A gastronomical and cultural glance at the Tour de France

ANGERS, France (AP) A gastronomical, sporting and cultural glance at Stage 3 of the Tour de France on Monday:

Region: Anjou. After two days in Normandy, the peloton left Granville and headed south toward the Anjou region in the Loire valley. Angers was the capital of Anjou province and the seat of the Plantagenets, who provided some famous monarchs like Richard the Lionheart and Henry V.

Baguette and butter: Mark Cavendish showed off his sprinting experience by edging German rival Andre Greipel in a photo finish to win Stage 3. World champion Peter Sagan held on to the race leader's yellow jersey he claimed a day earlier. Having also won Saturday's opening stage at Utah Beach, it was Cavendish's second victory in this Tour.

Plat du jour: A plate of galipettes, the large local mushrooms that can be eaten in a very simple way stirred in garlic. Top them with foie gras for an even better culinary experience.

Culture: Granville's most famous son was French designer Christian Dior, the founder of the world-famous fashion house. The Christian Dior Museum in Granville honors his memory with permanent collections and temporary exhibits throughout the year.

Vin du jour: Anjou wines have become more and more popular over the past ten years. They come in every color: white, red and rose. If you have to pick just one, go for the Savennieres. Made of Chenin Blanc grapes grown on schist soil, this white wine has gold reflections, complex aromas with scents of pear and offers mineral qualities once in the mouth.

History: Some bad memories might have crossed the mind of three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond when the peloton went past the little town of Les Loges-Marchis. The American rider ended his Tour career there during the sixth stage of the 1994 Tour, dropping out of the race due to exhaustion.

Stat of the Day: 28. The numbers of stage wins by Mark Cavendish, who matched five-time Tour champion Bernard Hinault for second on the all-time list. Eddy Merckx has a record 34 stage wins at the Tour.

Quote of the Day: ''I was thinking one moment we were going to take the coffee like old time.'' Peter Sagan, reflecting on the slow pace of the peloton.

Dessert: The Angers plum pate is a local pie made with small, green plums called Reines-Claudes, with pastry on top. There is a small hole in the middle, called the chimney, which makes the pate easily recognizable at the local ''patisseries'' (pastry shops). It's only available from mid-July until mid-September.

Next order: At 237.5 kilometers (148 miles), Tuesday's fourth stage is the longest of this year's Tour. It's another leg for the sprinters, despite a slightly uphill final stretch leading to the Limoges town hall.