The River Rhone Cycle Route
From the Alps to the Mediterranean
The River Rhone Cycle Route
From the Alps to the Mediterranean
Guidebook to cycling the Rhone Cycle Route, an 895km ride through France and Switzerland from the Swiss Alps to the Mediterranean Sea. Divided into 20 stages, each approximately 45km long, the route can be completed by most cyclists in 10 to 14 days. Includes information on preparation, navigation, accommodation and amenities on route.Guidebook to the River Rhone Cycle Route, an 895km bicycle ride from the Alps of central Switzerland to the Mediterranean Sea, near Marseille, France. The route - which is mostly downhill, except for an optional 15km climb to the start point at Furkapass - is divided into 20 stages (averaging 45km per stage) and can be completed by most cyclists in 12-14 days.
The route uses two waymarked national cycle trails: the Swiss R1 Rhone Route and the French ViaRhona, which together have been adopted by the ECF (European Cyclists' Federation) as EuroVelo route EV17.
The guide provides detailed route descriptions and 1:150,000 mapping for each stage, as well as two route options along either the north or south shore of Lake Geneva. It also includes plenty of practical advice such as preparing for the journey, transport options there and back, what to take, accommodation en route and a French/German glossary.
Printed book
A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps - everything you need on the trail.
ISBN
9781786310828
Availability
Published
Published
17 Jan 2023
Edition
Second
Pages
264
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.45cm
Weight
310g
eBook
The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.
CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Preface to the second edition
Stage summary table
Twelve-day schedule
INTRODUCTION
Background
The Rhone Cycle Route
Natural environment
Preparation
Getting there and back
Navigation
Accommodation
Food and drink
Amenities and services
What to take
Safety and emergencies
About this guide
THE ROUTE
Switzerland
Prologue Andermatt or Oberwald to Furkapass
Stage 1 Furkapass to Brig
Stage 2 Brig to Sierre
Stage 3 Sierre to Martigny
Stage 4 Martigny to St Gingolph
Stage 5A Le Bouveret to Morges
Stage 6A Morges to Geneva
France
Stage 5 St Gingolph to Thonon-les-Bains
Stage 6 Thonon-les-Bains to Geneva
Stage 7 Geneva to Seyssel
Stage 8 Seyssel to Champagneux dam
Stage 9 Champagneux dam to Lagnieu
Stage 10 Lagnieu to Lyon
Stage 11 Lyon to Vienne
Stage 12 Vienne to Sablons
Stage 13 Sablons to Tournon-sur-Rhône
Stage 14 Tournon-sur-Rhône to Valence
Stage 15 Valence to Le Pouzin
Stage 16 Le Pouzin to Montélimar
Stage 17 Montélimar to Pont-St Esprit
Stage 18 Pont-St Esprit to Avignon
Stage 19 Avignon to Arles
Stage 20 Arles to Port-St Louis-du-Rhône
Appendix A Facilities summary
Appendix B Tourist information offices
Appendix C Youth hostels and gîtes d’étape
Appendix D Useful contacts
Appendix E Language glossary
Seasons
Except for the prologue and stage 1 in the high Swiss Alps, the route can be cycled between April and October. The Furkapass is free of snow from around mid-May to mid-October, allowing the route to be cycled in its entirety.
Centres
A point-to-point route passing through Martigny, Montreux, Geneva, Lyon, Vienne, Valence, Montélimar and Arles.
Difficulty
A straightforward route that is generally downhill or level (though there are a few short ascents, and the optional prologue stage involves some 900m of climbing). Mostly asphalt surfaces in good condition that are suitable for hybrid or touring cycles. Much of the route follows dedicated off-road cycle tracks, suitable for family cycling, though there are a few short sections where main roads are used.
Must See
The Rhone glacier, Furka pass, Lake Geneva, Château de Chillon, Montreux, Lausanne, Geneva, Lyon, Vienne, Valence, Montélimar, vineyards of the Côtes du Rhone, papal city of Avignon, Roman Arles, Camargue delta.
November 2022
Travelling with a cycle on Eurostar
After 3 years since they ‘temporarily’ ceased carrying cycles because of covid, Eurostar have begun carrying them again, but with a very limited service and with conditions of carriage that are not attractive to touring cyclists. Before covid, all trains to Paris and Brussels carried up to six cycles, two fully assembled and four dismantled, in specially designed fibreglass bike cases. Eurostar provided the cases and tools to dismantle/reassemble bikes in an area dedicated to this procedure.
The reinstated service carries bikes only on trains to Paris (not Brussels) on selected departures from London between 07.55 and 15.31 or from Paris between 11.13 and 18.13. Fully assembled bikes are not being carried. Four dismantled bikes can be carried, but cyclists must deliver their bikes already boxed to the baggage counter in either London or Paris. Pre-booking is compulsory and riders must now travel on the same train as their bikes. After completing the journey, boxes must be collected directly from the train and cycles reassembled on the platform.
This is far from ideal, and until Eurostar fully reinstate their previous cycle carriage policy, cyclists are recommended to take their bikes by plane, ferry or Euroshuttle when heading to the European mainland. The situation could potentially change.
The Cycling UK website www.cyclinguk.org has a page dedicated to Eurostar cycle carriage policy, which is updated regularly to contain any new information.
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
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