Sub-prefecture of Seine-et-Marne (77)
Population: 11,700 (Provinois and Provinoises), 34,200 within the 39 communes comprising the Greater Provinois municipality, 1,422,000 in Seine-et-Marne
The former capital of the Counts of Champagne was a European commercial crossroads in the Middle Ages thanks to its large fairs. Often besieged and sometimes sacked, this prosperous city has always managed to recover and preserve its medieval character within a fortified precinct with 22 towers. Its authenticity earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. Although it has never played host to the Tour de France, Provins has just featured as a stage town on the Tour de l’Avenir and was the birthplace of David Moncoutié, who was subsequently formed as a cyclist in the Lot.