Where to stay: Rhône-Alpes

Saint-Étienne - Mercure Parc de l'Europe

City hotel well located for morning rides in the nearby park

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Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Hotel St-Georges

Alpine hotel recommended to us by readers

This hotel in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne has been sent to us by cyclists who stayed there. They described it as clean, friendly and affordable. Twins, doubles and family rooms. Buffet-style breakfast with homemade jams. Onsite cafeteria. Secure bike store. Close to the train station. English, French, Italian and German spoken. Free wifi.

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Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne – Hotel de l'Europe (Col de la Croix de Fer)

Popular cycling hotel on the road to Col de la Croix de Fer

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Saint-Jean-en-Royans - Hotel le Castel Fleuri

Explore the Vercors National Park from this family run cycling base

Hotel le Castel Fleuri in a 2-star base for exploring the roads of the Drome area of the Rhone Valley around Saint-Jean-en-Royans, in particular the Vercors National Park. Located in the village centre, it's an ideal cycling base. Peaceful and beautiful – it's surrounded by a wooded park. This is a small family hotel – there are just 14 relatively basic but clean and comfortable rooms. Restaurant with panoramic views from a terrace. Restaurant with local cuisine. Bar. Outdoor swimming pool. Bike shed. Car park. Rooms of various sizes (some sleep 6 people).
Photo: ©Logis Hotels

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Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne - Hôtel Le Marintan

Flexible accommodation in the Maurienne Valley (Alpe d'Huez, Galibier)

Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne is a popular launch pad for an assault on Alpe d'Huez, the Galibier and other key cycling cols in the Maurienne Valley. Hotel Le Marintan is an accueil velo-registered hotel that is well-versed in welcoming cyclists. There's a dedicated bike storage area and plenty of versatile accommodation. Choose from doubles, triples, or quadruples in the main hotel or chalet accommodation sleeping up to six people. Most rooms have mountain views and there is free wifi throughout the hotel (but not in the chalets). It's close to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne train station and a walk away from bars and restaurants.

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Salles-Arbuissonnas - Chateau de Breuil en Beaujolais

A friendly welcome for cyclists heading into Burgundy from Lyon

Chateau de Breuil en Beaujolais is a stately old manor house with 5 B&B rooms (including a family room). It's in Salles-Arbuissonnas, about 45km north of Lyon and just west of the river Saone at the southern end of the Burgundy vineyards. Outdoor swimming pool, free private parking, garden and shared lounge. Restaurant, terrace and bar. Airport transfers from Lyon are available and onsite bike rental too. Free WiFi. Buffet and continental breakfast options. Table tennis and darts. 

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Thézillieu - Logis Relais de Thézillieu

Village hotel at the southern end of the Grande Traversée du Jura

Relais de Thezillieu is a family run hotel-restaurant in the small village of Thézillieu (only around 300 people live here). The hotel is near the Grande traverée du Jura à vélo route at the southern end just shy of Culoz. This area is a hub for cycling (road riding + MTB), as well as walking, fishing and, in winter, skiing (it's at an altitude of almost 900m). The restaurant here serves lovely local mountain cuisine (think home-made foie gras and brioche, tête de veau, plus regional meats and other produce. Bike room, plus locked garage if you're arriving by car. Double rooms and family rooms.
Photo: ©Logis Hotels

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Tournon-sur-Rhône - Hotel Les Amandiers (Via Rhona)

Bike friendly hotel near the Via Rhona bike route

Located near the Rhone river north of Valence, the Hotel Les Amandiers offers friendly and affordable accommodation to cyclists (it's an accredited accueil velo hotel). Free wifi. Dedicated bicycle parking (and they'll even find somewhere to store your bike when the bike garage is full). Disabled access rooms. There is also a hotel car parking area (the hotel let us leave or car there while we went off cycling for a few days). Some rooms have balconies with mountain views. Generous buffet breakfasts with savoury meats, cheeses and eggs plus a fine array of croissants, fruits and breads (they get lots of cyclists here and they feed them well!) French and English spoken. We've stayed here - read our review.

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Valence – Hotel Clos Syrah

Friendly hotel in peaceful surrounds 3km from Valence

Friendly hotel in peaceful surrounds 3km from the Valence city centre. Onsite restaurant, swimming pool, rooms with terraces and balconies. Management advises that bikes can either be stored in rooms or on private balconies. Free wifi throughout hotel. 24-hour reception. French, Spanish and English spoken. Part of the Best Western group, which offers a best-price guarantee online.

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Vercors - Camping Le Lac du Marandan (Saint-Romans)

Campsite for exploring the Alps 50km NE of Valence

The 3-star Camping Le Lac du Marandan at Saint-Romans offers a perfect base from which to cycle the beautiful Vercors Natural Park. Offering lake-side camping in a wooded forest environment with views of the Vercors mountains, it's a lovely back-to-nature experience. Camping pitches, plus fixed base canvas bungalows to rent, as well as mobile homes and old-style caravans. Swim in the lake, or spend a day fishing, canyonning or canoeing. Kids' club in summer. Wifi. Bar. Mini-shop. Fridge hire.

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Vernioz - Camping Le Bontemps

Family camping between Lyon and Valence en route to the Alps

Being located between Lyon and Valence this is an ideal campsite to recharge before riding the Alps or viewing an Alpine Tour de France stage. Coming alive in the high season, the park is located in lovely grounds along the river Vareze which has a number of natural walking and cycling trails running alongside. With heated pools, play areas, tennis courts and fishing, there is something here for everyone in a beautiful setting. An on-site bistro provides snacks and meals throughout the day which can be eaten in or taken away.

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Vertrieu - Relais du Destin (ViaRhona bike route east of Lyon)

Guesthouse-style hotel for B&B + apartments for self-catering

The Relais du Destin is marketed as a B&B/guesthouse, but it's more like a small hotel. It was recommended to us by cyclists who stayed there while riding the Via Rhona bikes route. It's located on the banks of the River Rhone in in Vertrieu, just over 50km east of Lyon. It has large rambling gardens and terraces, and some rooms overlook the river. Free wifi. Rooms have private bathroom with showers, plus extra luxuries like hairdryers, bathrobes, toiletries and even coffee machines. There is also an apartment with a fully equipped kitchen for two self-caterers, as well as a villa sleeping 10 people. A range of B&B rooms for all group sizes: doubles, twins, quads, plus a room sleeping 6

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Via Rhona - Hotel Ibis Lyon Sud Vienne Saint Louis (Vienne)

River views on the Via Rhona just south of Lyon

Nice central location on the Via Rhona bike route. The rooms are air-conditioned and you can eat a good breakfast in the restaurant. Free wifi. English and French spoken. Also handy for the train station, which is just 1km away. It's 44km to Lyon airport. 

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Via Rhona - Hotel le Clos des Oliviers (Bourg-Saint-Andéol)

Accueil Velo-rated hotel midway between Montélimar and Orange

Hotel le Clos des Oliviers is an affordable Accueil Velo-rated hotel in Bourg-Saint-Andéol, midway between Montélimar and Orange on the Via Rhona bike route. Basic but clean rooms from €45 or a little extra for air-con. Restaurant onsite. Garage for bikes. Member of the Logis group of independently run French hotels. English spoken. 

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Via Rhona - Ibis budget Loriol Le Pouzin (Le Pouzin)

Good budget option on the Via Rhona south of Valence

In a great location for the Via Rhona, this Ibis Budget is a good option if you want a clean, affordable, basic stay during your ride. Importantly for hot summers, it also has air-conditioning. Ibis Budget offers what it says on the tin – plain, basic two-star accommodation. This one has views over the Ardèche River and 24-hour reception. Doubles, twins and triples. Rooms have their own bathrooms and TVs. Onsite bar. There's a basic buffet breakfast in the morning for a supplement. Free wifi.

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Via Rhôna - Le Cèdre de Soyons

Elegant family run villa hotel on the Via Rhôna bike route

A family run accueil vélo hotel just 500 metres from the Via Rhôna bike route and 7km from Valence. It's an ideal option for anyone exploring the Drome or Ardèche areas of France by bike. Outdoor pool and sun terrace, plus onsite restaurant serving delicious French cuisine. Free wifi. Bike hire can also be arranged via reception. Disabled access rooms. We've stayed here when we cycled the Dolce Via and a section of the Via Rhôna, and we were really impressed by the owners' bikey credentials – read our review here.

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ViaRhona - Domaine Insolite du Petit Moras (Chomérac)

Small and friendly B&B recommended to us by cyclists

Domaine Insolite du Petit Moras is a small and friendly B&B recommended to us by cyclists who stayed there while cycling the Via Rhona bike route. It's just off the Via Rhona at Chomérac, just under 40km from Valence. Free wifi. Breakfast is a continental affair or you can order from a menu. There is an outdoor swimming pool + sauna and jacuzzi. Trampoline for the kids.

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ViaRhôna - Hôtel de la Villeon

Upmarket 4-star hotel on the EuroVelo 17 route

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ViaRhona - Le Doux Nid (Chanz)

Sat on the Savières Canal

This cosy B&B is a good stop for anyone travelling along the Via Rhona. It sits in an old stone building near where the Rhone River meets the Savières Canal. From here, it's just 5m to the bike route that takes you around Lac du Bourget to Aix-les-Bains. The B&B even has its own boat and canoe if you fancy a trip along the canal. There's a private garage to safely store bicycles. The rooms also have their own kettles, a big plus if you enjoy a brew in your room (and still quite unusual for a French B&B). There's also free wifi and parking.

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ViaRhona - Le Relais du Vivarais (Viviers)

Accueil velo-rated hotel on the Via Rhona

Le Relais du Vivarais in Viviers offers a warm welcome for cyclists. Carrying the accueil velo label, the hotel is just off the Via Rhona bike route roughly halfway between Valence and Avignon. The hotel is nice and central and has an outdoor pool plus a restaurant. It's a nice choice for a stopover, especially in the summer months when a dip at the end of the day is really welcome. They also have bikes to hire if you're arriving by car and want to ride a short stretch of the Via Rhona or explore the local area during your stay. Free wifi. English and French spoken.

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ViaRhona - Les Clés des Songes (Seyssel)

Large stylish rooms with great views on the Via Rhona

With river and mountain views from each room's terrace, Les Clés des Songes B&B is a popular choice for cyclists passing through this beautiful corner of France. It's handy to the Via Rhona bike route in particular. The rooms sleep up to four people and are air-conditioned. There's a dining room area where you can make your own hot drinks. Free wifi. English and French spoken.

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