Alpe d"Huez is the finish point after the 22 bends of hell, buses even have trouble getting up that hill. Courmayeur is a start point for the tour I think.

Les Arcs it is. I believe you can see Mont Blanc from there but not the view that is well known.

Ellen... One of the tour stages last week included Bourg St Maurice, Les Arcs in the description. Bourg St Maurice being the base of the mountain that has the TGV station.

I've done a lot of skiing in those mountains, but most of it in Austria, Germany and Switzerland (when I could afford it). Here's a picture where skiing is usually not a winter sport:

Just becasue I am from the US, I think of the Mississippi River, so guessing that river and New Orleans.

Annapolis Maryland, I see a sailboat I think in the background.

St. Louis?

I'll go with Hamburg given the large sailboat in the background. Must be near the ocean.

Regardless of whoever gets it right, we need to close this one and start a new thread with the winner. So, when there is a winner, please start a new thread. Thanks!

Fred - you got it right off the bat, I planned this picture as a "teaser" to get people on the wrong trail and then planned that the next picture of that green freighter, the "Rickmer Rickmers", would give it away. It is all yours!