The ViaRhôna, April 2

We learned about the ViaRhôna  in Pierrelatte at a very nice tourist information office in the city hall. We went to city hall only because we saw an advertising panel about a photo exhibit and competition taking place. They gave us maps and pamphlets and books, more stuff than we could possibly carry on our bikes, all about an imaginary bike path between Marseille France and Geneva Switzerland. Parts of the proposed bike path actually exist and we have splendid imaginations that we use to fill in the missing parts. The idea is quite impressive of a bike path linking the source of the Rhône river in Switzerland with it's end in the Mediterranean sea. 

The history in the area goes back forever, and runs through some of the priemier wine regions in France. There are roman ruins, terraced hillsides, towns perched atop precarious mountains and farms on the tiny plateaus of mountains. It was our intention to follow the Rhône untill Lyon anyways so it was a nice surprise to that our idea was allready being developed as a tourist destination. 

 It seems that in each region we visit we meet someone who is convinced that their region has the best wine in the world. We drink the wine in each region and I still think the best wine is from Canada. (Says Al) Yoly thinks their rose and sweet muscat could never be found in Canada.

(Pelee Island Winery, 2010 Cab Franc http://www.thevinedressers.com/2010_cabernet_franc.php ) 

You will have to drink as much wine as possible and decide for yourself.

A view of a nuclear plant and the town from our window.

Not much happens in Montélimar. That is probably a good thing concidering the atomic power plant.

 Last time will ever star in ApartCity Hotels. Reception is not open on Sundays, so one has to call to India to acquire a code to open the front door, then another code to open a safe to get an envelope with a key word to retrieve a room key. Finally got to our room to find a sofa bed to sleep on. Oh well c'est la vie.

A village with a château.

A pretty tower in a farmers field.

The fruit trees are flowering.

La Voulte-sur-Rhône

A monument and back of the cathedral St Apollinaire

Cathedral St Apollinaire

The duck family

The cute ducklings

Atop of a rocky mountain, ruins of a château

A pretty church of Notre Dame in Valence

A little town called Larnage on road D163 north of Valence

I love these trees!

Local church, fountain and the Mairie of St Barthélemy de Vals

The addres of our B&B were inexact on the internet, so we were a bit lost in the town. Fortunately a nice couple helped us locate the address by explaining that the b&b was up on the hill a couple km from the town. He then called the Mayor on his cel and asked him to provide us with a map of the area. So off we went to the mayor's office and started to climb the hill 6 km up and away from the town.

Our b&b l'Echapée Tremoussant at the plateau of mountain St Victor. It was an awesome place to stay.

Accross from our b&b the was a few farms.

The views from the plateau were great.

St.  Barthélemy de Vals

 

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