Passage du Gois
{{Short description|Causeway in the western Atlantic coast of France}}
Image:France - Passage du Gois.jpg
The {{lang|fr|Passage du Gois}} ({{IPA|fr|pasaʒ dy ɡwa}}) or {{lang|fr|Gôa}} is a causeway between Beauvoir-sur-Mer and the island of Noirmoutier, in Vendée on the Atlantic coast of France. The causeway is {{convert|4.125|km|1}} long{{cite web |url=http://www.mairie-beauvoirsurmer.fr/le-gois-la-route-sous-la-mer/presentation/ |title=Le Passage du Gois |website=Beauvoir sur Mer |publisher=Mairie de Beauvoir sur Mer |lang=fr |accessdate=2015-07-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706052419/http://www.mairie-beauvoirsurmer.fr/le-gois-la-route-sous-la-mer/presentation/ |archivedate=2015-07-06 }} and is flooded twice a day by the high tide. A road runs along the causeway.
Every year, a foot race – the Foulées du Gois – is held across it, starting at the onset of high tide.{{cite web |title=Passage du Gois |url=https://aupassagedugois.fr/en/the-passage-du-gois/ |access-date=20 September 2021}}
Tour de France
The Passage du Gois was used in Stage 2 of the 1999 Tour de France bicycle race. It proved to be divisive due to a crash caused by the slippery surface. The crash created a six-minute split in the peloton which ended the hopes of many favourites to win the race, including Alex Zülle, who would eventually finish second overall.{{cite news |title=1999 Tour de France stage two: Passage du Gois causes chaos |url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/1999-tour-de-france-stage-two-passage-du-gois-causes-chaos-50738 |access-date=20 September 2021 |publisher=Cycling Weekly |date=30 June 2011}}
The Passage du Gois was used again in the 2011 race, as the starting point of the first stage.{{cite news |title=Passage du Gois, team time trial back for 2011 Tour |url=https://www.velonews.com/events/tour-de-france/passage-du-gois-team-time-trial-back-for-2011-tour/ |access-date=20 September 2021 |publisher=VeloNews}}
Passage du Gois immergé.JPG|Flooded causeway (island side).
Passage du Gois 001.JPG|Tide tables
Le gois 1998.jpg|Beacon
Passage du Gois 001.jpg|Warning notice
Passage du Gois 002.jpg|Risk of drowning
See also
- Île de Noirmoutier
- The Broomway, a similar causeway to Foulness Island in Essex, England
{{commons category|Passage du Gois}}
{{coord|46|55|51|N|2|07|34|W|display=title|region:FR_type:landmark_source:dewiki}}