The eleventh stage takes us from Eymet in Dordogne to Pau in the Pyrenees. Pau is a classic city for the Tour — it was the start of the stage that Chris Froome won last year into Bagnères-de-Luchon — but it is also home to the Stade d’eaux-vives Pau-Pyrénées, the Pau-Pyrénées Whitewater Stadium.

The city of Pau is sited on a ford across the Gave de Pau, and there are many rapids within the city. These natural rapids are used enough by whitewater enthusiasts to have its own slalom gates installed.

The whitewater arena is the brainchild of the Estanguet brothers Patrice, bronze medalist at the Atlanta Olympics, and Tony, gold medalist at the Sydney, Athens and London Olympics. The facility hosted Canoe Slalom World Cup races in 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2016, and the Canoe Slalom World Championships will be held in Pau this September.