High in the Monts du Lyonnais, Aveize looks out over a rolling plateau of meadows, hedgerows and small woods, where dairy farming has shaped the landscape for centuries. It is a modest village with a church and scattered farms, typical of these hills west of Lyon, where the air is fresher than in the city and the pace of life slower.
The Monts du Lyonnais are a range of low mountains, old granite worn into rounded hills, cut by deep valleys. The land is green and fertile, with fields of grass for the cows, orchards and patches of forest. Nearby Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise is famous throughout the region for its charcuterie, especially saucisson, and the local markets are a showcase of cured meats, cheeses and fruit.
The roads wind across the plateau and plunge into valleys, with constant changes of direction and gradient. They are narrow in places, with sharp bends and occasional gravel, but traffic is light, and the scenery is lovely. On clear days, the views stretch east to the Alps, with Mont Blanc sometimes visible on the horizon, and west to the Monts du Forez. In winter, snow can fall on the higher ground, and fog can fill the valleys.
Aveize has limited services, so plan fuel and food in nearby towns such as Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise or Sainte-Foy-l'Argentière. A picnic of local saucisson, cheese and bread is the perfect lunch here. From the plateau, the route heads east towards the Jura, a long ride across the Saône plain to the vineyards and waterfalls of the Jura mountains.