Valence
Capital to the Drome department, Valence is a sleepy city overlooking the Rhone River. An hour from Lyon and Grenoble and in close proximity to vineyards producing Crozes Hermitages, St Joseph and St Peray wines, the city makes a wonderful stop off for wine tours of the region. The city centre is host to a number of hotels ranging from the low cost to the decadent, and there are larger hotel chains surrounding the city.
The much-loved Kiosk De Peynet stands on the Champ de Mars and is one of the highlights of this small city. This ornate bandstand with beautiful views of the decorative gardens and fountains of Park Jouvet below, the Rhone and further Chateux Crussol high up in the distance inspired the artist Peynet to base his romantic love story here.
For those interested in the more historical sights, Valence old town boasts the Maison de Tetes, a 16th century courtyard decorated with the sculped heads of Ancient Greek nobility.
Close by are also the roman cathedral of St Appolinnaire containing features unique to the Rhone region and The 'Pendentif', an ornate funeral monument to Canon Mistral erected in 1548. A walk along Grand Rue and its surroundings takes in all of these sights and offers a wonderful chance to view the quaint cafes and boutiques that line the narrow medieval streets.
Despite it’s large student population, Valence nightlife is notably quiet. However, from the more traditional (if touristic) restaurants around Place des Clercs serving Provencal dishes and Drome specialities, to the more varied tastes such as Greek, Indian, Tex Mex and Chinese around Place de la Pierre and Place St Jean, there is always something to satify your apetite. Enjoying a leisurely lunch in the sunny market square is a must. Valence is also home to the gastronomic experience that is Pic, a 3 star restaurent owned by internationally renowned chef, Anne Sophie Pic. A wide selection of cafes and bars are scattered throughout the centre, along with 2 small nightclubs.
For those in search of something more unusual, a short journey should be made to the surroundings of Valence to the Jean Perdrix park. At the centre of this large green space are the two giant ‘Water Castles’, standing at over 50 metres above the water. These award winning examples of 1970s architecture are one of the lesser known features of Valence.
In addition, the Vercours, the mountain range overlooking Valence and the entry point to the French preAlpes, contain a whole host of activities to explore.
Finally, no trip to Valence is complete without sampling the tasty tradition of ‘The Swiss’. Found in almost every bakery of Valence, this sweet orange-flower flavoured pastry created in the shape of a Swiss guard commemorates their presence in Valence in the 1800s as the guardians of the remains of the exiled Pope Pious VI.
(Photos and article contributed by Helen Kirwan)
Visit Valence (Rhone-Alpes, Drome) travel, gites and hotels
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The Valence hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Valence is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Rhone-Alpes gites for Valence holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Rhone-Alpes Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: Valence Car HireVisit Valence Car Hire for cheap car hire optons and available car collection points VisitSee Visit Valence for places to visit near Valence including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Valence in our Rhone-Alpes forum Airports near ValenceAvignon airport at 113 km Chambery airport at 134 km Nimes airport at 140 km Valence property for saleSee Rhone-Alpes property for sale
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Tourist Classifications for Valence
- Listed as "Ville d'Art et Histoire" (ie focus on preserving the town heritage)
- Town is "Ville Fleurie category 4" (ie good attention to gardens and flowers)
Places to visit near Valence, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Valence.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
27 km: Crest (hilltop town and tower) 27 km: Mirmande (Most beautiful village) 22 km: Romans-sur-Isere (well known shoe town!) 16 km: Tain-l'Hermitage (wine and chocolate centre)
See also Valence (version Francais)
