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Rhone Valley

Cycling week to discover the ViaRhôna and Dolce Via

During this 7-day trip you will discover the Rhône valley and the beautiful Ardèche thanks to 2 itineraries fully marked and secure: the ViaRhôna and Dolce Via.

Reviews (5) :
4.43 / 5
Reference VR0703
  • Itinerant trip
  • 7 days
  • Moderate
  • April to November
  • Minimum age 14 years
GPSGPS-app available
From
Prices
999€ / pers.
Book here
  • Itinerary
    • From Valence, named the "South Gate" follow the Rhône river heading south and enter the Provence. Escape the riverside for a break in the heart of Ardèche along the Eyrieux on the Dolce Via, a 90km long easy green way built on the former railroad tracks. You will enjoy every minute of this luxurious valley where orchards, mills and architectural buildings will tell you the story of the agricultural and industrial past of the valley, you will not forget this experience! Your path, then, get back to the ViaRhôna itinerary where you will discover along the roman remnants, the chapels and cathedrals, the rich heritage of the Rhone valley. Your trip will beautifully ends up in the historic cities of Orange and Avignon. This is the perfect trip for Nature and History lovers!

    Day 1
     
     

    Arrival in Valence

    Valence, a classified Town of Art and History. With its colorful markets, shaded gardens and historic quarters, this living city makes you feel like being in Provence already.

    Day 2
     
     

    Valence - Le Cheylard

    Bike
    75km
    Today the ViaRhôna takes you on Ardeche territory. In La Voulte-sur-Rhône, the itinerary joins the Dolce Via to enter the gorgeous Eyrieux valley. The former railroad tracks reused as a green way offers you a spectacular dive in the so-well preserved Ardeche.

    With the mountain on one side and the river stream on the other, the Dolce Via lets you appreciate a beautiful nature and some very typical villages such as Saint-Laurent-du-Pape or Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut. You end up your journey in Le Cheylard, a village surrounded with hilly woods.

    Day 3
     
     

    Le Cheylard - Baix

    Bike
    61km
    You leave le Cheylard and get back on the Dolce Via back to La Voulte-sur-Rhône. The itinerary, although the same, seems completely different and you will discover new landscapes along this gentle slope down.

    Enjoy the Eyrieux gorges in the midst of a fantastic nature and admire the numerous works of art on your way. After reaching back the ViaRhôna in La Voulte-sur-Rhône, you cross the nature reserve of Printegarde to get to your hotel in Baix.

    Day 4
     
     

    Baix - Bourg-Saint-Andéol

    Bike
    52km
    You still head south alongside the Rhône river with the beautiful Abbey of Cruas and the Rochemaure Castle in the background. These two pieces of Architectural Art perfectly show the rich heritage of the Rhone valley. You cross the Rhone river using the "himalayan bridge" built on the pillars of the Old Bridge of Rochemaure, quite an experience!

    You can make a detour on the Drôme side of the Rhone river (+12km) to visit Montélimar, city of the famous "nougats"! After visiting the medievales towns of Viviers et Donzère, witnesses of the rich past of the region, your biking day ends in Bourg-Saint-Andéol.

    Day 5
     
     

    Bourg-Saint-Andéol - Orange

    Bike
    51km
    You cycle to Pont-Saint-Esprit, crossroad of 3 departements : Vaucluse, Ardèche and Gard. Cross its 700 years old stone bridge and enjoy the beautiful view over the medieval city and its cathedral. It is a jump in History! You keep on following the Rhone river to reach Caderousse. This Provence village is a beauty with its old stone dam protecting the town against the regurlar floodings.

    You leave the Rhône river to cross the plains and discover the roman city of Orange.The typical ochre colors of the city will tell you you are in Provence. With an exceptional historical heritage, Orange will take you back to the heart of the Roman civilisation. Of course, you will visit the Antique Theatre, very well preserved and still used today during the summer festival and admire the impressive Triumph Arch.

    Day 6
     
     

    Orange - Avignon

    Bike
    42km
    You leave Orange to reach Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its 3000 hectares of vineyards. Of course, tasting its Grands Crus is a must!
    Take a stroll in the small streets of the village up to the ancient Chateau des Papes, resort place for the Popes from Avignon.

    Then your path takes you through the beautiful vineyards back to the Rhône banks. Following the river, you’ll get slowly to the impressive Cité des Papes. Admire the gorgeous treasure of Avignon : the Palais des Papes, the bridge Saint Bénezet named « Avignon’s bridge », the city walls, the numerous churches and chapels...

    Day 7
     
     

    Departure from Avignon

    Enjoy a last walk in the streets of Avignon and visit the Palais des Papes before your departure or you can extend your stay.
  • Accommodation

    • Category B

    You are accommodated in **/*** hotels selected for their ideal situation on the itinerary. You will be comfortable and warmly welcomed. Breakfast is included.
    * Example of the type of accommodation
  • Bikes, luggage and documents
    • Bikes

    On your arrival day, we provide you with:

    • a touring bike adjusted to your size or a tandem
    • equipped : front rack pack with an integrated file compartment, saddlebag, helmet (on demand), reflective vest, repairing toolkit with patches etc.

    We also provide you with the appropriate equipment for your children : baby seat, bike trailer or trailer bike depending on their age and size.
    Electric bikes are also available for adults (+1m55).

    You can of course also bring your own bikes, in this case a reduction will be applied (see the Tarif tab)


    Luggage

    Our services include luggage transport in order to let you enjoy your trip comfortably and without stress :
    • We transport your luggage from one accommodation to the next using a private vehicle.
    • Your luggage is directly delivered in your accommodation before you arrive.
    • We provide a saddlebag for the things you shall need during the day.

    Our word of advice : as we know from experience, we strongly recommend you to avoid wearing a backpack during your cycling trip.
    If you expect to arrive at the next accommodation before 5 p.m., we recommend that you take an extra set of clothes with you in your bicycle bag.


    Travel documents

    A cycling holiday is the best way to explore a region and discover its culture, landscapes and local traditions.

    Your tour is self-guided to give you the freedom to ride at your own pace. You will be provided all the information you need to enjoy the itinerary and its points of interests.

    We can provide you with travel documents in paper format (for a supplement of €15 for printing and postage), which include:
    • a roadbook with maps that we drew at the easiest scale to follow on a bike
    • a roadbook with step-by-step description giving the direction to follow at each intersection and highlighting the points of interest

    Example of a map and of a step-by-step description


    Our GPS App

    For this trip, you can also use our smartphone app featuring GPS guidance (without extra fee).

    You will find in the app all the information given in the map and step-by-step roadbooks. You will be located on the itinerary with the GPS device of your phone. The route and directions to follow will be both viewable on the screen of your phone and announced aloud. As you ride along the itinerary, you will be given information about visits, restaurants, services and useful alerts on the way.

    -> You need to have a smartphone and download Le Velo Voyageur app on your Apple or Android store before the trip. All details concerning the downloading and the use of the application will be given after we have confirmed the booking and the balance is paid. Once the trip is downloaded, the GPS guidance can be used off-line.
  • Practical information
    • To get to departure point:

    • By plane: the nearest airport is Lyon Saint-Exupery. At the airport, there is a shuttle tramway Rhone Express taking you to the city center at Lyon Part-Dieu train station in 30 mn.
    • By train: TGV trains direct from Paris/Gare de Lyon to Valence TGV (2h10). Then, bus or TER train to reach Valence city center sation (10min). To plan your trip, www.sncf-connect.com


    Parking

    If you come by car, you can park in the secure car parks of Valence station or Champ de Mars. Price 7 days: 60€-75€. Possibility to reserve your parking space in advance.


    To get back to starting point:

    Trains take you back to your starting point if you wish. Regular regional trains are riding between Avignon and Valence. Bikes are accepted for free. The duration of the trip is about 1h20. Full rate is 21.90€/pers.

    You will find the timetable of the day in your travel documents.


    Meeting time:

    The first day is an arrival day without cycling. You arrive whenever you want depending on from where you come. Please note that rooms are usually available in the middle of the afternoon depending on your accommodation. We thank you to advise us if you plan to arrive late.

    .
  • Reviews

    •   Memory of the trip  

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    5 bike travelers reviews 4.43 / 5

    “ Toutoune ”

    On the 2023-09-15 by Delphine STEYAERT
    Très satisfaite des services proposés par le vélo voyageur. Les vélos en bon état et de très bonne qualité, le transfert de bagages aucun incident à signaler. L'application fonctionnelle et facile d'utilisation. Les hôtels, les demandes faites avant le voyage tranquillité, lits jumeaux, ....ont été respectés. les hôtes très agréables. Très bon séjour Sébastian a répondu à nos demandes et nous a aménagé le circuit, courtois, réactif et professionnel. merci

    “ Satisfaisant mais ... ”

    On the 2023-08-24 by GIL
    Rien à redire côté organisation du voyage : hotels, transfert de bagages, road book .... tout est très bien organisé. (hormis un hotel sans clim en pleine chaleur) L'application Vélo voyageur semble en rodage ; préférez l'utilisation des fichiers GPX. L'incursion en paysages Ardéchois sur la Dolce Via est très belle et mérite l'effort de la monté à Le Cheylard. Le Reste de la Via Rhona est certes agréable mais présente un intérêt moindre que d'autres circuits vélos que nous avons faits. Nous avons une impression d'une certaine monotonie de paysages.

    “ Lis ”

    On the 2022-09-21 by Lis
    We had a great trip

    “ Belle expérience ”

    On the 2021-08-01 by ANNE
    Tout est bien pensé. Circuit bien équilibré pas de difficultés particulières. La documentation fournie est complète, l'application GPS est bien pratique Si vous optez pour la prise en charge des bagages pensez léger sur ce circuit itinérant et non en boucle, car le dernier jour vous récupérez le tout pour pendre le train.

    “ Valence Avignon ”

    On the 2019-08-23 by Benoit et Cécile
    Très beau parcours. Attention les cartes sont un peu limite ne pas se laisser embarquer sur la via rhona en gras quand le parcours bifurque discrètement ! Des passages caillouteux un peu pénibles, des ponts à traverser sur le Rhône à couper le souffle. À propos de souffle, surveiller la météo car entre mistral et vent du sud, c'est le jour et la nuit. Astuce : on a fait 2 jours à l'envers pour bénéficier du fort vent du sud, en utilisant les TER (qui acceptent les vélos) très nombreux sur la vallée du Rhône. Le matin plein sud en train pour 2 étapes, puis 2 jours à l'envers à vélo, et le soir du 2e jour re TER plein sud.
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