Rhone Roaming

Flowing more than 800 kilometres from Switzerland to the Mediterranean, the River Rhône offers a tempting and varied journey for the cycle traveller. Mark Stratton takes to two wheels to explore its course on the ViaRhôna.

With GPS primed and with a tinge of regret at the after-effects of a second croissant on skin-tight Lycra, we prepared for Le Grand Départ. We mounted our bicycles where the River Rhone exited Lac Léman in Geneva and began an epic adventure towards the Mediterranean.

Our plan was to cycle the entire French Rhone Valley over ten days from where the river is swollen with Mont Blanc’s glacial melt water to its dotage in the Camargue: a journey totalling 690 kilometres.

The inspiration behind this self-guided challenge was an enduring fascination with France’s ever-expanding network of long-distance véloroutes. Exploring the France Velo tourism website, I had noticed, among established favourites such as the Loire Valley Cycle Trail, a new arrival, the ViaRhona, freewheeling its way to fruition.

Signed ‘green ways’

The entire ViaRhona cycle way actually totals 815 kilometres; following the Rhone through several Swiss cantons from its source before even reaching Geneva. We would trace it through the route’s 12 French departments and myriad AOCs; using a network of sign posted ‘green ways’ (cycle paths) and minor D-roads to intimately experience the river’s unfolding ages through southern France.