The vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône are among the finest in the world, indeed if you travel through the landscapes created by the Rhone, it is not hard to understand why. This famous wine-growing area stretches from Lyon to Camargue, crossing Provence and the Luberon. The landscape varies along the coastlines of the great river, which originates in Switzerland and flows into the Mediterranean, so to the north the vineyards are cultivated among hills and steep cliffs, while to the south the nature becomes more gentle and flat. In this area, beauty is at home, it is no coincidence that the Rhone cycle path, better known as the via Rhôna is an extraordinary route to be done by bike, among vineyards, ancient villages and lavender fields. It is one of our favourite self-guided cycling tours in France.
What is the via Rhôna
The via Rhôna is a route of over 800 km that connects the Swiss Alps with the Mediterranean, following the course of the Rhone river. It's a cycle path, perfect for a couples holiday, combining natural beauty with some of the most beautiful art cities in the world such as Lyon, Avignon, and Valence. Besides this, however, there are the vineyards of the Rhone Valley, a French excellence known worldwide, among which, travelling by bike, you can stop to taste their wines thus discovering the secrets of local production.
If you are a lover of nature, art, but especially wine, you cannot miss the chance to take a unique journey, through 2000 years of history along the Rhone cycle path. The via Rhôna by bike is one of the routes that excites us the most for the variety and richness of the landscapes!
The vineyards of the Rhone Valley
This is the second French vineyard to have obtained the AOC label (analogous to the Italian DOC). The wines embody all the diversity and richness of the territories in which they are grown: the Mediterranean climate, the influence of the Rhone river, the lush nature with fields of lavender and olive trees, create as many as 45 prestigious denominations, including: Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Beaumes-de-Venise, Coindrieu and chateau-grillet, Saint-Joseph and Cornas och Saint Péray.
Mostly, they are red wines which are divided based on the geographical distribution: robust but refined reds are produced in the north, along with some aromatic whites; in the south, however, there are more aromatic reds and rosés. Finally, among the main grape varieties used to produce the red wines, there are Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. The Rhone cycle path is the ideal romantic holiday for every wine lover, because here it's not just about a product to sell, but a cultural tradition passed down from generations.
Why travel the via Rhôna by bike?
We could list hundreds of good reasons to travel the via Rhôna by bike, but they can be summarized in 3 main points:
you can visit unique art cities in the world: Avignon, Vienne, and Tournon are just some of the stops on the Rhone cycle path;
you are in the cradle of Europe's wines and will be able to visit the wineries, as well as taste excellent glasses of red, so fine that they will revive your taste buds;
the nature is so varied and lush that you would never want this bike trip to end: the coasts of the Rhone are splendid from a landscape point of view and travelling them by bike allows you to really capture their true essence.
At this point, you only have one thing left to do: prepare your backpack and set off with us on this incredible adventure on the via Rhôna by bike!
Ride the Rhône with a ship as your hotel
There is a second way to travel this valley: let a boat carry your luggage down the river while you ride the vineyards. Our Provence and the Rhône Valley by Boat and Bike tour runs eight days from Lyon to Arles aboard the deluxe MS Provence, which takes a maximum of 46 guests and rides out in guided groups of up to sixteen cyclists. The ship moves each night, so you unpack once and wake up in a new town.
The route threads the wine country the via Rhôna is famous for — Condrieu, Saint-Joseph and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with tastings along the way — and adds the set pieces that are hard to reach on a self-guided week: the UNESCO-listed Roman aqueduct of the Pont du Gard, a guided visit to Avignon including entrance to the Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic palace in Europe, Van Gogh's Provence at Saint-Paul-de-Mausole and the hilltop village of Les Baux-de-Provence. Most days offer two route options, from 25 to 75 km, and a support van accompanies the group on the two most demanding cycling days. From €1,999 per person.
New to the format? Our guide to bike and boat itineraries explains how a cruising cycle week actually works.
