Taste of the Tour: Quenelles de brochet, Nougat in the Rhone

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:52 p.m. ET

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VILLARS-LES-DOMBES, France (AP) A gastronomical, sporting and cultural glance at Stage 14 of the Tour de France on Saturday:

Region: Stage 14 took the peloton on a 208.5-kilometer (130-mile) trek up the Rhone Valley from Montelimar to a bird sanctuary near the town of Villars-Les-Dombes.

Baguette and butter: Mark Cavendish sprinted to his fourth victory. Finishing in the main pack, Chris Froome had little trouble holding onto the yellow jersey. The peloton stopped for a minute of silence at the start of the stage in honor of the 84 victims of the truck attack in Nice. It was the first of three days of national mourning in France.

Plat du jour: The stage finished outside Lyon, the hotspot of French gastronomy. The city is stocked with top-shelf restaurants and world-famous chefs. At a bouchon, a small Lyonnais tavern serving traditional local food, the dish to ask for is ''quenelles de brochet,'' a creamy cake made with pike fish and free-range eggs served with a crayfish sauce called Nantua.

Culture: The Parc des Oiseaux, where the stage ended, is one of the largest ornithological parks in Europe, with about 3,000 bird species.

Vin du jour: Cote Rotie, the most famous of the northern Rhone wines. There are only 60 official vineyards of Cote Rotie spread over 500 hectares, causing prices to skyrocket. This delicious red is made from Syrah grapes grown on slopes exposed to the sun, hence its name translating as ''roasted hillside.'' A small percentage of Viognier white grapes can also be used, creating a more complex taste.

History: Adjacent to the race route, the Vienne Roman theater dates from the first century. With a capacity of 13,000 spectators, it was one of the biggest urban theaters under the Roman Empire. Now restored, it hosts an international summer jazz festival as well as rock concerts, plays and operas.

Stat of the Day: 30. It was Cavendish's 30th career win in the Tour, putting him within four of Eddy Merckx's record.

Quote of the Day: ''I didn't see it. I was in front of him.'' Mark Cavendish, after rival Marcel Kittel swerved out of his way.

Dessert: The first Nougat factory was built in 1770 in Montelimar and it has been providing treats for locals and tourists ever since. Made of almonds, lavender honey and pistachio nuts, the nougat de Montelimar is a traditional treat on Christmas Eve.

Next order: Stage 15 enters the Alps on Sunday, a 160-kilometer (99-mile) leg from Bourg-en-Bresse to Culoz featuring six climbs, including the beyond-category Grand Colombier.