La Belle Via: the Isère valley cycle route
Description
The Belle Via crosses four départements: Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Isère and Drôme.
One route, two gateways
225 km on La Belle Via from Chanaz to Valence
280 km on La Belle Via from La Balme-de-Sillingy to Valence
La Belle Via is a large-format cycle route that winds its way through Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Isère and Drôme. It's an easy, accessible route through wide Alpine valleys, with beautiful views of Mont Blanc and, in succession, the backdrop of the Jura, Bauges, Chartreuse, Belledonne and Vercors massifs. It's also a refreshing change of scenery, with a wide variety of atmospheres and landscapes, from lakes and orchards to towns and countryside. Along the way, there are plenty of opportunities to stop off for a swim on the beaches of Lac d'Annecy or Lac du Bourget, to make cultural or gastronomic discoveries, and to escape along the Isère river. A loop is possible by joining ViaRhôna.
Guidebook with maps/step-by-step
● Length of the Belle Via depending on the section chosen:
○ From Chanaz - 215 km to Pont de l'Isère and 225 km to Valence
○ From La Balme de Sillingy- 270 km to Pont de l'Isère and 280 km to Valence
● Duration: between 4 and 8 days, depending on the stages defined and your pedaling pace.
● Difficulty level: easy, with little change in altitude except for a few climbs as you leave the Isère riverbed.
For a shorter itinerary, the Tour des Bauges à vélo is a loop that takes in sections of the Belle Via, from Aix les Bains to Annecy via Chambéry, Montmélian, Albertville with a TER return to Aix les Bains.
Tips
La Belle Via connects with the ViaRhôna EuroVelo 17 route to the north, at Chanaz, and to the south, at Pont de l'Isère. It is therefore possible to imagine a looped itinerary between ViaRhôna and La Belle Via: from Valence, Chanaz and eventually Seyssel.
Opening periods
All year round.
Subject to favorable weather.
Rates
Free access.
Location
Open the interactive map
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