Cycling in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Region FRANCE CYCLING in AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPES
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2021 LIVING EXPERIENCE Cycling in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region FRANCE CYCLING IN AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPES . 16 cycle routes and greenways included in France's national network, totalling 2,690 km SCENIC RIDES . 1 EuroVélo itinerary : the EV17, better known as ViaRhôna . Legendary mountain passes regularly included in the Tour de France (Col de l'Alpe d'Huez, Col de l'Iseran, Col du Galibier, etc.) & a total of 103 mountain passes (as France's highest pass & la "Route des 100 cols") . 10 areas with the "Territoires Vélos" label (among 44 in France) . More than 1000 tourist offers with the" Accueil Vélo" label . A wide variety of landscapes and itineraries: panoramic views of the Alps, picturesque villages, riverbanks, vineyards, volcanoes, and lavender fields CYCLING FOR ALL LEVELS AND TARGETS Adventures accessible for . For Groups, FIT and families . everyone Leisure or challenging for sporty bikers . Guided cycling tour (all inclusive) or self‐guided (road books) . Itinerary cycling tours or cycling experience (loops) . Bike rental (Hybrid, e‐bike, racing bike, Gravel, trek checkpoint..) . Mechanical assistance, luggage portage . Accommodation adapted to groups and families . Slow tourism / environmental respectful tourism . Enjoying pleasures / great memories Individuals Challenging Groups BACKROAD CYCLING FOR LEISURE For families and leisure cyclists : 2, 3, 4 or more days.. The ViaRhôna, beside the Rhône River. Select sections of the route like between the ancien city of Vienne to Montélimar. Discover 2500 years of history in the city of Vienne, the famous vineyards of the Côte du Rhone, stay one night in Tain l’hermitage or Tournon sur Rhône, visit Relaxed cycling holidays the “Cité du Chocolat” of ValRhona, the famous nougats of Montélimar with culture & heritage Relaxed cycling holiday with • Cycling from Lyon or Mâcon town to country on la Voie Bleue culture and heritage 85 kms – 2 or 3 days Follow the banks of the Saône river, keeping close to the vineyards of the Beaujolais or Mâconnais areas. Châteaux, characterful villages and riverside restaurants all appeal for cultural and gastronomic stops ! • Getaway on Via Fluvia - Greenway, country roads and paths V73 cycleway from the Loire to the Rhône: a route that covers a distance of 120 km linking the Loire to the Rhône Discover the Château de Lavoute‐Polignac, the Ravins de Corboeuf, the Flemish paintings of the church of Montfaucon, the lake of Lavalette ... https://www.lautre‐chemin.com/en/sejour/la‐via‐fluvia/ IDEAS FOR DAY BIKE TRIPS • Tour of the Lac du Bourget –Departure from Aix‐les‐bains – 52 kms loop Lac du Bourget is the largest and deepest lake entirely in France. Surrounded by mountains, there are lots of quiet and interesting cycling climbs on all sides, The east side is completely down low, along‐side the lake – the majority with bike lanes. The west side has some climbing, passing the scenic little Col du Chat and plenty of great views. You can add on the map 8 kilometers to the Relaxed cycling holidays loop in the north‐west corner, to visit the lovely Abbaye d’Hautecombe. with culture & heritage • Lake Annecy Cycle path – 35 kms On one side, Lake Annecy with its clear, clean water, one of the most beautiful lakes in the Alps. On the other side, the mountains of the French Alps.. Created in 1974, the greenway on the shore of Lake Annecy is one of the oldest cycle paths in France. For bike hire • The Voie verte The Beaujolais Greenway is a pretty, 15km route and mostly flat. It runs along the path of an old railway line. Stop and picnic in the shade of a castle or take a break and do a wine tasting! You can rent bikes (including electric) at the Maison du Terroir Beaujolais IDEAS FOR DAY BIKE TRIPS • The city of Lyon and its surroundings Explore the banks of the Rhône, admire the view from Fourvière basilica, discover the Croix‐Rousse district or climbs all over the Monts d’Or and Monts du Lyonnais. Visit the beautiful Ile Barbe in lyon (1 hour ‐ 16 kms from the Presqu’île), Relaxed cycling holidays Cycling north or south along the ViaRhôna : the « green path » towards with culture & heritage Geneva cuts across the Grand Parc of Miribel‐Jonage and leads to the city of Jons, marking the entry of the wild Rhône river into Lyon. The Grand Parc of Miribel‐Jonage offers four different cycling tracks up to 30 kilometers across the largest green park of Lyon. Accompanied by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide, explore Lyon with electric bikes with Lyon Bike Tour • Greenway along the Allier river from St Yorre to Billy – 27 km’s portion of the Via Allier which connects La Loire to the Mediterranée From the walled city of Billy, via Saint‐Germain‐des‐Fossés and its leisure base, you arrive in Vichy from the north by crossing the future eco‐ neighbourhood before taking the promenade laid out on the banks of Lake Allier. A wonderful playground for everyone Cheese MTB Crédits photo: ©Sebastien Jarrot, ©LVO, ©Maurienne Tourisme, ©Alexandre Gros, ©LVO, ©Musée Opinel, ©Maurienne Tourisme CYCLING IN AUVERGNE-RHÔNE-ALPES . Major cycling destinations: FEEL REBORN HERE . French Alps ‐Savoie‐Mont‐Blanc: 114 signposted cycling itineraries totalling more than 6,000 km, 80 remarkable mountain passes and climbs . French Alps ‐ The Maurienne Valley, "the world's largest cycling area“ . French Alps ‐ The Oisans, "the world capital of mountain cycling" . Rhône Valley ‐ The Rhône : 29 cycling loops, totalling 1,200 km of signposted road itineraries . Rhône Valley ‐ The Drôme: 2,600 km of road cycling itineraries (including 88 mountain passes for climbers) . Rhône Valley ‐ The Ardèche with plenty of easy itineraries and the signposted routes . The Ain: more than 3,500 km of road itineraries and loops (including the 33 loops of the "Ain à Vélo" network) . Auvergne volcanoes : nearly 165 cycling itineraries for all levels (including 4 routes with the “Romain Bardet Experience” label) THE NETWORK OF CYCLE ROUTES AND GREENWAYS V62 / V63 - SILLON ALPIN CYCLE ROUTE Itinerary: . 365 km‐route connecting Valence to Bourget Lake and the Annecy lake . Crosses the valleys of Chambéry, Annecy and Grésivaudan on its path FEEL REBORN HERE through the Alps . Connected to the ViaRhôna in Valence . Valence/Viarhôna‐Grenoble section: signposted greenway . Level: routesreservedforaninformedpublic(steep slopes outside the banks of rivers or lakes) ‐ VAE advised . V62 section – Valence / Annecy 149 km total (80 km completed), 48 km on independent routes (greenway or shared lane) . V63 section – Valence / Bourget Lake 208 km total , 42 km on independent routes (greenway or shared lane) . Possibility to cross the Bourget lake by boat (withbike)toreachthe ViaRhôna in Chanaz Tourist sites: Bourget and Annecy lakes, cities as Annecy, Valence and Grenoble… EV17 - VIARHONA The ViaRhôna is the main cycle route of the region along the Rhône river Itinerary: FEEL REBORN HERE . 815 km from Geneva Lake to the Mediterranean sea . 70% of the route is in the Auvergne‐Rhône‐Alpes region . Route 94% completed et 100% signposted: 55 % on greenways 30 % on shared lanes the rest on small roads . Level: accessible to all cyclists Flat route (no more than 3% slope), except for the first 120 km to Seyssel) . Itinerary with 25 stages from 20 to 45 km Geneva‐Lyon section: wilder, Alpine, with sloping terrain Lyon‐Mediterranean section: family‐friendly, flat . Easily accessible by train (several stations along the route) Tourist sites: Lake Léman, Lyon, The Rhône Valley (Vienne‐Condrieu, Côte‐Rôtie, Crozes‐Hermitage vineyards…, Cité du Chocolat Valrhona, city of Valence…) V70 – VIA ALLIER (AUVERGNE) The Via Allier is adapted for all types of cycling, from discovery outings to cycling treks or long‐distance journeys. Itinerary (under construction): FEEL REBORN HERE . 410 km signposted route including 390 km in Auvergne‐Rhône‐Alpes along the Allier river and through the Auvergne volcanoes . Length: 8 to 14 days (family) / 5to 7 days (frequent cyclists) . Level: accessible to all cyclists The first half is an easy and smooth ride to Clermont‐Ferrand Higher difficulty level in the South part through the volcanoes Currently limited to experienced and equipped cyclists To be adapted for use with electric bikes . Several greenway sections will be gradually developed; 27 km already exist in northern Vichy . It joins up with Eurovelo 6, and in the future will connect with the ViaFluvia‐ ViaRhona . Easily accessible by train (several stations along the route) Tourist sites : The cities of Moulins, Vichy, Clermont‐Ferrand and Issoire… LONG-DISTANCE CYCLE ROUTES 1 Grande Traversée du Jura by bike Totalling 360 km between the city of Montbéliard (Doubs) in the north and Culoz (Ain) at the southern end, passing through: Morteau, Pontarlier, Mouthe, Morez, and Bellegarde‐sur‐Valserine. It crosses the Haut‐ Jura Regional Nature Park. Ten towns along the itinerary have charging stations for electric bikess le long des itinéraires cyclables GTJ 1 2 Les P’tites Routes du Soleil 4 870 km by bike from Geneva to the Mediterranean 3 Les Routes de la lavande More than 1,000 km by bike passing through the mountains of Vercours and Sainte‐Victoire, as well as the river gorges of Ardèche and Verdon 2 4 La Route des Grandes des Alpes à vélo 720 km by bike from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean via the mountain passes of 3 the Alps LEGENDARY MOUNTAINLEGENDARY PASSES MOUNTAIN PASSES These mountain roads and passes are regularly included in the Tour de France and attract cyclists from all over the world every summer. Best to have a bit of training under your belt to follow in the tire treads of the greatest cycling champions. But the magnificent landscapes along the way are worth the effort! 1. Col du Pas de Peyrol (1 588 m)– Cantal 2.