Isère Valley and Belledonne · short arc

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Fuel stop in Bourgoin-Jallieu

   Bourgoin-Jallieu is the main town of Nord-Isère, a working place on the old road from Lyon to Chambéry and Grenoble, and it makes a good, unfussy start to a ride. The two old villages of Bourgoin and Jallieu grew together in the nineteenth century around textile mills, and printing on cloth was the town's speciality. The museum in the centre has collections on the history of textile printing, and you can still see old mill buildings along the Bourbre river.

   Read the complete Fuel stop in Bourgoin-Jallieu write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Isère Valley and Belledonne is where the day begins. Next is Food stop near Artemare.

2. 2. Food stop near Artemare

   Artemare is a small town in the Valromey, a valley in the Bugey, at the foot of the Grand Colombier, the highest summit at the southern end of the Jura. The town sits where the Séran river emerges from its valley, and the landscape around it is a mix of meadows, forests, limestone cliffs and small villages. Just to the north, the Cascade de Cerveyrieu drops in a spectacular fall over a limestone ledge, especially impressive after rain.

   Read the complete Food stop near Artemare write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Food stop near Artemare is where this day stops to eat. Next is High point near Péronnas.

3. 3. High point near Péronnas

   Péronnas is a suburb on the southern edge of Bourg-en-Bresse, and the high ground near it is little more than a gentle swell where three landscapes meet. North and west lies the Bresse, flat and green; south, the Dombes begins, with its ponds and woods; and east, the abrupt wooded wall of the Revermont rises out of the plain like the edge of a stage set. On a clear day the snowy Alps sometimes appear far beyond, an unexpected bonus.

   Read the complete High point near Péronnas write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   This is where the road stops climbing. Next is Scenic stretch near Beaujeu.

4. 4. Scenic stretch near Beaujeu

   Beaujeu gave its name to the Beaujolais. The lords of Beaujeu ruled this land of hills and vineyards in the Middle Ages, and the little town in the valley of the Ardières remained its capital until the role passed to Villefranche. Today it is a quiet place, with a Romanesque church, old houses and a hospice with a fine collection of pharmacy jars, and it takes great pride in its wine. Every November, the release of Beaujolais Nouveau is celebrated here with festivities that draw crowds.

   Read the complete Scenic stretch near Beaujeu write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Scenic stretch near Beaujeu, about halfway. Next is Lyon / Rhône-Alpes rides return.

5. 5. Near Ambierle, on the way back

   The Côte Roannaise is a long east-facing slope where the Monts de la Madeleine drop towards the Loire plain, and Ambierle sits high on it, with vineyards falling away below and the forested hills at its back. On a clear morning you can see across the plain to the Monts du Lyonnais and beyond. This stop is down on the edge of that slope, between Ambierle and Renaison, at the point where the vines give way to meadows and hedges.

   Read the complete Near Ambierle, on the way back write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Lyon / Rhône-Alpes rides return sits at 313 km, about halfway. Next is Photo stop near Sury-le-Comtal.

6. 6. Photo stop near Sury-le-Comtal

   Sury-le-Comtal sits on the flat floor of the Forez plain, the broad basin of the Loire between the Monts du Forez and the Monts du Lyonnais. It is a small town with a big secret: its château, outwardly modest, holds some of the most remarkable seventeenth-century carved wooden interiors in France, with ceilings, panels and fireplaces carved in exuberant detail. Guided visits are possible on certain days.

   Read the complete Photo stop near Sury-le-Comtal write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Photo stop near Sury-le-Comtal comes up about 401 km into the recorded legs. Next is Isère Valley and Belledonne checkpoint 8.

7. 7. Near Neuville-sur-Saône

   Neuville-sur-Saône sits in a bend of the river just north of Lyon, and this stop is up on the plateau east of it, between Montanay and Cailloux-sur-Fontaines. The land here is open farmland and new housing, a transition zone where the city thins out and the Dombes begins. It is not the place for scenery, but it is a sensible finish: close to the motorways, with easy access back into Lyon or out towards the Ain.

   Read the complete Near Neuville-sur-Saône write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Isère Valley and Belledonne checkpoint 8 closes the day.