The ViaRhôna from south to north

hi everyone,

I’m planning a little bike trip to the Meuse starting from Saint-Raphaël in early September, and I’d love to know if any of you have already done the ViaRhôna from south to north starting in Beaucaire?

I’ve already done the climb twice:

Vinon-sur-Verdon → Oraison → Les Mées → Volonne → Noyer-sur-Jabron → Séderon → Sainte-Jalle, etc.

This time, I’d like to avoid the elevation gain and ride more relaxed, but the mistral worries me.

Anyone have any experience or tips to share?

olivier

It’s actually pretty well signposted in both directions. The downside is that the wind often blows from the north and can be a bit... boring when the mistral is strong. But it’s doable without stress. Personally, I’ve become less of a hard-core cyclist, so I take the train back up.

For trains from Arles through the Rhône Valley to Lyon, no problem. After that? Stop by Valence to visit Bru! cbandiera.free.fr/...ts/2018-N7/F/79.html

From Lyon to Nancy, there’s the V 50 route. cbandiera.free.fr/.../Temeraire/index.php

A few pedal strokes from Le Glaude. cbandiera.free.fr/recits/index1.php Have a good trip (from Caen)!

Otherwise, Le Glaude’s excellent guide (now in PDF, and up to date...) has plenty of tips that aren’t all overused. cbandiera.free.fr/...e-rhone-a-velo/topo/ claudio de la faverges

hi claude,

I used to live in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and near Nîmes, now in Saint-Raphaël, and I know that darn mistral well—it obviously clears the clouds but often keeps us from accessing the Estérel massif in the summer.

I’m more of a wild-camping kind of guy; I like being alone in nature.

I’ll probably give it a shot, and if the mistral picks up, I’ll just hop on a TER train here and there.

thanks

Bivouacking in the Rhône Valley... not easy because it's crowded and can be sketchy, with few possible spots (farmland, urbanized zones, roads, etc.). There are some nice campgrounds and guesthouses like Bru’s place where they’re bike-friendly.

http://cbandiera.free.fr/bonnes-adresses/index?N1=140

claudio

hi

Has anyone done the ViaRhôna from south to north?

sisi claudio did it several times cb http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/index1.php

Watch out for the mistral—it slows you down quite a bit. Otherwise, it's well signposted.

hey claude oh okay, I didn’t realize you’d done it in that direction—I know you’ve ridden it a bunch of times 😉.

claudio is heading back next week

http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2018-viarhona-oct/

Leaving Wednesday morning from Gébéve Stopping in Seyssel at noon

http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2018-viarhona-oct/

claudio just cycled from south to north along the Rhône Valley via the ViaRhôna after the descent so that's 1000 km along the ViaRhôna and its east-west variants of the river http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/2025-mer/

still alive and kicking!

The topic might be a bit old, sure, but this year 2026 (my 55th time on the VR, at least 2 days) makes it possible to rely on this route and wander off to the left and right to mix things up.

Claudio rode this famous ViaRhôna again. The goal was to go from Lyon to Valence via the Rhône balconies Pélussin Annonay. Not many people on the roads, and few cyclists, obviously—it’s winter! There you go, it’s done. Lovely lovely, but a few hassles because of that damn GPS on the way out of Lyon and arriving in Annonay, where that piece of junk sent me into the woods on a crappy path and a dangerous descent, even on foot. Scary! Otherwise, no wind, nice warm weather for March. Elevation gain was manageable (if you don’t mess up).

and there you go in 2026

And there we go, 62nd time in March 2026 (partially)

Claudio made it back just in time A clear sense of anticipation:

For the 62nd time on the ViaRhôna, at least partially (at least 2 days)

Passing through the Via 5 Lakes and Lake Aiguebelette A great lunch spot I highly recommend

A bit sore in the legs today but it's okay The ticker’s still going strong (Zone 2-3) never in the red on climbs during hikes The body regulates itself just fine Leg soreness is a warning sign—a necessary evil

Collected quite a few RPE points: Still no nuclear bike A bike running on glycogen

http://cbandiera.free.fr/recits/index1.php

Today, cozy by the stove and the TV

Claudio from La Faverges