In 1362, on the slopes above Brignais, a royal army sent to clear out bands of unemployed mercenaries, the Tard-Venus, who were ravaging the Lyon area during a lull in the Hundred Years' War, was soundly defeated by them. It was an embarrassing moment for the French crown, and the mercenaries went on plundering the region for some time afterwards. Today there is little trace of the battle, and Brignais is a busy town of some twelve thousand people on the south-western edge of Lyon, in the valley of the Garon.
The town has grown rapidly as a suburb, with shopping centres, business parks and housing estates, but it has kept a small old centre with a church and a few old houses. The surrounding villages, like Orliénas and Soucieu-en-Jarrest, are more rural, with orchards, meadows and views over the Lyonnais hills. In Soucieu, more arches of the Roman aqueduct that carried water to Lyon can be seen in the fields.
The Ardèche rides that start and finish here head south, down the Rhône valley, to the gorges of the Ardèche, one of the most spectacular natural sights in France. The fastest way is the A7 motorway, but it is busy and boring, so most riders prefer the roads along the west bank of the Rhône, through the vineyards of the Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu, or across the hills of the Pilat. The Pilat massif, south of Lyon, has some excellent roads, winding through forests and over passes, with views over the Rhône valley and the Alps.
Brignais has plenty of fuel stations, supermarkets and fast food, and it is a convenient place to stock up before a long day. Coming back in the evening, the traffic around Lyon can be heavy, so allow extra time. The weather in the Lyon area is continental, with hot summers and cold winters, and the mistral can blow strongly down the Rhône valley, making the riding gusty and tiring. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons.