Every design for Valence

Founded by the Romans in 121 BC, Valence has always been a place people pass through, and that suits it: life here runs to the rhythm of a city where the Rhône, the A7, the RN7 and the TGV line between Paris and Marseille all meet. Locals like to say that at Valence the Midi begins, and on a warm evening in Vieux Valence it is easy to believe them.

The city sits in the heart of the Rhône corridor, on the river's left bank, with the Vercors to the east and the Ardèche just across the water to the west. Gardens and canals thread through the streets, part of why Valence holds the top "four flowers" rating among France's floral towns. The Parc Jouvet and the Kiosque Peynet are where people stroll, and the Maison des Têtes, built between 1528 and 1532, is the old town's showpiece. On its hill, the Château de Crussol is the silhouette everyone looks for.

That view of Crussol from the city is the one every Valentinois carries away, and the reason a map of Valence makes sense to wear.