Old railway
Short trip
100 Km
I begin / Family
Lavoûte-sur-Loire
Annonay
Linking the Loire to the Rhône, Via Fluvia is a cycle route laid out along a former railway line. Riding by the Velay area’s volcanoes and through the département (county) of Ardèche, enjoy varied atmospheres and unspoilt nature. ‘Slalom’ around the Velay’s ‘sucs’ (ancient dormant volcanoes), take in great views down wild valleys and gorges and cross the green heights of the Pilat Mountains. The historical connection to the railway is still clear all the way along; the steam train the ‘Velay Express’ still operates in these parts, a major draw. The route is unbroken from Lavoûte-sur-Loire to Annonay, but at time of writing, the section from Riotord to Saint-Marcel-les-Annonay is along a provisional stretch on roads and isn’t signposted… but the former railway line along here should be laid out for cyclists in due course.

Elevation of the route

1095 m 858 m

Waytypes of the cycle route

Cycle path: 73,38 km By road: 28,37 km Unknown: 15,04 km

Surface of the cycle route

Smooth: 84,32 km Rough: 3,52 km Unknown: 28,94 km

Via Fluvia: 100km of greenways connecting the Loire to the Rhône

Signposting and layout along the Via Fluvia

The Via Fluvia cycle route is signposted with its own logo, except between Maisonneuve (2km outside Riotord) and Saint-Marcel-les-Annonay, where a provisional section of route that isn’t signposted takes you along roads for the time being, until that stretch of old railway track and Le Tracol Tunnel have been suitably adapted for cyclists. Remember to download the relevant .pdf files and .gpx tracks for the route.

Trains and railway stations serving this cycle route

  • Lavoûte-sur-Loire: TER regional line Le Puy-en-Velay <> Saint-Etienne
    Connection to the regional TER line Le Puy-en-Velay <> Clermont-Ferrand and Le Puy-en-Velay <> Saint-Etienne
  • Oumey train station: starting point for the tourist train, the Velay Express. Reservations for you and your bike obligatory

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