where heritage and nature go hand in hand
Historic capital of the Bugey area and home town of the famed 19th-century food writer, Brillat-Savarin, Belley offers a heady mix of gastronomy, wine and heritage.
With Roman and medieval roots, this town knows how to take good care of its heritage, for example the Cathédrale Saint-Jean, the bishops’ palace or the Couvent des Cordeliers. For food lovers, Belley boasts a good number of tempting little eateries putting to the fore regional produce from the varied, fertile lands around. With its traditions, its unpretentiousness and its modern touches, there’s something here to please every taste!
Custom route
Custom route
Seyssel / Chanaz / Belley
This ViaRhôna stage goes along both banks of the Rhône. This route is provisional. It leads between crests and plateaux, through landscapes marked by lakes and waterfalls. Then you come to a land of vineyards and gastronomy set below the Bugey Range, passing delightful little historic stops like Belley, Culoz and Chanaz. This physically-demanding stage is along a mix of greenways and roads.
Belley / St-Genix-sur-Guiers / Groslée
This ViaRhôna stage meanders through the beautiful Bugey area, between the majestic Rhône and the Lavours Marshes, below the imposing Grand Colombier Mountain. To the south, enjoy the Haut-Rhône plain, the mountains and the vineyards, arriving at the Pays de Lhuis and Izieu through magnificently varied countryside. On this stage, you follow greenways and laid-out roads, except when going through La Balme’s tunnels, where the road is narrow and very busy .