Le Pouzin / Cruas / Châteauneuf-du-Rhône / Viviers ViaRhôna

The route

Leaving Le Pouzin, the La Payre Voie Douce (a special track for non-motorized traffic only) heads down to Privas to join the ViaRhôna route.

Alternatives

From Saulce-sur-Rhône, you can join a signposted linking route along the D 204 road. Continue along quiet roads, following the signage up to Rochemaure Bridge (after Ancône). Look out carefully for the signposts and be careful at crossroads.

Railway stations (SNCF) :

Loriol and Montélimar railway station :

• TER (local services) Line 5 : Lyon > Vienne > Valence > Loriol > Montélimar > Marseille

Montélimar railway station:

Bus (bikes are not accepted) :

• Line 71 : Nyons > Montélimar
• Line 74 : Vallon / Les Vans > Aubenas > Montélimar
• Line 76 : Valence high speed train (TGV) > Montélimar > Vallon Pont d’Arc

Tourist Information Centres :

• Montélimar Tourist Office : Ph : 04 75 01 00 20
• Sud Ardèche Rhône and villages Tourist Office (Le Teil) Ph : 04 75 49 10 46

Don't miss :

Les Tourettes: for its château and chapel.

Cruas: for its magnificent restored abbey.

Rochemaure: for its medieval village set dramatically on an old volcanic dyke.

Montélimar: a bright Provençal town with the medieval Château des Adhémar (used for art exhibitions), and the Palais des Bonbons and La Nougathèque, dedicated to confectionery – the town is famed for its nougat. 

Viviers: a small medieval city, home to bishops from the 5th century on, with the mighty St Vincent Cathedral (12th, 16th and 18th century), the fine Maison des Chevaliers and other grand townhouses.

Close by: the Roman archaeological site and museum at the pretty village of Alba-la-Romaine.

Markets :

Cruas : Friday morning

Montélimar : Wednesday morning, Place du Marché – Thursday morning, Place de Saint James – Friday morning, Place du Fust et Pracomtal