Every journey begins with a first step ...

During this stage we stay in the Rhône-Alpes region, but when crossing the Rhône we change from the Loire department to the Isère department. The Rhone rises in the Swiss Alps in the canton of Valais, where it is still a lively Alpine torrent. As such, it flows into Lake Geneva and leaves it again near Geneva. On the upcoming stage to Geneva we will meet the Rhone again and again from today. Today, when crossing the Rhone, we definitely leave the Massif Central, which has offered us a few ascents and descents. On the other side of the Rhone, the Alps will now take on this task. When we have left Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette, our path only climbs a little to the culmination point, where we pass the Croix de Sainte-Blandine. We are here in the Pilat Mountains, one of the most beautiful sections of the trail in this area. We pass a series of small settlements until we finally pass the “Chapelle du Calvaire” and reach Chavannay on the Rhone. Here we shouldn't miss the old church and the city fortifications. After crossing the Rhone, we come through the larger towns of Saint-Alban-Du-Rhône and Clonas-Sur-Varèze in completely flat terrain, before we reach the stage town of La Régnie, which is again somewhat higher up, protected from the floods of the Rhone .