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Connecting the Swiss Alps with the Mediterranean, the Rhone River holds an important place in French history. Serving as an inland trading route where goods were transported as far back as the Greek and Roman civilisations, the Rhone connected many of France's most important cities and subsequently many smaller villages were built alongside it. Today, the cultural and architectural legacy of this period can still be found in many places along the river and can be discovered by cycling sections of the Via Rhona Cycle Path. This section of the dedicated cycle route is almost flat and connects Seyssel with Lyon. Beginning in Seyssel avoids a busier section of the route, although there is an option offered to start in Geneva. Over four days of cycling, follow the banks of the Rhone between the Bugey Mountains and the Jura Massif with many highlights along the way. Sample pastries in Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers, refresh yourself under a majestic waterfall, discover the caves of la Balme les Grottes and enjoy lunch at a charming restaurant on the canal of Savières. At night stay in handpicked hotels brimming with local character, with an option to upgrade your hotels.
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16kg of CO2-e PP per day
(81kg of CO2-e PP entire trip)
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Day 1
Arrive Seyssel
Make your own way to Seyssel and check in at the first hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore this charming village located on both sides of the Rhône. Its peculiarity is to have two churches, two cemeteries, two Post Offices, ... Only one emblematic bridge separates the two town centres. Located at 250m above sea level, Seyssel is also the lowest village of Haute-Savoie.
Meals: Nil
Day 2
Follow the riverbank to Champagneux (54km/33.8mi)
Today you leave Seyssel and cycle between ridges and plateaux on both banks of the Rhone. In Chanaz, also called “La Petite Venise Savoyarde”, you can enjoy a pleasant break in one of the charming restaurants along the canal of Savières. Continue to Culoz and Belley, peaceful towns with a rich heritage set below the Bugey Range, and on to today’s destination, Champagneux. Important note: About 3km of the route today is on a busy road which passes through two tunnels that do not have a shoulder for cyclists. 260m/853ft ascent, 248m/814ft descent
Meals: B
Day 3
Discover the old town of Morestel en route to Villebois (65km/40mi)
Today you pass through Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers where we recommend stopping to taste the famous brioche pralines! Further along, a little detour towards the village of Glandieu will allow you to refresh yourself with its majestic waterfall, a wonder of nature. Next you cross Morestel, ‘Cité des Peintres’, where you can stroll through the narrow streets of the old town and visit some galleries. A lovely greenway links "La Vallée Bleue" to Villebois, where you’ll stay overnight. 338m/1109ft ascent, 346m/1135ft descent
Meals: B,D
Day 4
Cycle to the hilltop medieval village of Pérouges (54km/33.5mi)
This stage takes you through the unspoilt countryside of Bugey, situated above the Rhône. You’ll pass lovely villages this morning including Saint-Sorlin-en-Bugey and Sault-Brénaz, and then the more secretive La Balme-les-Grottes, with its great caves and picturesque centre. Your destination will soon be in sight as you approach the hilltop medieval village of Pérouges, listed among ‘The Most Beautiful Villages of France’. Overnight in Pérouges. 199m/653ft ascent, 174m/570ft descent
Day 5
Cycle to Lyon (46km/28.5mi)
This last stage cleverly links the parks and lakes of Greater Lyon, including at Le Grand Large and Miribel-Jonage. Relax and enjoy the cycling to central Lyon, along the Rhône’s banks. At the Rhône’s confluence with the Saône, you come to a quarter marked by contemporary architecture, the most striking building being the Musée des Confluences. Your options for the rest of the day are endless but you can also reward your cycling efforts with a delicious meal in a “petit bouchon”, a typical restaurant in the city. Overnight in Lyon. 109m/358ft ascent, 213m/699ft descent
Day 6
Trip concludes
The trip concludes after breakfast in Lyon. We an assist with booking extra nights on request. If you'd like to continue cycling, we offer the next stage of the Via Rhona from Lyon to Provence, cycling to Orange, and also the full route in France to the Mediterranean at Sete.
Arrive Geneva
Make your own way to Geneva and check in to the first hotel. Take the time to discover this beautiful city of Switzerland, also known as the "capital of peace" with its humanitarian traditions, it will seduce you with its international charm and its old town offering a wide choice of delicious restaurants. You can enjoy a pleasant stroll along the lake, visit a watchmaking museum, or the 'Universe of Particles' exhibition at CERN.
Cross into France, cycle to Seyssel (60km/38mi)
Your first bike ride takes you from Switzerland to France along the Rhone, you will discover the "Défilé de l'Écluse" and then the first vineyards between mountains and valleys, while keeping in view the sumptuous mountains of the Alps. This part of the trip will be on some busier roads, but the rest of the week it will be much quieter. You'll spend tonight in charming Seyssel, located on both sides of the Rhône. Its peculiarity is to have two churches, two cemeteries, two Post Offices ... Only one emblematic bridge separates the two town centres. Located at 250m above sea level, Seyssel is also the lowest village of Haute-Savoie. 656m/2153ft ascent, 786m/2587ft descent *Important Note: The first 23km from Geneva to Chancy (train station Pougny) is mostly on cycle path through the city leaving Geneva, but there are some busy and steep sections outside Geneva. It is possible to take the train from Geneva to Pougny, with the bikes, to avoid this section (own expense). From Chancy the route is along a busy steep main road to the border (around 4km), and there's another busy steep section from Vulbens for about 15km on the main road. The last section before Seyssel (about 3.5km) is on a main road with a shoulder/cycle lane.
Cycle to Lyon (44km/28.5mi)
Day 7
What's included
What's not included
During the trip you will be provided with a hybrid bike. You will also receive a pannier to carry your gear for the day, along with a helmet, lock and repair kit. In the case of a puncture the assumption is that you can repair. You will be given a puncture repair kit, to fix the issue.
An electric bike is available on request. A supplement applies, see below. Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are designed to make cycling easier. The pedaling ‘boost’ provided by an e-bike opens up more options, allowing people of different fitness levels to cycle together or for cyclists to take on routes they may otherwise consider too tough for their current fitness capabilities. Please note that e-bikes are heavier than normal bikes and given the higher speed possible, should only be ridden by confident cyclists. Minimum age for e-bike rental is 12 years and a minimum height requirement is 150cm / 4ft9in.
GRADE 2 - Starting in Seyssel: During the 4 days of cycling the daily routes are between 46 and 65 km/28.5 and 40mi. Earlier on in the trip there are a couple of longer ascents to be tackled. On all other stages the terrain is nearly flat throughout and easy to cycle on. Except for a few interruptions, the Rhône-cycle path is well constructed and it is a perfect example for signposting and routing. In order to prepare for this trip you will need to be comfortable cycling for extended periods, sometimes with traffic around you (sometimes unavoidable going in to and leaving towns). Pre trip you should exercise 3 times per week with some cycling mixed in to your usual exercise regime. Starting in Geneva: 23km of the first cycle day is on busy roads with some steep sections particularly before the Swiss French border. It is important that you are comfortable riding on busy roads with traffic to confidently tackle this day. The remainder of the route to Lyon is almost exclusively on the cycleway.
Per Person, Twin Share
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
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