On the road

Sights Les Charmettes

Construction: 18th century.

Features: situated in the heart of a unspoilt valley on the hills above Chambéry, this house is where Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived from 1736 to 1742. Listed as a historic monument and a ‘Maison des illustres’, the house has reopened its doors following some renovation work, offering two new and original visitor itineraries that use the latest technology to immerse visitors in a new sensory experience.

Current use: museum.

Listing: listed as a historic monument in 1905. ‘Maison des Illustres’.

Construction: 1906 to 1910.

Features: built between 1906 and 1910, this railway roundhouse – the only one of its kind in France – is covered by an articulated Eiffel-type steel framework. Comprising two sections, the building stands 34 metres high, has a diameter of 110 metres and weighs 900 tonnes. Maintained and restored by the SNCF, it is still used for locomotive maintenance and also houses several historic models.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1984.

Construction: first built in the 11th century, then altered several times during the 13th century and completed in the 15th century.

Style: medieval, with Gothic additions.

History: the castle suffered several fires in the 18th century and, from 1800 onwards, the first prefects undertook restoration work. When Savoy was annexed to France in 1860, it was transferred to the department free of charge: a major restoration commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III was carried out, including, amongst other things, a new wing and a monumental staircase leading to the semi-circular tower.

Characteristics: it is a vast building designed as an irregular quadrangle, from which stands a square keep flanked by a watchtower, a tall semi-circular tower and a tall chapel.

Current use: used by the Savoie Prefecture, the Savoie Departmental Council and the Savoie Academy.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument since 1881

Built: 1838.

History and features: better known as the ‘4 sans cul’ (The Bottomless Four), the Elephant Fountain is the city’s iconic monument. Erected in 1838 to pay tribute to General de Boigne, a great benefactor of Chambéry, it was fully restored in 2015. Standing 17.65-metres tall, it is at once a fountain, a column and a statue. And of the four elephants, only their trunks are visible!

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1982.

Built: 15th to 16th centuries.

Style: Flamboyant Gothic.

History: originally a modest Franciscan chapel, the construction of which began around 1420, it was extended and completed in 1585. From the 15th century onwards, the Shroud of Turin was occasionally brought to this Cordeliers church, attracting numerous pilgrims. Following the establishment of the Diocese of Chambery in 1779, the Church of Saint-François became a cathedral dedicated to Saint Francis de Sales in 1802.

The restoration of the molasse stone façade was completed in 2009.

In a nod to its past, the cathedral was presented with a copy of the Shroud of Turin by the Diocese of Turin in 2014, which can be viewed in the Chapel of the Resurrection.

Characteristics: built on 30,000 larch piles, behind a simple façade, it houses a vast collection of trompe-l’oeil paintings covering the walls and vaulted ceiling. Its organ, dating from 1847, is listed as a historic monument and, with its 50 stops, is one of the most significant in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Trivia: the people of Chambery call it ‘la Metropole’.

Listing: listed as a historic monument in 1906.

Galerie Eurêka is the City of Chambéry’s Centre for Scientific Culture. Its permanent and temporary exhibitions offer spaces for discovery, fun experiments and interaction. With exhibitions, events, talks and other highlights, there’s something for all tastes and all ages!

Sights Peynet Kiosk

Built: 1862

Features: the bandstand on the Champ de Mars dates from 1862. It is the work of the architect Eugène Poitoux (1859–1932), architect of the civil and military hospices in Valence, who also designed the monumental fountain. It was not until 1942, when the artist Raymond Peynet (1908–1999) visited, that the bandstand gained its fame. Stopping off in Valence, he immortalised the bandstand by depicting the romance between a young musician and a delicate young girl taking place there. Peynet’s Lovers became an instant success and very quickly became part of the country’s visual heritage. These lovers travelled the world and adorned countless objects. Having become famous, Peynet returned to Valence in April 1966 to name the kiosk, which would henceforth bear his name.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1982.

Construction: 1528–1532.

Style: Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance.

History: built in the early 16th century by Antoine de Dorne, a university professor and consul of Valence, upon his return from a trip to Italy, this house marks the transition from the Flamboyant Gothic to the Renaissance. It owes its name to the presence of numerous sculpted heads. Maison des Têtes changed hands several times during the 19th century and remained in private ownership until 1980, when the city of Valence acquired it.

Features: it comprises four main wings, arranged around a square courtyard that allows light to flood in. Previously, there were stables and a garden on either side of the building. All that remains today is the entrance door leading into the corridor. Entirely Gothic in style, it features Louis XIV-style joinery. The façade’s decoration, in the Flamboyant Gothic style, combines interplay of curves and counter-curves, featuring corded drip mouldings, windows with moulded frames, fantastical rampant figures, foliage motifs on the bell-shaped arches, and gables cut out to accommodate the openings. References to this style remain, despite the late period (16th century), a common feature in Valence. In stark contrast, in the Italian Renaissance style, are the nine medallion figures on the ground floor, the four chubby heads of the Winds and the two half-length statues flanking the openings on the first floor. This exuberant decoration was intended to extend across both façades but was never completed.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1944.

Situated in the very heart of the town, it was inaugurated in 1905 by President Émile Loubet. It has been listed as a site of artistic interest in the inventory of natural monuments and sites of artistic character since 1942. Over 700 trees of rare species can be seen there.

Built in the 11th century.

Style: Romanesque.

History: the oldest monument in Valence, it was consecrated on 5 August 1095 by Pope Urban II. Destroyed during the Wars of Religion, it was rebuilt in the 17th century and its bell tower was replaced in the 19th century. It houses a bust of Pope Pius VI (who died in Valence in 1798), which contains his heart and internal organs.

Features: although almost entirely rebuilt, the building as a whole retains all the features of the original Romanesque cathedral. The architecture of this cathedral is similar to that of other monuments in Auvergne and the Velay region, particularly the polychrome stone decorations. It features an ambulatory, allowing pilgrims to pass through and confirming its role as a stopover church on the route to Santiago de Compostela.

Listing: listed as a Historic Monument in 1862.

This unique centre of history and remembrance, opened in 2005, explores current issues through major themes: migration and diasporas, the memory of conflicts, the history of peoples and cultures… It draws on the example of the Armenian diaspora to explore the world around us.

Housed in a former bishop’s palace, it traces the history of humankind and the arts, from the region’s prehistory to contemporary art. It also boasts an exceptional collection of paintings and drawings by Hubert Robert.

The museum holds the ‘Musée de France’ and ‘Mom’Art’ (child-friendly museum) designations.

In the 19th century, Valence was a garrison town, home to thousands of soldiers in its barracks, which were gradually being built. The presence of an artillery school attracted many young non-commissioned officers and officers, sometimes accompanied by their families. The local council regretted that it had no performance venue worthy of this military elite. It was then that the decision was taken to build a theatre.

With its sumptuous pink and gold Italian-style auditorium dating from 1837 and its incredible acoustics, the theatre now offers a rich and varied cultural programme.

Comédie de Valence was founded in 1997 by actor and director Philippe Delaigue. In January 2001, Christophe Perton was appointed co-director, enabling the Comédie to attain the status of a National Drama Centre (CDN) and bringing the Ardèche department on board. There are 38 CDNs in France. This inaugural team established the Comédie Itinérante, a touring network covering the Drôme and Ardèche regions, and set up a permanent company, which was active from 2001 to 2009. From 2010 to 2019, the Comédie was directed by actor and director Richard Brunel. He surrounded himself with a collective of ambitious artists, continued to expand the Comédie itinérante to around sixty decentralised venues, and took the CDN’s productions on tour throughout France and Europe. Marc Lainé took over as director of the Comédie de Valence in 2020 with the aim of opening it up to other artistic disciplines. In 2025, the Comédie de Valence joined forces with the national theatres in Annecy, Chambéry and Clermont-Ferrand for an international artistic project centred on cultural exchange.