Voyage in France

Pont suspendu piéton sur le Rhône à Vienne en Isère avec balise fluviale et nuages dans le ciel / photo Voyage en Douce

Vienne, an ancient city on the banks of the Rhône river

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Vienne is a commune in the Isère department, occupying a privileged position along the Rhône river.

At the confluence of the river Gère, a tributary of the Rhône, the town gives its name to the Communauté d’agglomération du Pays viennois, of which it is the headquarters.

A closer look at the city’s unique heritage at the crossroads of the Alps and the Massif Central in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Panorama of the Rhône River in Vienne with the quays and suspension bridge between the two banks / Photo Voyage en Douce
Panorama from Vienne: the Rhône River, the bridges and Saint-Colombe

Vienna, a little history…

The geography of the five hills surrounding the town meant that the site was chosen by the Gallic Allobroges,“people from elsewhere“, and the Roman city, loyal to Caesar, grew steadily until the Middle Ages:

Vienne is a strategic city at the crossroads of the Rhône valley, a religious centre (Diocese) and also a political centre (County), from prehistory to the Renaissance.

The heritage that traces the city’s history can be discovered along its streets and in its neighbourhoods, and requires a little curiosity, preferably on foot or by bike.

  • Au fil du Rhône, report RTS 10/13,: Secrets de Vienne:

Visit the city of the Allobroges and its Gallo-Roman remains in the medieval streets, from the heights of the city to the banks of the river, between the departments of Isère and Rhône.

Stage 10: Vienna, an ancient city

… and Viennese geography

With a population of around 30,000 and a surface area of almost 23 km2, the town’s urban area is home to over 110,000 people, and lies between the Lyon metropolitan area to the north and the Rovaltain triangle in the Valence conurbation.

Anchored on the Rhône, the town is rather cut off from the river, with difficult access to the banks since the advent of the main roads.

There is, however, a departure and arrival point for river cruises, and ViennAgglo has announced plans for 2019 to reclaim the area for pedestrians and cyclists by creating a greenway.

Cruise boat on the Rhône, near the Vienne suspension bridge (Isère)
Cruise ship, Rhône quay and pedestrian bridge in Vienne (Isère, France)

Along the Rhône, Vienne

And to find out more about the city of Vienna, here is an extract from the report by Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS) from the springs to the Mediterranean, with the video sequence devoted to the ancient city:

For once, our journey along the Rhône takes us to a very special city, Vienne, located in the Rhône Valley 30 kilometres south of Lyon. It is said to have a rich 2000-year history, with over 40 listed sites and monuments. In 1990, the French Ministry of Culture awarded the city the “Ville d’art et d’histoire” (City of Art and History) label.

RTS

Practical Vienna online

For more information and to discover the city, here are a few tips and links for your stay.

Where to stay in Vienna?

Hotel or rental, in the heart of the city or on the outskirts, here are the solutions for your accommodation in Vienna:

web link

Discover Vienna, official website

An identity card for the town, with all the information you need about its history, heritage, economic life, famous jazz festival, markets and how to get there:

web link

Vienne, a city with 2500 years of history

From antiquity to the present day, via the Middle Ages, from industrial heritage to museums, Gallo-Roman sites, castles, churches and chapels, discover the town with the Vienne-Condrieu Tourist Office:

web link

Where is Vienna?

Travel link