Les chemins de traverses

The Ardèche is a land marked by the history of transport. From the Dolce Via to the Via Fluvia, discover these routes, which were once equipped with crossings for the utilitarian transport of passengers and goods from the end of the 19th century onwards. A 7-day cycling loop reveals the region's industrial past, with a special focus on trains. Much of the route follows the railroads that once threaded their way through the department's rugged landscape. Bridges, viaducts, old stations and gatekeepers' houses bear witness to this past. You'll even have the opportunity to travel part of the route on board a historic train, the Velay-Express.

Stage 1: La Voulte-sur-Rhône - Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux 19.8 km

La Voulte-sur-Rhône is the starting point for the Dolce Via itinerary. You leave the ViaRhôna and cycle into the Eyrieux valley in pursuit of the old locomotives. Your adventure in the footsteps of the old railroad line begins amidst peach orchards, where you begin a spectacular, gentle climb up the valley to Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux. Add the view of the valley, its river and the villages perched on the other side, and your ride becomes an enchantment from the very first pedal strokes. And the journey has only just begun...

The "Dolce Via" signposted itinerary, laid out on a former railroad line, alternates between gore (granite sand) or smooth asphalt greenways and low-traffic roads. The gradient is minimal (1%). The beautiful Corten steel railings (rusted appearance), not only aesthetically pleasing but also particularly welcome to guard against any risk of falling along the many steep inclines, are a reminder of the route's railway past. Take care when crossing the départementale 120 at Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux, before rejoining the station. Connection with ViaRhôna La Voulte-sur-Rhône is also crossed by the ViaRhôna itinerary, so you can reach Valence along the Rhône or head down towards the Mediterranean.


Stage 2: Les Ollières-sur-Eyrieux - Le Cheylard 27.8 km

Between narrow gorges, tunnels and viaducts, your Dolce Via bike trip here follows in the footsteps of the past. Along the way, old mills and silk weavers' workshops bear witness to the wealth of the valley, once home to many workers. There are countless vantage points overlooking the Eyrieux, providing the perfect opportunity for contemplative breaks. Below the greenway, the tranquil waters of the river invite you to take a break. Pont-de-Chervil is an ideal spot for a refreshing moment midway through the stage. The Eyrieux gorges become more and more entwined, in the heart of an environment that sparkles green and orange in autumn, as the chestnut tree is king here.

Dolce Via" signposted route alternates between greenways with gore (compacted sand) or smooth asphalt surfacing and small, low-traffic roads. Very little gradient (1%). Attractive railings to guard against the risk of falling along the route.

Stage 3: Le Cheylard - Saint-Agrève 24.5km

As soon as you leave Le Cheylard, the cycling itinerary changes scenery: the Dolce Via, with the Eyrieux as its common thread, enters the deep valleys of the Boutières. Today, the route can be covered effortlessly by bike, but imagine for a moment the construction of the railroad at the end of the 19th century, the result of a real technological feat due to the nature of the terrain. The viaducts, tunnels, bridges and trenches are the last remnants of this extraordinary railway past, as you cycle all the way to Saint-Agrève. A colorful and easy walk.

Dolce Via" signposted route. Alternating greenways with gore-type (compacted sand) or asphalt surfacing and a gentle gradient of up to 3%. Here again, the old railroad railings are always welcome to guard against any risk of falling along the route. Via Fluvia connection with the Train du Velay Express At Saint-Agrève, you can take the steam train from the station to the Via Fluvia route at Raucoules. The Velay Express tourist train is equipped for bikes. Reservations required for you and your bike.

Stage 4: Saint-Agrève - Bourg-Argental 27 km by train + 19 km

Leaving Saint-Agrève with the VELAY-EXPRESS, you cycle 27km through meadows and forests. You'll discover the magnificent, wide-open spaces of the Vivarais-Lignon plateau, with glimpses of the Monts du Forez, Mézenc and Gerbier de Joncs on the horizon. Travelling at the slow pace of the trains of yesteryear, you'll rediscover the feeling of being "out of time" and enjoy a pleasure that has become rare: the harmony of man and landscape.

Please note that the train does not run every day. There are only two departures at 10:30 and 15:00. Tickets can be purchased in advance https://velay-express.fr/

Get out the GPS! The Via Fluvia follows the route of the old railroad line that opened in 1902 and linked Lavoûte-sur-Loire to La Voulte-sur-Rhône. From unusual activities to breathtaking panoramas, this cycling tour is full of surprises.

Climb the Col du Tracol, at an altitude of 1,030 m, and you'll find yourself at the center of the former Rhône-Alpes and Auvergne regions, between the departments of Loire and Haute Loire. This hilly route takes you around the Tracol Tunnel, the longest on the line at 2,392 metres. It took 4 years to build and opened in 1882. After it fell into disuse, it was successively transformed into a mushroom farm and a cheese-ageing cellar.
This route is overlooked by the Taillard forest: a thick fir-tree forest, ideal for recuperating in peace and quiet. Along the way, you'll come across numerous reminders of the railway's past: small gatehouses, the old station, all of which have been converted into housing, and you'll also discover some remnants of the textile past.
Climb down from your little queen and enjoy superb views of the Déôme valley, Bourg-Argental and the Crêts du Pilat. Take time to bask in the greasy grass of the surrounding meadows for a 100% rural photo shoot.
A nearby farm will give you the opportunity to fill up your basket with local meat and cheeses, so as to regain your strength after this curvy journey where bridges and viaducts, often centuries old, are waiting to cross your path.
For the record, Bourg-Argental station welcomed its first passengers in 1885. The last passengers took the train in 1940, the wartime shortage of coal and materials having put an end to passenger transport.

Stage 5: Bourg-Argental - Vernosc-les-Annonay 23.2 km

The Via Fluvia takes you on an inventive journey! Ride with a free spirit to Annonay, the City of Inventors!
Following in the footsteps of the Montgolfier brothers, you'll follow the Deûme from Saint-Marcel-lès-Annonay to the former factories of the famous Canson paper. Here, you can step back in time and recall your childhood drawings... The gentle ride and the green landscapes you discover with every turn of the wheel will soothe you. All around you, exceptional natural sites are accessible: the Lac du Ternay, the Croix de Chirol summit, Montmiandon...

The route passes through Annonay town center on a 3km unsafe route, pending finalization. It takes you along busy urban roads such as boulevard de la République, route de la Californie, rue Daniel Mercier, rue Victor Hugo and finally rue Pierre de Coubertin to reach the Vissenty district, where you start out on a section of cycle track (shared lane) for a few hundred meters, which takes you along the exclusive right-of-way of the Via Fluvia to the Midon station. From here, leave the Via Fluvia and ride 1.9km to the center of Vernosc.

Stage 6: Vernosc-les-Annonay - Tournon-sur-Rhône 30.6 km

Here, it's already the South... An hour from Lyon, the blue skies and the gentle way of life in the air will convince you. Not to mention the must-have Saint-Joseph bottles, the terraced landscapes and the gourmet delights.
At the bottom of the valley, the Rhône in its natural state, in its natural bed, draws a corridor of greenery, still wild, bordered by the vineyards and hillsides of the Ardèche. The sound of the meandering river lulls us to sleep, while vineyards, orchards and woods offer a cameo of colors and a festival of scents...

Pending further development of the Via Fluvia itinerary between Lac de Vert and the Via Rhôna at Serrières), we suggest a link via the Cance valley from Vernosc-les-Annonay. You join the ViaRhôna at Sarras on a 15km shared-lane route. This uncommonly beautiful valley has a narrow bed cut into granite rock. Its natural purity was once home to industries such as mills, wool and felt mills and tanneries.
From Sarras onwards, you'll discover along this 18 km walk how the Rhone feeds farmland, alternating between arboriculture, market gardening and vineyards, where Saint-Joseph is king...

Stage 7: Tournon-sur-Rhône - La Voulte-sur-Rhône 50.1 km

You'll discover the surprising lône surrounding La Roche-de-Glun, and a biodiversity that will appeal to the most demanding. The arrival in Valence, with its colorful markets, gardens, lively neighborhoods and welcoming pedestrian streets, heralds the arrival of Provence.
From Soyons, between caves and archaeological sites, a village full of character, a castle, a nature reserve and a sensitive natural area, this last stage joins the Dolce Via to penetrate the heart of the Ardèche ....

ViaRhôna" signposted route. Alternating greenways and shared-use paths with a smooth, two-layer asphalt surface and a negative gradient of 1%.