created by legendary chef Paul Bocuse for French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, this soup is made with delicious truffles known as "Black Diamonds".
Amidst the spectacular countryside of Occitanie, today’s stage finishes at Carcassonne. This medieval town is near the birthplace of one of the region’s most famous dishes – Cassoulet. Guillaume cooks his version of this French country casserole made with white lingot beans, and plenty of pork belly, ham, and sausage.
Today's start town Carcassonne is steeped in history, as are many classic French dishes. Guillaume shows us how to cook a dish created hundreds of years ago – duck confit with Brussels sprouts. This technique is all about pan-frying the duck legs in their own fat until they are crispy on the outside and succulent in the middle.
The tour today will begin in Céret. Known as the mecca of cubism, this town has access to an abundance of amazing produce, including almonds and Pyrenees honey. Guillaume celebrates Ceret with a pear and almond tart, glazed with organic aged honey sourced from the wild bees in Sydney's Blue Mountains.
During today's stage, we visit the tiny principality of Andorra, which is famous for its skiing and delicious wild mushrooms. Guillaume creates his version of the national speciality – truite de carreroles, otherwise known as a mushroom omelette.
The tour continues rolling through rich farmland, where you can find some of the best veal in France. It's also Bastille Day in France, so today Guillaume is making one of the most popular French dishes - the classic Veal Blanquette!
Food is the great equaliser. Centuries ago a humble pot of stew could satiate the appetites of kings and peasants alike. Today's start stage of Pau also happens to be the birthplace of King Henri IV, and Guillaume is making Pot au Feu – one of his favourite dishes.
One of the things France and Australia have in common is their love of lamb, and today the tour cycles through an area that produces some of the best lamb France has to offer. Guillaume will have your taste buds tingling as he slow roasts a lamb leg over a toasty wood fire, and matches it with a rustic tomato garnish.
Today the tour reaches Burgundy, better known as wine country! The finish stage of Saint-Emilion is particularly known for its red varietals so Guillaume is showing us how to make oeuffs en meurette – A unique Fench dish of poached eggs in red wine, complete with his own special twist.
Tonight we say farewell to the Tour and find ourselves in the City of Lights…and desserts. Paris is home to avenues lined with patisseries, chocolatiers, and confectioners spoiling you for choice with their irresistible aromas. But today, Guillaume is making a classic Parisian favourite – the crème caramel.
Guillaume is travelling through his home country for this year's Tour de France, sharing some of his favourite mouth-watering French classics. Today's race starts in Denmark, so Guillaume is inspired to cook their national dish - The Stegt Flaesk. This grilled pork belly and potato dish is a feast for the eyes and a delicious way to say Bonjour to the Tour.
The tour continues through Denmark, so Guillaume visits a Chateau and winery in the south of France owned by the Danish royal family and he shows us how to make three versions of Smørrebrød, which are traditional Danish open-faced sandwiches that are as pretty as the French countryside.
It’s the final day of the tour in Denmark – so to celebrate Guillaume is making their most popular pastry - The Danish cinnamon snail. For inspiration, Guillaume visits Du Pain et des Idées, a beautiful bakery where chef Christophe Vasseur produces the most popular Danish pastries in Paris.
The tour reaches the north of France, and to celebrate Guillaume visits an artisan fromagerie in the town of Saint-Omer to find the perfect cheese for his dish today. He will make a meal they love in the breweries in this region - Le Welsh. It’s the most indulgent ham and cheese toasty you’ve ever seen.
Today’s stage begins in Lille when Guillaume will visit Meert - one of the longest-running patisseries in France. Here he will learn how they make their world-famous vanilla waffle. He will also show us how to make a light fluffy Tarte au Maroilles - a delicious regional specialty featuring strong-flavoured local cheeses.
Today, the tour races between Belgium and France. In this region the people love their craft beer, so Guillaume is making a Belgian beef stew called Carbonade Flamande, which involves a good splash of local beer. It’s a heartwarming stew loved by both countries and a perfect dish for this stage of the tour.
Today the tour races through the Lorraine region which gave birth to many regional specialties, including a delicate cake called a Madeline. Guillaume will show you the tricks for making these delightful treats, and he will share the story about how the Madeline became a symbol of childhood memories in France.
Today we arrive in Franche-Comté region, a farming area that celebrates pork in all its glory – from hams and cutlets to the famous Morteau sausage that Guillaume will use in the stew he makes today. The mortal sausage is smoked in traditional wooden chimneys and perfectly complements the lentils and seasonal produce in the delicious provincial stew.
Today the tour reaches the Alps, where the most popular dishes are made with cheese. While most people know about fondue, Guillaume will be showing us another traditional melted cheese dish that is perfect after a day of skiing. The Raclette Savoyarde is French comfort food at its best.
Today the race finishes in Megeve, the gourmet capital of the Alps. Guillaume visits a nearby Reblochon cheese farm high in the mountains, and he shows us how to make a Tartiflette. This is the ultimate winter dish, combining layers of potato, cream, bacon and Reblochon in a hearty alpine style.
The race today begins in Albertville, a beautiful city where you can find many regional specialties. Guillaume visits a local butcher to buy some Savoie sausages known as ‘diots’, to feature in the invigorating hearty vegetable soup he will make over an open fire at his mountain chalet.
Today the race starts in Briançon, the highest village in France – so Guillaume is inspired to make a desert named after the highest peak of the Alps. The Mont Blanc is a sweetened chestnut purée in the form of vermicelli, topped with whipped cream. It is a delight to behold when the icing sugar sprinkles down like snow.
Today’s stage finishes in Saint Étienne, an industrial city with spectacular architecture and some delicious regional pastries. Guillaume visits local baker Sebastian Reocreux for a lesson on how to make a Pâté de la Batteuse - an apple and cinnamon pastry with a golden crust.
Today the race finishes in Mende, just 30 mins from the beautiful Aubrac Mountains. Here in the popular town of Laguiole, Guillaume visits an artisan knife forge dating back to 1828. And he shows us how to make L’Aligot, a sumptuous regional specialty featuring mashed potato and plenty of cheese.
The race start of Rodez is just 1 hour from one of Guillaume's favourite places in France – Roquefort-Sur-Soulzon, a small city Nestled underneath the dramatic rock of Combalou. Guillaume visits Delphine Carles, one of the smaller producers of Roquefort cheese in the caves under the town and cooks a steak with a delicious white wine and blue cheese sauce.
The race starts in Carcassone – just 1 hour from the Mediterranean, so Guillaume takes an excursion to the town of Gruissan, known for its incredible pink salt lake. Guillaume uses the local salt and fresh clams in a pasta dish featuring one of the most classic French ingredients… escargot.
Today the Tour reaches Saint Gaudens, an ancient city with a history dating back to the Iron Age. Guillaume explores the local farmers markets to find fresh cabbage and truffle for his dish today - a decadent langoustine pasta with veal jus and foie gras butter.
It’s another day of cycling in the mountains, so Guillaume is going to visit a very special Pyrenees bakery with a hundred-year-old wood oven to learn the secrets for perfectly baking rustic bread. And he will make a specialty torte of the region, filled with juicy blueberries.
The race reaches Cahor, a region famous for Malbec grapes. Guillaume visits the incredible Chateau Lagrazette, with vineyards dating back to the 15th century. After an exclusive wine tasting, he will show us how to make a refreshing fruit soup with Malbec wine and the local D’quercy melon.
Today the tour reaches the vertical village of Rocamodour. This region is famous for its walnuts, so Guillaume visits a century-old Walnut mill which the Castagné family have operated for 6 generations. Guillaume learns the secrets of producing walnut oil with a traditional stone mill and creates a beautiful salad featuring walnuts and the local Rocamodour cheese.
Tonight, we say farewell to the Tour with a dish created by legendary French chef Joel Robuchon. Guillaume was mentored by Robuchon in Paris and today he will share the techniques for making an exquisite Tarte au Truffe. To source the hero ingredient Guillaume will go truffle hunting in the south of France with local experts who know the tricks for sniffing out the best ‘black diamonds’.
The Tour begins this year in the Spanish Basque region. Guillaume takes the opportunity to meet Basque chef Josean Alija in his Michelin-starred restaurant Neura at the Guggenheim Museum. On the terrace of the museum, Guillaume creates pintxos, the Basque version of tapas – small, delicious bar snacks filled with the best of Basque produce.
Today, the tour continues through the Spanish Basque region, finishing the day in Saint-Sébastien. Here, Guillaume joins chef Elena Arzak in the testing lab of her three Michelin-starred restaurant Arzak. Elena gives Guillaume a sneak peek at a brand new dish, explaining its development before it takes its place on Arzak’s menu. Guillaume makes a burned Basque cheesecake as a tribute to his time in the Spanish Basque region.
The Tour travels from the Spanish Basque across the border to the city of Bayonne. Here, he meets Eric Ospital, the most famous ham man in France. Eric creates ham for the top restaurants around the world. In his cold room, he introduces Guillaume to the secrets of curing top-quality meat. With Eric’s ham, local cheese, and other produce, Guillaume creates a tarte fine, mouthwatering savoury tart.
As the Tour meanders through the Landes region, Guillaume takes one of the area’s specialty ingredients – the white asparagus and makes a simple recipe that captures the essence of spring. With butter, lemon, parsley, and Jambon de Bayonne, Guillaume highlights the unique flavour of the favourite vegetable of King Louis XIV.
Today’s stage begins in Pau, the capital of the Béarn region. Leading local chef, Christian Etchebest shows his hometown of Pau to Guillaume, culminating in lunch in Christian’s restaurant La Cantine. Inspired by Christian’s enthusiasm for Bearnaisse cuisine, Guillaume makes his version of a local favourite, garbure – a chunky ham hock and vegetable stew.
As the Tour leaves from Tarbes in the Haute Pyrenees region, Guillaume discovers the secrets of Haricot Tarbes – the best white beans in the world. Verena Patacq, whose family have been growing white beans since the 1400s, hosts Guillaume at her farm. Using Haricot Tarbes, Guillaume creates a classic rack of lamb.
Today, the tour finishes in Bordeaux, and while most of us think immediately of wine when we hear the word ‘Bordeaux’, Guillaume introduces us to another of the city’s secrets – canelés. Chef Léo Forget uncovers the history of this historic small cake and inspires Guillaume to recreate it in his kitchen.
The Tour sets off from the historic city of Libourne today. This city on the Dordogne River is famous for its diverse produce and Guillaume takes the opportunity to visit their famous farmer’s market to gather the ingredients for one of his favourite desserts – pear clafoutis.
It’s a mountain stage today, in the Massif Central. An ancient chain of volcanoes sculpts this region and its rugged topography and climate have inspired many hearty dishes. In a tribute to the changeable French mountain weather, Guillaume makes a fine dining version of a rich, warming potato dish from the region – la truffade.
Today, the Tour begins in the centre of the Chaîne des Puys – an area made up of around 80 dormant volcanoes that border the city of Vichy. The locals are very proud of their volcanic heritage. They even have the world’s only volcano-themed amusement park. Guillaume creates his upscale version of vichyssoise to bring the temperature down, with horseradish cream and a touch of caviar.
With the tour in the Auvergne region today, Guillaume takes the opportunity to go fishing with local trout farmer Alexandre Viale. He learns about the fish only the best restaurants choose and proves his skills as a fisherman as well. On the banks of the trout ponds, Guillaume cooks up his catch for Alexandre, pairing it with the best of the region’s produce.
Today, the Tour finishes in Belleville-en-Beaujolais, deep in the historical Rhone wine region. Guillaume catches up with wine-making siblings Matthieu and Camille Lapierre, who share the secrets of Beaujolais Nouveau, the first wine of the vintage. Inspired by the Lapierres, Guillaume creates the classic French dish le coq au vin.
As the tour sets off from Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne, Guillaume walks the streets with historian Eiola Thuyen. Together, they discover the medieval history of the village, stopping at an open market that has been in operation for over a thousand years. Surrounded by this rich culinary heritage, Guillaume makes a smoked duck salad, loaded with local ingredients.
The race concludes today in the Haute Savoie, a stunning Alpine region that offers views from Mont Blanc to Switzerland. The Savoie region is rich in rustic cuisine, focused on cheese, meat, and vegetables. After sharing lunch with a view with chef Jules Lequertier, Guillaume creates a local favourite – poêlée montagnarde.
The village of Saint Gervais welcomes the Tour today. This community, nestled at the foot of Mont Blanc, is loaded with places for hikers, skiers, and even riders to refuel at the end of a long day. Guillaume uses favoured local ingredients to make one of his favourite hearty meals – parmentier of braised oxtail.
The Tour leaves from Passy today, a town only 30 kilometres from the Italian border. Inspired by the proximity to Italy, Guillaume decides to create a crayfish and saffron risotto. He co-opts the services of Giles Buissan and Roland Bel, two local fishermen, to help him source the main ingredient.
The Tour leaves the Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc region today, and Guillaume visits a chocolatier in the town of Sallanches. He is put to work creating a local sweet specialty while learning the secrets of fine chocolate. Guillaume makes a lush chocolate fondant to celebrate the importance of chocolate in the region.
Today, the race ends in Bourg-en-Bresse, a farming region with distinctive traditions, extraordinary architecture, and a long history of farming chickens. Guillaume spends time with world-renowned chef George Blanc, whose family won the first of three Michelin stars way back in 1929. George shares the coveted secrets of his poulet de Bresse with Guillaume, and immediately Guillaume recreates the dish for us.
The race reaches Poligny, the home of Comté cheese. The locals love this cheese so much that they have created a museum to celebrate it. Comté is a favourite of Guillaume’s too, so he cannot resist using it to create his luscious version of France’s cheese toastie – the croque monsieur.
The penultimate stage of Tour de France 2023 leaves from Belfort. Here in the Vosges Mountains, wild blueberries flourish, and foraging for berries is a popular mid-summer activity. Guillaume uses wild blueberries to create his twist on a local specialty – le tarte aux brimbelles, blueberry tart.
The Tour ends today with pomp and ceremony on Paris’s famed Champs-Élysées. But before the champion is anointed, Guillaume shares a meal with his friend Bertrand Auboyneau, owner of Bistro Paul Bert. Together, they discuss the heritage and conjure up the perfect steak.
The Tour de France begins in Florence; the heart of the Tuscany region. Guillaume meets Florentine tour guide Francesca Sabatini, who takes him on a short tour of the historic centre. They walk in the Santo Spirito neighbourhood, famous for its wine windows, known locally as “Buchetta del Vino”. After enjoying a glass of Italian white wine in the streets of Florence, Guillaume makes the iconic dish of the city, ‘Bistecca’; a one-kilo steak served with Brussels sprouts.
The Tour arrives in Bologna, a city regarded as the Capital of Italian cuisine. It’s the birthplace of culinary delights such as ragu alla bolognese and notably, mortadella. Guillaume visits the deli of Davide Simoni, a fourth-generation charcutier who makes a traditional and highly respected mortadella. Together Guillaume and Davide create a generous Italian sandwich featuring mortadella, pesto and burrata cheese.
Today the Tour finishes in Turin in the Northwest of Italy. It is the capital of the Piedmont region, a vast area that borders both France and Switzerland. This region is famous for some wonderful pastas. Guillaume meets Rosanna, an 83-year-old Nonna who shares her secrets for making authentic agnolotti filled with silverbeet and ricotta.
Stage 4 of the tour begins in Pinerolo at the base of then Alps, and Guillaume is having a day of indulgence. He visits Antica Pasticceria Castino, a beloved pastry shop which opened in 1925. This charming establishment is known for the Zurich cake, a chocolate delight filled with cream and nougat. After eating this delicious dessert, Guillaume is inspired to make another iconic cake from the region that is ‘as light as a feather’, the Gateau de Savoie.
Just 20 minutes from today’s finish line is the town of Pérouges. A stunning medieval city Pérouges is famous for a unique pastry that was invented in 1912. Guillaume meets Martin Thibault, the fifth generation continuing to bake this family recipe for locals and tourists. Guillaume learns the tricks for making this sweet, thin, brioche pie known as the galette de Pérouges.
Today, the tour races to Dijon, the capital city of Burgundy. Dijon is one of the great wine regions of France, historically it was also the epicentre of French mustard. Guillaume takes inspiration from this classic French condiment and makes a rich rabbit stew flavoured with white wine and Dijon mustard.
The riders are making their way through Burgundy. Everyone knows this region for great wine, but it’s also the birthplace of many famous French dishes such as beef bourguignon and coq au vin. Today, however, Guillaume is showcasing escargots à la Bourguignonne. This bistro dish was created in Burgundy and features plenty of butter, garlic and that infamous French ingredient - the snail.
Today the riders will cross the finish line in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises. The home of French President Charles De Gaulle, it is surrounded by pinot noir and chardonnay vines. When the grapes aren’t used for making Champagne, they’re perfect for drying into juicy raisins, which Guillaume sprinkles into his Middle Eastern rice pilaf served with a braised marinated chicken.
Today the riders start and finish in the medieval village of Troyes. The must-try dish here is the 'AAAAA' andouillette (also known as the 5A androuillette, a reference to the Association Amicale des Amateurs d’Andouillette Authentique ), a very aromatic sausage, stuffed with pure pork, onion and herbs. This sausage is so popular it has its own fan club. Guillaume creates a crème fraîche and mustard seed sauce that perfectly Paris with the Troyes Andouillette, or any pork sausage.
Just one hour from the race start of Orleans is the town of Pithiviers. A small commune in the Centre Loire valley region, this area is known as the ‘breadbasket’ of France thanks to the abundance of specialty pastries and breads. Guillaume will make the specialty puff pastry pie of Pithiviers which is filled with succulent braised lamb.
Today the Tour runs through the Creuse region. 50 years ago in this region, an ancient cake recipe was discovered on a piece of parchment in an old monastery. Today only 23 bakers of the Creusois Association can make and sell this cake. Guillaume meets Vincent Rullière, the youngest member of the association, to learn the secrets of the infamous Gateaux Creusois.
The riders make their way through the Cantal region today. This is the rural centre of France. Guillaume visits a historical farmhouse to enjoy a feast of truffade - a traditional dish of fried potatoes and cheese. Inspired by the rustic cuisine of the Cantal he shares the recipe for a classic stuffed cabbage dish of the region, chou farcis d’Auvergne.
The race departs from Agen, a historic market town on the Garonne River, and the Prune capital of France. Plums were introduced to Europe by Benedictine Monks returning from the Crusades. Guillaume visits a local plum orchard to discover what makes the prunes of Agen so special and uses them in a delicious lamb tagine.
Stage 14 of The Tour makes its way through the Pyrenees. Running through the heart of the Pyrenees is the Neste, a gorgeous river that has shaped the mountains and valleys. The Neste has wild trout in abundance, and fishing has been practiced here for centuries. Guillaume meets a local guide to learn the art of ‘Toc' fishing, before making a trout gravlax served with a crunchy celeriac remoulade.
The town of Loudenvielle is close to Bigorre in the central Pyrenees. On the plains of Bigorre, beneath the mountains, is where you can find the oldest breed of pig in France. Guillaume visits Cyrille Martin, a farmer making delicious hams and sausages from the iconic black pig of Bigorre. Surrounded by beautiful farmland, Guillaume cooks up some pork cutlets, drizzled with a tangy charcutière sauce.
The city of Nimes is known as “French Rome”. It is considered the most Roman city outside of Italy thanks to the well-preserved ancient structures still standing. Guillaume takes a tour of the spectacular double-tiered amphitheatre which is used for concerts to this day. Inspired by the heritage of Nimes, Guillaume makes one of the regions famous dishes, brandade de morue; a salted cod spread served on crunchy toasted bread.
An hour from the Saint Paul Trois is one of the great chocolate factories of France. Valrhona has a 100-year history, and a reputation amongst top chefs for producing world class chocolate. Guillaume meets Chocolatier Romain Grzelczyk to learn the secrets for perfectly tempered chocolate. Guillaume then shows us how to make a light fluffy soufflé with 70 percent Valrhona chocolate served with cherry ripple ice cream.
Today the tour leaves from the mountain town of Gap, which is known for some delicious local specialties. Guillaume tries the tourtons, a fried snack made with very fine dough, and filled with mashed potatoes, cheese and onions. Since Gap is part of the greater Provence region, Guillaume makes soupe au pistou, a vegetable and white bean soup from the southeast of France topped with a basil paste.
Today the riders make their way through the Alps. Typical in the bakeries across these mountains is a pastry filled with pink candied almonds. The brioche aux praline originated near Lyon in 1955, and quickly spread throughout the region. Guillaume visits the bakery of Philippe Marc Jocteur, a master of the pink praline. Guillaume learns about working with these colourful candled nuts before making the original soft and buttery brioche aux praline.
The race starts in Nice on the French riviera and overlooks the Bay of Angels. With its proximity to fishing in the Mediterranean and Farming on the mountain pastures, Nice is a fantastic city for food-lovers. Guillaume visits the Cours Saleya, one of the great Farmers Markets of France. This market has been attracting locals and tourists for over a century. After shopping for fresh produce and chatting with the locals, Guillaume makes the flagship recipe of the city - Salad Niçoise.
It’s the final day of the tour, and the first time in history the race has finished outside Paris. Guillaume takes full advantage of his day in Nice by getting a cooking lesson at Chez Theresa, an iconic local restaurant. Chez Theresa has been baking a wood fired flatbread called socca since 1925, in the oldest oven in the city. Excited by the traditional cuisine of Nice, Guillaume makes tourte aux blette, a tart made with silverbeet (Swiss chard).
