Prefecture: of Drôme (26)
Stage town: for the 5th time
Population: 64,500 (Valentinois, Valentinoises), 221,000 for Valence Romans Agglo (54 communes)
Specialities: caillette (meat and vegetables cooked in a thin pancake), suisse (shortbread biscuit with orange blossom), pogne (brioche), ravioles (Romans speciality), Balrhona chocolates (Tain-l'Hermitage), black truffles from Drôme (80 pc of French production), wines (Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage)
Personalities: Dionysos (rock band), Anne Sila (singer), Eric Boisset, Catherine Fradier (writers), Anne-Sophie Pic (3-star chef), Masachi Ijichi, Baptiste Poinot, Jean-François Piège, Michel Chabran (starred chefs), François Sarano (oceanographer), Faysal Hanneche (explorer), Pierre Latour, Axel Domont, Charly Mottet (cycle racers born in the conurbation), Sébastien Chabal (rugby union), Kevin Mayer (athletics, world decathlon champion), Mathilde Cini (swimming), Camberabero brothers (rugby), Bertrand, Guillaume and Benjamin Gille (international handball players), Jo and Bruno Boyadjian (boxing, swimming, waterpolo), Loïs Habert (biathlon), Alain Robert (climber, nicknamed Spiderman), Antoine Girard (mountaineer)
Culture: Sur le champ! (music), Wall and Love festival (street art), Truffe, vin et chocolat (truffles, wine and chocolate), Féeries d'hiver (winter fairs)
Sport: 180 sports associations (25,000 members). Flagship clubs: Valence Romans Drôme Rugby, Valence Handball, Olympique de Valence, Valence Triathlon. Events : Historic Monte Carlo Rally (January), Run Bow Color (May), French Division 1 Triathlon Club Championship (May), International Athletics Meeting (June), Triathlon Grand Prix, Petanque Master (Romans-sur-Isère, July), Vitaville 10km, Trail des spahis (September), Eurofleuret (November). Grand Départ of the 2018 Criterium du Dauphiné
Economy: historic presence of designers in jewellery and leather goods, and more recently around animation film studios. High-tech industry (Thales Avionics, Innovista, LPG), food industry (Andros, Saint-Jean, Pasquie), services (SFAM, Amundi, Ingenico), logistics (Leroy Merlin and Allopneu.com platforms), tourism. TGV station (2.6 million passengers/year). Military base (Bacquet barracks, 1st Spahis regiment). University (6,500 students)
Slogan: Mon cœur Valence
Labels: "Ville à Vélo du Tour de France", 3 bikes / Pays d'art et d'histoire / Ville fleurie 4 fleurs / Ville amie des enfants Unicef / Ville santé OMS / Ville amie des aînés / pavillon bleu (port de l'Épervière) / jardin remarquable (parc Jouvet) / Ville 3 libellules (biodiversity)
Websites and social networks: www.valence.fr / www.valence-romans-tourisme.com / www.valenceromansagglo.fr / facebook.com/VilledeValence / facebook.com/valenceromansagglo / twitter.com/VilledeValence / twitter.com/valenceromans / twitter.com/valencetourisme / instagram.com/villedevalence / #TDFValence / #moncoeurValence
Valence and cycling
Valence has become a rallying point for the Tour de France at the foot of the Alps, with the race stopping here for the fourth time in ten years. In 2018, Peter Sagan won the stage from Bourg-d'Oisans with two days to go. Three years earlier, André Greipel had won the bunch sprint of a stage that had started in the morning from Mende, in a scenario that was more in keeping with tradition in the Rhône Valley: the neighbouring towns of Bourg-lès-Valence and Romans-sur-Isère have both seen sprinters win, Mark Cavendish in 2010 and Michael Matthews in 2017. Finally, it was Mark Cavendish who raised his arms here in 2021 for his triumphant comeback.
The first time the caravan passed through the Drôme prefecture was in 1996, when Colombian "Chepe" Gonzalez won. "Chepe" went on to win two stages in the Giro d'Italia and twice, in 1997 and 1999, to take the best climber jersey in the Giro.
Since 2014, Valence has hosted the Drôme Classic, whose first winner was Romain Bardet. Valence is also the birthplace of Charly Mottet, winner of three stages in the Tour between 1987 and 1991 and fourth overall in both years, as well as Axel Domont, who has announced his retirement at the end of the 2020 season, and Guillaume Bonnafond, himself retired from cycling in 2018.
Sights
Peynet Bandstand
Built: 1862
Characteristics: The bandstand on Champ de Mars dates back to 1862. It was designed by architect Eugène Poitoux (1859-1932), architect of Valence's civil and military hospices, who also designed the monumental fountain. It wasn't until 1942 and the visit of illustrator Raymond Peynet (1908-1999) that the pavilion acquired its reputation. During a visit to Valence, he immortalised the bandstand as the setting for the love story of a young musician and a frail young girl. Peynet's Lovers were an immediate success and soon became part of the heritage of imagery. These "lovers" toured the world and adorned many objects. Now famous, Peynet returned to Valence in April 1966 to christen the bandstand that would henceforth bear his name
Listed as: Historical Monument in 1982
House of the Heads
Built: 1528-1532
Style: Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance
History: built at the beginning of the 16th century by Antoine de Dorne, a professor at the University and Consul of Valence, on 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 a private property until 1980, when it was acquired by the City of Valence
Characteristics: it comprises four main buildings, arranged around a square courtyard to let in the light. There used to be stables and a garden on either side of the building. All that remains today is the entrance door opening onto the corridor. Fully Gothic, it features Louis XIV carpentry. The flamboyant Gothic decoration on the façade combines curves and counter-curves, with stringed eaves, windows with clusters of mouldings, creeping fantastical figures, leafy motifs on the bell arches and cut-out gables for the openings. Despite the late 16th century, references to this style are still frequent in Valence. The nine medallion figures on the ground floor, the four chubby heads of the Winds and the two half-size statues around the openings on the first floor all play off the Italian Renaissance style. This exuberant decoration was intended to extend to both facades but was never completed
Listed as: Historical Monument in 1944
Jouvet Park
History: In the heart of the town, this park was inaugurated in 1905 by French President Emile Loubet. It has been listed as a natural monument and artistic site since 1942. More than 700 trees of rare species can be seen
Saint-Apollinaire Cathedral
Construction: 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. The church contains a bust of Pope Pius VI (who died in Valence in 1798), which contains his heart and entrails
Characteristics: Although almost entirely rebuilt, the entire building retains all the characteristics of the original Romanesque cathedral. The architecture of this cathedral is similar to that of other monuments in the Auvergne and Velay regions, particularly the polychrome stone decoration. It has an ambulatory, allowing pilgrims to pass through and confirming its role as a halt on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela
Listed as: Historical Monument in 1862
Armenian Heritage Centre
Characteristics: This original place of history and remembrance, opened in 2005, deals with current affairs around major themes: migration and diasporas, the memory of conflicts, the history of peoples and cultures, etc. It uses the example of the Armenian diaspora to explore the world around us
Museum of Valence
Characteristics: Housed in a former episcopal palace, this museum traces the history of man and the arts, from regional prehistory to contemporary art. It also boasts an exceptional collection of paintings and drawings by Hubert Robert. The museum has been awarded the Musée de France and Mom'Art (child-friendly museum) labels
Théâtre de la Ville
History: In the 19th century, Valence was a garrison town, housing thousands of soldiers in the barracks that were gradually being built. The presence of an artillery school attracted many young non-commissioned officers and officers, sometimes with their families. The municipality regretted not having a theatre worthy of this military elite. So it was decided to build one
Characteristics: With its sumptuous pink and gold Italian-style auditorium dating from 1837 and its incredible acoustics, the theatre today offers a rich and varied cultural season
To eat
Suisse: This 200-year-old shortbread puppet is very famous in Valence and is flavoured with candied orange peel and orange blossom. Its original shape derives its legend from the death of Pope Pius VI in 1799. It is said that a baker in Valence made this biscuit to pay tribute to the Vatican Swiss Guards who accompanied his body. Now remembered for its playful shape, the Swiss can be eaten at any time of day and goes particularly well with tea or coffee.
