the rhone valley
Discover the Valley which is an exceptional region. Enjoy its beautiful landscapes, its antic heritage and taste its renowned Côtes de Provence wines. The Rhone has been an important highway since the time of the Greeks and Romans. That’s why we can meet many historical remains and it is just a pleasure for the eyes to have a look on it.
LYONS
Lyon offers a clear view of the different periods in its history, and has therefore been registered as a world Heritage site by UNESCO. In addition to its Romanesque and religious heritage, the city various districts are dotted throughout with many magnificent monuments. Down through the centuries, Lyons has been beautified by many renowned architects such as Soufflot, Mansart, Tony Garnier, Bossan, Delfante, Nouvel, Calavatra, Botta, Buren, Piano, etc., whose fame has spread far beyond our frontiers and whose works decorate the city. From the Roman theatre of Fourvière to the International Centre, Lyons is like a history book that can be easily read simply by taking a look at its monuments.
Some examples of tourist sites:
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The Old Town
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The Fourvière Quarter
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The Presqu’île Peninsula
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The Lumière Museum
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The Canuts House Museum
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The Wine Hamlet Museum
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The Electricity Museum
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The Printing Museum
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The Miniatures and Cinema Museum
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The André Malarte Automobile Museum
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The Fabric Museum and the Decorative Arts Museum
The Old Town
In 1964, Vieux Lyon became the first protected historic district in France. It is one of the largest Renaissance quarters in Europe and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1998. The Vieux Lyon quarter spreads across the Fourvière hillside and is organized around three religious monuments which are The Saint Jean Cathedral, The Roman Saint Paul church and the Saint Georges church.
The Lumière Museum
Discover the famous museum which shows lot cinema operas of the two famous brothers who invented this art. The Canuts Museum Discover the museum which retraces the history of the silk in the city of Lyons. During the visit, you will see the Jacquard invention illustrated by a demonstration on weaving looms arm.
The Wine Hamlet Museum
Come to this place of discovery, resting and tasting. Discover the history of the vineyard and of the wine. Don’t miss the garden and its special atmosphere.
The Fabric Museum and the Decorative Arts Museum
Through thirty rooms, discover the fabric history and see Egyptian fabrics, Persian and Turkish carpets, secular and religious costumes and a panorama of silks from the Renaissance period. The visit is exciting thanks to the rooms’ production in this beautiful residence, the Hotel de Villeroy. The Decorative Arts Museum is complementary to the Fabric Museum. Discover a place where objects and furniture are presented like in a real living house, like if visitors were invited in a beautiful wealthy family mansion.
ANNECY
Situated between Chambery and Geneva, the city of Annecy lets appearing a beautiful architecture proper to the region of Savoie. Also famous for its lake, the city attracts for many reasons which are history, culture and tradition, mountainous landscape and festivals.
Some examples of tourist sites:
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The Old Town
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The Savoyard Costume Museum
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The Thones Museum
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The Bell Museum
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Annecy Castle Montrottier
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Castle Menton Saint-Bernard Castle
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The Lover’s Bridge
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The Leman Lake
The Old Town
Have a walk in this beautiful part of the city and discover the Visitation Church, the Sainte Clair Gate in memory of the ancient Covent of the Clarisse, the hotel Bagnorea, the ancient bishopric, the Isle’s Palace, Notre Dame de Liesse Church and the Hotel de Sales. This last one is famous for its façade which represents four characters, each one for a season.
The Savoyard Costume
Museum In the Sardinian building dating back to the last century, the museum offers the short but great story of the traditional costume of the region.
The Thones Museum
The Thones Museum contains a remarkable collection displayed on two floors retracing the valley history, its costumes, its craftsmer and its folklore from the first prehistoric camps to the present day.
CHAMBERY
Town of art and history in the heart of the Savoy, Chambery offers to its visitors a very important conservation area vividly highlighted by the houses in the old streets and by its listed historical buildings. Dominated by the castle of the dukes of Savoy, the Old Town of Chambery is one of the most remarkable old neighbourhoods in France.
Some example of tourist sites:
The Old Town
As the birthplace and historic capital of Savoy, Chambery enjoys an important heritage and numerous accounts of its prestigious past. Discover the Castle of Dukes of Savoy, the chambery chimes, Saint François Cathedral, Notre Dame Church, Saint Peter de Lémenc Church, the Charles Dullin Theatre and the Boigne Castle.
The Savoisien Museum
Located in the former Franciscan convent, this museum offers many artistically and historically valuable objects. I t is one of the place to be seen in Chamberry because it recalls the particular history of Savoy.
The Fine Arts Museum
In this place, discover an important collection of Italian paintings from the Renaissance period. There are a lot of portraits which evoke the schools in Venice, Florence and Sienna. Sculptures, ivory and Chinese pieces embellish the visit.
VALENCE
Valence can be proud of its glorious past based on a rich built patrimony added of a light plan. You will discover its old town, its cultural sumptuousness, its life quality under the sun of the south of France walking along its small streets.
Some examples of tourist sites:
The Draper House
This house, which dates from the XIIIth century, keeps a medieval aspect despite the renovations of the XIXth century. It probably was at the origin, a rich draper property. The ground floor was reserved to the small scale production and business, and other floors for the craftsman accommodation. There were large openings to allow the craftsman to set up it products.
The Mauresque House
Charles Fertin, manufacturer, bought a plot of land in 1858 to build a house with a particular character. He applies on the front wall a trompe l’oeil thanks to the cast cement which decorates better than traditional technic of cut stone. This Mauresque house confirms the enthusiasm of the XIXth century for orientalism.
The Heads House
This house was built in the XVIth century. It shows the crossing from the high Gothic style to the Renaissance. Its name is due to the numerous sculpted heads like the winds, the fortune, the time… Don’t miss the exposition called “Valence town of art and history” which describes the town evolution.
THE RHONE WINES
The Rhone wine region is the south of the France is situated in the Rhone River valley and produces numerous wines under Appellation d’Origine Controllée (AOC) designations.
Generally divided into two sub-regions, the two parts have distinct vinicultural traditions. The northern one produces red wines from the Syrah grape, sometimes blended with white wine grapes, and white wines from Viognier grapes. The other part produces an array of red, white and rosé wines, often blended of several grapes such as in Chateauneuf Du Pape. The region major’s appellation in term of production volume is Cotes Du Rhones AOC.
But there are many other famous all over the world like the Croze Hermitage AOC, the Chateauneuf du Pape, the Coteaux du Tricastin or the Cotes du Luberon.
Through a tour, you have the possibility to discover and taste a red, a white or a rosé wine that you can use as an aperitif, a beverage during a meal or just cook with it.