8 Properties for sale in Rhône, Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes, France
Rhône
Flowers add a touch of colour to the quaint medieval streets of Colmar – the Petite Venise quarter is criss-crossed by canals With the escarpment of the Massif Central to the west and the mighty River Rhône to the east, the department of Rhône is one of vineyards and rolling hills. One of eight departments in the Rhône-Alpes region, Rhône has a rich heritage. Its links with its Roman past can still be seen in Vienne, once one of Roman-Gaul's greatest cities. To the north lie the Beaujolais, Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage vineyards while to the south the countryside lies within the boundaries of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Côtes-du-Rhône AOCs.
CAPITAL: LYON - Founded at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers, Lyon is France's third biggest city. Picturesque Vieux Lyon was once home to the small silk workshops for which the city was famous and today, this area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon is known as the gastronomic capital of France.
Access from UK
By air: UK services to Lyon-St Exupéry
By train: Eurostar to Lyon
By road: Lyon is 762km from Calais
Climate
Average annual temperature: (Lyon): 8.1°C/16.9°C
Average annual rainfall: 831.9mm
Average annual sunshine hours: 2,001.9
Highlights
Lyon is packed with fascinating museums and art galleries such as the Musée des Beaux Arts and the Musée Gadagne. The shopping and nightlife in this university city are superlative, and a tour of Lyon's traboules (covered passageways) are a must. Further afield and perched above the vines of the Beaujolais vineyards, Oingt is the department's sole addition to the list of Plus Beaux Villages de France while to the south the countryside in the Parc Naturel Régional du Pilat is queen: a magnet for walkers, horse-riders and cyclists.