Cycling in Villefranche-sur-Saône

Cycling guide to Villefranche-sur-Saône

Villefranche-sur-Saône sits on the Saône with the river corridor running south, and that corridor sets the tone for riding here. The main line out of town is a 106 km point-to-point to Chanas that follows the water the whole way, passing Jassans-Riottier and Riottier, then Saint-Bernard, Anse and Ambérieux d'Azergues before Quincieux and Saint-Germain-au-Mont-d'Or. From Neuville-sur-Saône the route threads the Mont d'Or villages - Albigny-sur-Saône, Couzon-au-Mont-d'Or, Rochetaillée-sur-Saône and Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or - into Caluire-et-Cuire and then Lyon itself, crossing La Croix-Rousse, Vieux Lyon, Bellecour and Confluence. South of the city it picks up the Rhône through Oullins, Irigny and Vernaison to Vienne and Sainte-Colombe, then Ampuis, Condrieu, Chavanay, Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf and Sablons before finishing at Chanas. Total climbing is 62 m, so the appeal is distance and continuity rather than gradient.

Best time to ride

September is the recorded month here, with temperatures around 25°C - warm but manageable on a flat river route.

Terrain

Almost entirely flat: 62 m of elevation gain spread over 106 km, with a high point of just 178 m. Any rises are short valley-floor undulations rather than sustained climbs.