Tournon-sur-Rhône / Glun / Valence / La Voulte-sur-Rhône

This easy ViaRhôna stage offers a gentle introduction to the South of France. There’s much to enchant: pretty villages in typical southern style; a surprising branch of the Rhône encircling La Roche-de-Glun; and biodiversity. The big town of Valence presages Provence to the south, with its colourful markets, shaded gardens and historic quarters, including pedestrianized area. This stage goes along greenways, except through Valence.

The route

Leaving the Tournon area, known as the Pays du Tournonais, via Tournon-sur-Rhône’s southern river embankment, the ViaRhôna route heads south to Glun. Between La Roche-de-Glun and Valence, following the tarmacked greenway, you’ll find many amenities (picnic tables, parking spots, panels giving practical local information…). Take care crossing Valence, where you join roads shared with motorized traffic.

Alternative route

An alternative down the Rhône’s east bank through the Drôme département (county). From Tain to La Roche-de-Glun’s bridge, the linking route is marked ‘Vers ViaRhôna’ and is on well-surfaced greenways.

Railway stations (SNCF) :

Tain l’Hermitage railway station  :

• line 5 : Lyon > Vienne > Tain l’Hermitage > Valence > Marseille

Valence railway station– city center – local services TER :

• Line 5 : Lyon > Valence > Marseille
• Line 2 : Genève / Annecy > Grenoble > Valence
• Line 61 : Grenoble > Valence

Valence high speed railway station (15 km from city center) :

• Line 70 : Romans > Valence TGV > Valence
• Line  Paris > Lyon Valence TGV > Avignon > Aix-en-Provence

Tourist Information Centres :

• Tournonais Tourist Office Ph. 04 75 08 10 23
• Pays de Tain-l’Hermitage Tourist Office Ph. 04 75 08 06 81
• Pays de Crussol Tourist Office (Saint-Péray) Ph 04 75 40 46 75
• Valence Tourist Office Ph. 04 75 44 90 40

Don't miss :

• Tain-l’Hermitage: Valrhona, the renowned Rhône chocolate company, opens its tourist Cité du Chocolat in 2013.
• Tournon-sur-Rhône: a town surrounded by reputed northern Côtes du Rhône vineyards; wine tastings at the prestigious Maison Chapoutier, among others; the listed château dominating the Rhône dates from 10th to 16th centuries, offers great views and contains a museum with sections on Rhône navigation and suspension bridges – Tournon boasts the oldest French suspension bridge still in operation, designed by Seguin, built in 1826.
• La Roche-de-Glun: for its outdoor sports and recreation centre.
• Valence: a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire, due to its dense cultural legacy;  Anne-Sophie Pic’s gastronomic restaurant, awarded 3 Michelin stars and including a cookery school, Scook;  the network of canals, extending over 16km, encouraging fishing and gardening.

Markets:

Tain-l’Hermitage : Saturday morning

Tournon-sur-Rhône : Wednesday morning

La Roche-de-Glun : Wednesday

Bourg-Lès-Valence : Sunday Morning

Valence : Tuesday morning, place Nationale  – Tuesday night,  17h to 20h, halle de Saint-Jean.