Vinay lies at the foot of the Vercors massif and in the heart of Europe’s largest walnut-growing region. The town is considered a gateway to the Vercors Regional Natural Park. Cycling is also a key feature: La Belle Via passes through the town’s quiet streets, and one stage runs from Vinay to Romans-sur-Isère. Walnut culture, local history and cycling can each be the focus of your trip.
Walnut culture in Vinay
The Grand Séchoir is a museum in Vinay dedicated to Noix de Grenoble. Its permanent exhibition covers the history of the walnut-growing region and the people who made it famous. It also explores traditional knowledge and the contemporary craft of walnut producers. The Grand Séchoir also offers the escape game “LA LÉGENDE DES NOIX D’OR”, which is recommended for ages 14 and up. Keep the age recommendation in mind if you include this activity in your plans.
Vinay is known as the capital of the AOC “Noix de Grenoble”. The Salon de la Noix de Grenoble also celebrates the region’s walnuts: this event featuring regional products takes place every year on the last weekend of November. This gives you two different timeframes to consider—the museum’s permanent exhibition and the annual event in November.
Local history and events
The Château de Montvinay offers a different historical perspective from the story of walnuts. It was originally built as a medieval castle and later rebuilt in the Renaissance style. The current building dates from 1876. Its history therefore spans several periods, from its medieval origins and Renaissance rebuilding to the 19th-century building that stands today.
The Fêtes de la Rosière take place on the last weekend of August and date back to the will of M. Brun Faulquier. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the relevant date in advance.
Explore the town on foot and the route by bike
Explore the historic town center on foot along the narrow streets of the old town. This lets you experience Vinay at a local scale, while the cycling route takes in longer stretches of the surrounding area.
The 49-kilometer La Belle Via stage from Vinay to Romans-sur-Isère includes several different sections. First, it follows low-traffic roads between La Sône and Saint-Nazaire-en-Royans. Then a cycle path runs alongside the Canal de la Bourne to Eymeux. From there, the route continues partly along roads with very little traffic and partly on a voie verte to Romans-sur-Isère. This gives a clear picture of the stage: road sections alternate with a canal-side cycle path and a voie verte.
Another option is the “Circuit 4: Au pays de la noix” loop, which includes a visit to the Grand Séchoir, close to the town center. The routes offer different experiences: the stage to Romans-sur-Isère focuses on distance and the route itself, while the loop centers on walnuts and a museum visit.
Discover more destinations: Pont-Evêque, Voreppe, Montseveroux, Miribel-Les-Échelles, Colombe, Huez, La Chapelle-Du-Bard, Valjouffrey.
For the broader travel overview: Isere.
