Vienne

Vienne is a Gallo-Roman town on the Rhone in the Isere department of Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France, about 33 km south of Lyon. The TER train from Lyon Part-Dieu or Perrache takes roughly 25 minutes and costs around EUR 6 (~$6.70) each way, with several departures per hour, so a car is unnecessary. The station is a 10-minute walk from the centre, and almost everything worth seeing lies within a compact pedestrian area. The main sights are the Temple of Augustus and Livia on the Place du Palais, one of the best-preserved Roman temples in France, and the Roman theatre on the hillside, which hosts the Jazz a Vienne festival every July. The Gothic-Romanesque cathedral Saint-Maurice anchors the old town, and the riverside promenade gives views over the Rhone. A sensible one-day arc starts with an arrival around 9:30, a walk to the temple and the cathedral in the morning, and a lunch stop in the lanes around the Place du Palais, where bistros serve Lyonnais-style dishes and local Cote-Rotie and Condrieu wines. The afternoon suits the Roman theatre and a climb up the hill for views, before an early evening train back to Lyon. On Saturday mornings the large market spreads through the centre and is worth timing the visit around, though it makes parking and lunch tables busier. The best season runs from April to October, when the weather suits walking and open-air sites; July is lively but crowded because of the jazz festival. Cars can use the A7 motorway south in about 35 minutes, with paid parking near the Cours Brillier, but the train is simpler and cheaper. Total on-foot time is usually under two hours, which keeps the trip easy for most travellers. Visitors can pick up maps and current opening details from the tourist office website, vienne-condrieu.com.