River landscapes and architectural history take concrete form in Bellegarde-Sur-Valserine: a developed path leads to the Pertes de la Valserine, while a walking route with 20 panels in the town centre guides you through the architectural heritage. A railway viaduct and the remains of a paper mill are also part of the local cultural heritage. When choosing your accommodation, it is therefore worth considering which focus you want to shape your excursions.
The Valserine and its paths
At the Pertes de la Valserine, the river water disappears into a seemingly bottomless chasm and re-emerges beyond a labyrinth of limestone gorges. A developed path leads to this landscape. Along the Sentier des pertes de la Valserine, several footbridges run beside or across the river; there is also a picnic area. This puts both the unusual course of the water and the riverside path centre stage. The Valserine was also the first French river to receive the “Rivières Sauvages” label.
Viaduct, theatre and industrial history
The railway viaduct spans the Valserine more than 50 metres above the river below. It was inaugurated in 1858. The river crossing, its height and its railway connection make the viaduct a striking example of the link between landscape and transport infrastructure.
The Théâtre Jeanne d'Arc offers a glimpse of another aspect of the town's history. Members of the Société Catholique de Gymnastique “l’Alerte” built it in 1935; since 1979, it has been a municipal theatre. The dates mark different stages: its construction by the association’s members and its later municipal role. The building thus brings together the history of an association and of theatre.
At the Espace Louis Chanel, the remains of the Darblay paper mill are now part of the cultural heritage. These include a pylon from the cableway system and vaulted caps. These specific structural elements give industrial heritage its own focus alongside the theatre and the railway viaduct.
Explore the town and transport history on foot
The comic-book trail Sur la piste de Martin takes you through Bellegarde’s architectural heritage with 20 panels placed around the town centre. Its stops make architecture the subject of a walking route rather than showcasing it at just one building. If you are interested in the development of the town’s buildings, this trail offers a distinct way to explore the subject.
The Voie du Tram tells the story of the tramway. It was closed in 1940; since 1991, it has been undergoing restoration between Bellegarde and Chézery. Hikers can discover information panels about the tramway’s history along the way. This is a different approach from the panels on the comic-book trail: the focus here is transport history, while the trail’s panels centre on architectural heritage in the town centre.
This gives you several themes to plan your trip around: the distinctive river landscape at the Pertes, buildings such as the viaduct and the theatre, or the history of the tramway. The paths and sights bring together landscape and cultural heritage, without requiring everyone to focus on the same things.
Discover more destinations: Lompnieu, Villieu-Loyes-Mollon, Chavannes-Sur-Suran, Sainte-Euphémie, Tossiat, Mijoux, Pont-De-Vaux, Civrieux.
For the regional travel overview: Ain.
