Nyons is in the Drome department of south east France and is in the northern part of Provence known as Drome Provencale. The town is located on the River Eygues where the flat vineyards of the Rhone valley rise up into the Barronnies hills to the east. It is a small town with 7000 inhabitants, its main interest being the old town with its narrow streets and the Roman bridge spanning the River Eygues

In the old town , the Rue des Deportes and the Place des Arcades are lined with restaurants and are a great place to spend the evening sitting outside eating and drinking.

Nyons is also famous for a number of local products in particular olive oil and olives which are thought by many to be the best in France. Much of the surrounding countryside is given over to the production of Olives as well as apricots, cherries and lavender.
Every Thursday morning a large Provencale market takes over the town and it is a great place to buy all the products mentioned above and also local cheeses and walnut oil from the Isere valley. On Sunday between May and September a craft market also lines the streets of the old town.



To the west of Nyons are the Cotes du Rhone vinyards and famous wine villages such as Gigondas, Rasteau, Sablet, Seguret, Vinsobres and Chateauneuf du Pape are just a stones throw away. Needless to say wine tasting is a popular passtime in this area!
We will happily arrange wine tasting trips to some of the best local vinyards and if you happen to go wine tasting while you are out cycling we can arrange to collect any wine you buy later.

Other activities



There are masses to do in and around Nyons for non cyclists and cyclists on a rest day. One of the main attractions is walking in the surrounding countryside and visiting some of the scenic perched villages in the region. Most villages have waymarked circuits and local "randonee" maps can be found at the local tourist offices.
Rock climbing is also popular in The Dentelle Mountains and in the nearby village of Buis les Baronnies.

Horse riding is also very popular and there are many local equestrian centres offering half and full day trecking packages.

The waterpark, Nyonsoleido, was built in 2002 and is open from June to September. There are waterfalls, slides and a large pool to keep the kids happy and quiet areas for sunbathing. Cost is 4 euros for a day ticket.

Nyons also has a unique climate which is one of the driest in France. The town is sheltered from the famous Mistral wind which blows down the Rhone Valley but is cooled by The Pontias wind which blows down from The Alps. This gives a very comfortable climate all year round. Over 2700 hours of sunshine per annum have earned Nyons the nickname Petit Nice.