Fancy a trip by bike and bus through the Eyrieux Valley to Lake Devesset, or on to the Doux Valley? The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region offers two ‘bus+bike’ routes in the Ardèche, allowing you to explore the Dolce Via by bus. Are you ready for a driver-led trip in the great outdoors?
La Dolce Via
The first greenway to be created in the valleys of the Ardèche department, the Dolce Via follows the Eyrieux valley alongthe old railway line and offers a route suitable for all non-motorised vehicles for over 80 per cent of the journey, shared with local residents.
This cycle route, which you can tailor to suit your preferences, stretches for 90 kilometres through natural landscapes dotted with hamlets and villages just waiting to be explored.
The Ardèche by bus and bike
From 1 April to 30 November, two intercity bus routes in the Ardèche offer a free bike transport service included in the price of your ticket, subject to availability, so you can explore the Dolce Via on your outward or return journey.
There are two routes to choose from, depending on what you fancy: one via the Doux Valley, the other via the Eyrieux Valley.
Cycling and bus routes through the Ardèche valleys
Here is a simplified map showing the possible bus and cycle routes via the Dolce Via through the Eyrieux Valley or the Doux Valley, from La Voulte (Ardèche), Valence (Drôme), Tournon-sur-Rhône and Tain l’Hermitage (Drôme and Ardèche):
Line E05: Tournon, Lamastre, the Doux Valley and Saint-Agrève
Operating all year round for pedestrians, the E05 bus route between Tournon-sur-Rhône in Ardèche and Chambon-sur-Lignon in Haute-Loire allows youto take your bike onboard, subject to booking, from 1 April to 30 November.
This bus route takes you to Lamastre or Saint-Agrève, where you can combine bus and cycle travel to reach the Ardèche plateau and the valleys of the Rhône’s tributaries, the Eyrieux, which rises at Lake Devesset, and the Doux, which has its source at Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid in Haute-Loire.
The line winds its way through the Doux Valley, alongside the famous Mastrou steam train and the Gorges du Doux rail bike – two flagship experiences for exploring this region along its working railway lines.
Bus and cycle stops on the E05 route between Doux and Lignon
From the Doux to the Lignon, skirting the Eyrieux: departing from Tournon-sur-Rhône and close to Tain l’Hermitage railway station, the Ardèche bus service’s E05 route allows you to reach the Dolce Via from Lamastre or Saint-Agrève, depending on your chosen route. Plans are underway for the Haut-Lignon cycle route and greenway from Le Chambon, which will one day link up with the Via Fluvia.
This route serves the following towns:
- Tournon-sur-Rhône (connection to Tain-L’Hermitage)
- Saint-Barthélemy-le-Plain
- Colombier-le-Jeune
- Boucieu-le-Roi
- Arlebosc
- Le Crestet
- Lamastre
- Desaignes
- Saint-Agrève (near Lake Devesset)
- March
- Chambon-sur-Lignon.
Timetable for bus route E05 in Ardèche
View the timetable for bus route E05 between the Ardèche and Haute-Loire departments:
Route E12: Valence/Le Cheylard and the Eyrieux Valley
From 1 April to 30 November, the E12 bus route between Valence in the Drôme and Le Cheylard in the Ardèche allows you to take your bike on board – subject to booking – for a journey to the Dolce Via by bus.
This bus route allows you to travel along the Dolce Via in either direction and head for the Ardèche plateau, choosing the stops that suit you best.
Bus and cycle stops on the E12 route between Valentinois and Vivarais
Departing from Valence coach station, next to Valence-Ville railway station and itself connected to Valence-TGV station, the Ardèche bus service’s E12 route takes you to the Eyrieux Valley. After crossing and following the River Rhône from the Drôme to Beauchastel, on the outskirts of the Dolce Via.
This route serves the following towns:
- Valence coach station (near Valence-Ville railway station)
- Guilherand-Granges
- Let’s be
- Charms
- Saint-Georges-les-Bains
- Beauchastel (V
- La Voulte
- Saint-Laurent-du-Pape
- Saint-Fortunat, Dunière/Eyrieux
- Les Ollières
- Saint-Sauver-de-Montagut
- Saint-Maurice-en-Chalencon
- Beauvène
- Saint-Barthélemy-le-Meil
- Saint-Michel-d’Aurance
- Le Cheylard.
Timetable for the E12 bus route in Ardèche
View the timetable for bus route E12 between the Drôme and Ardèche departments:
A handy guide to buses in the Ardèche
Want to find out about fares, book a space for your bike via the freephone number, or find out how the bike rack on a bus works? Click here!
Booking & prices
Transport of your bicycle is included in the ticket price, subject to availability.
- You must make your booking at least 48 hours in advance by calling the following freephone number:
- Bus fare prices (2026):
Taking your bike on the bus – how does it work?
And here’s the tool, attached to the back of your bus:
Although bike rack facilities may vary depending on the buses and coaches in the region, here is an explanatory video to give you an overview of how they work and what to do:
Maps of the Dolce Via
View the route and itineraries to plan your trip, and discover the main towns and places of interest using the Dolce Via maps.
Tourist map & cycle route
And for a general overview via an interactive map, here is the Dolce Via, showing the towns along the route, the main bus stops and rail connections, car parks, and tourist and practical information:
IGN outdoor and road maps
Two IGN Blue Series maps and one departmental map are required to cover the Eyrieux Valley between La Voulte and Le Cheylard, as well as the Drôme and Ardèche regions and the Rhône Valley:
Routes and road maps
If you’re travelling to the Eyrieux Valley by car, here are the routes to the Dolce Via in the Ardèche from all four directions, with several interactive maps depending on your starting point in France:
- Mountain biking and cycle routes in the Ardèche