The ViaRhôna from Valence to Sète

You will be welcomed to your hotel in Valence, where you can explore the city's rich heritage and charming little shops. This will be an opportunity to stroll through Jouvet Park.

Discover:
• Valence
> Valence Museum - Art & Archaeology
> The facade of the Maison des Têtes
> The Peynet Kiosk, a listed historic monument
> The Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Center
> The historic center
> The Triniatires and Jouvet Parks
> Saint-Apollinaire Cathedral, consecrated by Pope Urban II
> Try the ravioles from Romans
> Taste the Swiss cheeses from Maison Nivon

3, 2, 1...! You'll cross the Rhône to leave Valence and follow the Via Rhôna, which will take you to discover the flowing waters of the Rhône, riverside orchards, and villages rich in heritage. A beautiful day of cycling to reach Montélimar, the city of nougat. Discover:
• Soyons
> Nero's Cave
> The Ardèche Train Garden

• Charmes-sur-Rhône
> The Plant Maze
> Crussol Castle
> The Bell Tower

• La Voulte-sur-Rhône
> The Renaissance-style Château de La Voulte-sur-Rhône
> The Narrow Streets of the Old Town, The Princes' Chapel
> The Suspension Bridge

• Le Pouzin
> The Himalayan Footbridge

• Cruas
> Sainte-Marie Abbey
> Passage at the Foot of the Nuclear Power Plant

• Rochemaure
> The Perched Castle
> Himalayan Footbridge Crossing a Branch of the Rhône

• Montélimar
> Montélimar Castle
> The Nougat Museum
> The European Aviation Museum
> Museum of Contemporary Art
> City Museum

Return to the Rhône to parade alternately on the left and right banks. You'll discover the silhouette of the beautiful town of Viviers and continue to Bourg-Saint-Andéol. Another river crossing, the landscape becomes more agricultural as you cycle towards Pont-Saint-Esprit.

Discover:
• Viviers
> The Cathedral
> Former Bishop's Palace, private mansions, ramparts, Roman bridge, and the Knights' House

• Bourg Saint-Andéol
> Two remarkable private mansions
> The Tourne Valley (washhouse, garden, etc.)
> The Bishops' Palace

Via Rhôna will take you to discover the vineyards and follow in the footsteps of the popes before reaching the magnificent city of Avignon, where there is so much to discover.

Discover:
• Mondragon
> The remains of the ramparts
> Dragonnet Castle
> The Pont de la Sainte

• Mornas
> The fortress
> The dike
> Saint-Georges Church
> The troglodyte dwellings

• Château-Neuf-du-Pape
> The papal castle
> The Great Fountain
> Notre-Dame de l'Assomption Church
> Saint-Théodorit Chapel
> The vineyards

• Avignon
> The Palais des Papes
> Notre-Dame des Doms Basilica
> Saint-Benezet Bridge
> The Petit Palais Museum
> The ramparts
> Notre-Dame des Doms Basilica
> The atmospheric squares

Avignon slowly fades away behind you. The Palais des Papes is still reflected in the Rhône as the cycle path leads you south, lulled by the gentle lapping of the water and the song of cicadas. The air is already warm, filled with the scents of pine trees and dry earth. The Rhône, at times majestic and at times discreet, accompanies your journey. The landscapes open up and the colors change: the green of the orchards gives way to wilder stretches of land, swept by the mistral wind.
Gradually, the Camargue reveals itself. The horizon widens, and the sky becomes vast and endless.
As you approach Arles, the pale stone of the Roman monuments emerges in the light. The arena rises proudly, bearing witness to a millennia-old past. After the effort, the pleasure of strolling through the narrow streets, settling at a café terrace, or lingering a little longer along the Rhône offers a gentle and inspiring end to the stage. A city of art and history listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Arles captivates visitors with its Roman monuments (the arena, the ancient theater), its lively streets, and its Mediterranean atmosphere. It is also a major cultural stop, closely linked to the legacy of Vincent van Gogh.

Discover:
• Villeneuve-lès-Avignon
> The Philippe le Bel Tower
> Fort Saint-André
> The Chartreuse du Val de Bénédiction
> The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame
> The Chapel of the Grey Penitents

• Montfrin
> The castle
> Former Knights Templar Commandery

• Beaucaire
> Troglodyte Abbey of Saint-Roman (Monastery dug out as early as the 5th century)
> Beaucaire Castle
> The private mansions
> The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame des Pommiers
> Saint-Paul Church of Beaucaire

• Arles
> Saint-Trophime Cathedral and cloister
> Roman Obelisk
> Roman Amphitheatre
> Ancient Theatre
> Rhône riverbanks
> Place du Forum
> Museon Arlaten
> Departmental Museum of Ancient Arles
> Vincent van Gogh Foundation
> Provençal santons

The day begins by following the Rhône–to–Sète Canal to reach the small port of Bellegarde. Soon, you will be cycling alongside the Petit Rhône as the landscapes change and you enter the Camargue. After Saint-Gilles, you will reach the magnificent walled city of Aigues-Mortes.
The route winds its way between canals, marshes, and lagoons, home to pink flamingos, herons, and Camargue bulls. The salt flats and vast stretches of unspoiled wilderness offer unforgettable panoramas. This beautiful day of cycling is crowned by the discovery of the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Discover:
• Saint-Gilles
> The Abbey Church of Saint-Gilles
> Espeyran Castle

• Aigues-Mortes
> The Carbonnière Tower
> The Constance Tower
> The fortified city
> The Chapel of the White and Grey Penitents
> The herds and the salt marsh

• Le Grau-du-Roi
> The port
> Espiguette Beach
> Sea-Park

A magnificent day of cycling alongside the sea, the route crosses exceptional natural areas: dunes, ponds, and lagoons inhabited by pink flamingos and migratory birds. This is an opportunity to ride close to the coastline, pass through Palavas-les-Flots, and discover the former Cathedral of Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone (by making a short detour from the ViaRhôna route) before reaching Sète, known as the Venice of Languedoc.
Sète will charm you with its canals, its lively fishing port, its beaches, its Mediterranean cuisine, and Mount Saint-Clair, which offers exceptional panoramic views.

Places to discover:
• La Grande-Motte
> The instantly recognizable architecture
> The beach
> Walks under the pine trees

• Palavas-les-Flots
> The Redoute de Ballestras (Dubout Museum)
> The lighthouse
> Saint-Pierre Church
> The old Maguelone Cathedral
> The ponds

• Villeneuve-les-Maguelone
> The old Cathedral
> Place du Foiral

• Frontingan
> Saint-Paul Church
> The port

• Sète
> The canals
> The fishing port
> The Saint-Louis lighthouse
> The Lido promenade
> Mont-Saint-Clair
> The Théâtre de la Mar
> The marine cemetery
> The Museum of the Sea

Our services end after breakfast.

Photo: White trawler in the port of Sète - F. Ambrosino / OT-THAU