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80-666: In 1949, the international speleological community, then mostly Europeans, agreed in a meeting in Valence-sur-Rhone , France, to hold international speleological congresses beginning in Paris in 1953. These efforts continued during the Cold War . At the 4th International Congress of Speleology in Postojna / Ljubljana in 1965, a group of speleologists proposed to establish an association that would bring together scientists and cavers on both sides of

160-481: A forum was located, probably surrounded by a civil basilica , curia , a temple , etc., of which the location is unknown. To the south of the presumed forum site, between the Rue du Théâtre and Rue Vernoux the ruins of the thermae were discovered. This thermal water supply, and more generally that of the city of Valentia , was thanks to the numerous springs in the vicinity. The site of Valence still presents

240-459: A 149 km (93 mi) section of the Rhône was made navigable for small ships up to Seyssel . As of 2017 , the part between Lyon and Sault-Brénaz is closed for navigation. The Saône, which is also canalized, connects the Rhône ports to the cities of Villefranche-sur-Saône , Mâcon and Chalon-sur-Saône . Smaller vessels (up to CEMT class I ) can travel further northwest, north and northeast via

320-516: A Roman military camp. Even under the Roman domination, the Allobroges tribe established themselves north of Isère, and repeatedly rebelled against the Roman occupation. The Battle of Solonion  [ fr ] was the last to take place, identifiable with the modern commune of Soyons ( Solo by Livy , Epitome 103) in 62 BC. The city of Valentia was established on a terrace on the left bank of

400-663: A dense network of streams and canals born of the overflow of water which escapes in sources at the foot of the terraces, forming, in the east, a curved line from the source of the Treuil up to the Fountain of Malcontents, and near the Rhône and the lower town, a quasi-parallel line to the river from the Saint-Pierre source until the descent of the Boulevard Gambetta . Thus, the Chony quarter (in

480-726: A different country. These Bureau members are elected at the General Assemblies for a period of four years. The Bureau is assisted by an Advisory Committee, consisting mostly of the past presidents and other past officers. UIS activities take place in a number of commissions and working groups, such as the UIS Informatics Commission formed in 1986, the Speleotherapy Commission or the Karst Hydrogeology and Speleogenesis Commission. Other UIS undertakings include

560-510: A fragment of the True Cross . The episcopal district also included housing for the canons, grouped around a court cemetery, and a round church, Notre-Dame-la-Ronde. At the beginning of the 9th century, perhaps before, the Roman wall was raised with walls constructed from pebbles . In 890, the widow of King Boso of Provence had their son, Louis III , crowned King of Provence in Valence. In 1029,

640-657: A golden age for the medieval city, materialised by the Maison des Têtes  [ fr ] and the Pendentif de Valence  [ fr ] . Founded on 26 July 1452 by the dauphin Louis, future Louis XI , the University of Valence grew quickly. Renowned professors from various countries, as Jacques Cujas forged its reputation by teaching the law, theology, medicine and arts. After his coronation, Louis XI confirmed its preference by mailing

720-489: A huge toothed "claw"wheel 6.5 metres (21 ft) across to grip the river bed in the shallows to supplement the paddle wheels. In the 20th century, powerful motor barges propelled by diesel engines were introduced, carrying 1,500 tonnes (3,300,000 lb). In 1933, the Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) was established to improve navigation and generate electricity, also to develop irrigated agriculture and to protect

800-534: A market in the town of Valence, in 1476, during his stay in the city and confirmed tax privileges for the city of Valence. This era ended abruptly in 1562 during the occupation of the city by the troops of the Protestant Baron des Adrets : All the religious buildings of Valence were partially or completely destroyed. François Rabelais studied at Valence in 1532, before settling in Lyon, a great cultural centre where

880-587: A mass of about a ton. This mode of hauling regressed at the end of the 15th century, to be replaced by hauling by horses, except for local hauling. The city, safe from the flooding of the river and protected by its ramparts, was a step on the road for pilgrimages to Compostela . Religious life flourished, the Saint-Apollinaire Cathedral was built as well as the Abbey of the canons of Saint-Ruf  [ fr ] . Two major characters vied for power over

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960-586: A series of dams and diversion canals, with a navigation lock beside the hydroelectric power plant on each of these canals. The locks were up to 23 metres (75 ft) deep. After building the Génissiat dam on the Upper Rhône (with no lock) in 1948, designed to meet the electricity needs of Paris, twelve hydroelectric plants and locks were built between 1964 and 1980. With a total head of 162 m (531 ft), they produce 13 GWh of electricity annually, or 16% of

1040-567: Is 251 cubic metres per second (8,900 cu ft/s). Below the dam, the Rhône receives the waters of the Arve , fed by the Mont Blanc massif, with a visibly higher sediment load and much lower temperature. After a total of 290 kilometres (180 mi) in Switzerland, the Rhône continues west, entering France and the southern Jura Mountains . It turns toward the south, past Lac de Bourget , which

1120-578: Is a commune in southeastern France, the prefecture of the Drôme department and within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region . It is situated on the left bank of the Rhône , about 100 kilometres (62 mi) south of Lyon , along the railway line that runs from Paris to Marseille . It is the eighth-largest city in the region by its population and has 64,726 registered inhabitants in 2018 (132,556 inhabitants in

1200-548: The A7 and A49 autoroutes, the RN7 , Paris/Marseille TGV line , as well as the Rhône . In addition, the Valence agglomeration is equipped with a marina  [ fr ] , a trading port  [ fr ] , two railway stations ( Valence-Ville and Valence-TGV ) and an airport . Its business is essentially turned towards the sectors of agriculture , metallurgy , engineering and electronics . The commune, founded in 121 BC, after

1280-761: The Archbishop of Vienne invested Guigues III the Old of the County of Viennois. It belonged to the family of the Counts of Albon, which held the region for decades, frequently occupying the county and the Diocese of Valence . The region still suffered the raids of the Saracens at the end of the 9th and the 10th century. The Rhône was sometimes presented as the border between the Kingdom of France and

1360-531: The Burgundians were masters of the Rhône basin at the end of the 5th century; the Valence people fell to the Frankish Kingdom in 533 AD. These successive invasions removed almost all traces of Romanisation. During this troubled period, the city converted its ancient walls into stronger fortifications: Roman gates were bricked up, thus doing away with the two main axes of the city and lasting restructuring of

1440-846: The Centre -Loire-Briare and Loing Canals to the Seine , via the Canal de la Marne à la Saône (recently often called the " Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne ") to the Marne , via the Canal des Vosges (formerly called the "Canal de l'Est – Branche Sud") to the Moselle and via the Canal du Rhône au Rhin to the Rhine . The Rhône is infamous for its strong current when the river carries large quantities of water: current speeds up to 10 km/h (6.2 mph) are sometimes reached, particularly in

1520-642: The Dauphiné , of which it forms the second largest city after Grenoble and is today part of the network of French Towns and Lands of Art and History . Formerly the duchy of Valentinois, it was ruled by the Duke of Valentinois , a title which is still claimed by the Sovereign Prince of Monaco , though he has no actual administrative control over the area. Monuments in Valence include the Maison des Têtes  [ fr ] , built between 1528 and 1532 by Antoine de Dorne,

1600-559: The Ferme Générale and redistributed the proceeds of his theft from it. After spending several days in the city prison, Mandrin was sentenced to death : It was conducted on the Place des Clercs  [ fr ] where the scaffold was erected, his death ensued on the breaking wheel . His body was exposed after his death, during three days, and many people flocked to pay him a last tribute, as his popularity increased. The death of Mandrin on

1680-695: The Goths under Ataulf besieged and captured the brother of the usurper Jovinus , Sebastianus , at Valentia on behalf of the emperor Honorius . In 440, Alans led by Sambida were given deserted lands in Valentia by the Romans. Three years later, Aetius settled the Burgundians in the region, under King Gondioc which became part of the Kingdom of the Burgundians . His son, Chilperic II , ruled Valence from 473 to 493 when he

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1760-460: The Holy Roman Empire which made Valence part, until the 15th century, but it was especially a link between the countries bordering it. The Diocese of Valence, as the rival principality, the County of Valentinois and Diois, extended on both sides. It was also an important commercial axis, especially for salt, which would benefit the city which guards traces of the name of Rue "Saunière", formerly

1840-652: The Iron Curtain and coordinate their activities. At the closing ceremony of this congress, the UIS was finally launched. However, the confirmation of its organization and statutes did not take place until the following congress in Stuttgart in 1969. Meetings have been held in the following years: The main body of the UIS is the General Assembly, which is composed of delegates from 58 member countries and meets every four years on

1920-817: The Little Rhône ( le Petit Rhône ). The resulting delta forms the Camargue region. The river's source is the Rhône Glacier , at the east edge of the Swiss canton of Valais . The glacier is part of the Saint-Gotthard Massif , which gives rise to three other major rivers: the Reuss , Rhine and Ticino . The Rhône is, with the Po and the Nile , one of the three Mediterranean rivers with

2000-508: The Rhône river, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the confluence of the Isère and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the Drôme . This geographical situation is understood by the crossing of several routes of transport and communications: The city of Valence, as many Gallo-Roman cities, received an orthonormal plan. The orientation of the urban streets network successively followed cadastres "A" inclined N, 12°30'E and "B", inclined N, 23°E, in

2080-459: The Saint-Apollinaire Cathedral , built between 1063 and 1099 under the leadership of Bishop Gontard and also the monumental fountain  [ fr ] designed by the architect Eugène Poitoux. The city has many historical monuments  [ fr ] , most of which are in Vieux Valence  [ fr ] . Inscribed on the list of floral towns and villages of France, Valence is one of

2160-692: The Salyes who had ravaged its territory. The intervention of the Romans, from 125 BC, assured its safety but the war continued against the Allobroges , among whom the Salyes people had found refuge. In August 121 BC, the army of Quintus Fabius Maximus crushed them at the Battle of the Isère River (confluence of the Rhône and Isère ) according to Strabo ( Geographica , IV, 1, 11). Orosius noted that Gaius Marius , who

2240-745: The Speleological Abstracts (SA/BBS), an annual survey of the world's speleological literature, or the Karst Information Portal (KIP), an open-access digital library on karst environments. Of the 12 past presidents in office, 10 have been male: Former general secretaries: Since 1978, UIS publishes the International Journal of Speleology . Valence-sur-Rh%C3%B4ne Valence ( US : / v ə ˈ l ɒ̃ s , v æ ˈ l ɒ̃ s / , French: [valɑ̃s] ; Occitan : Valença [vaˈlensɔ] )

2320-835: The Swiss Alps , at an altitude of approximately 2,208 metres (7,244 ft). From there it flows southwest through Gletsch and the Goms, the uppermost valley region of the Valais before Brig . In the Brig area, it receives the waters of the Massa from the Aletsch Glacier , the longest glacier of the Alps, and shortly after, it receives the waters of the Vispa , the longest affluent in Valais. After that, it flows onward through

2400-418: The 4th century, Valentia faced many raids but the city within the ramparts retained its monumental adornments competing according to Ammianus Marcellinus ( Histoires , XV, 11, 14), with Arles and Vienne . At the dawn of the 5th century, the city lived in shelter of the ramparts erected under the late Roman Empire (still a visible construction in the 19th century). The Visigoths seized Valence in 413 AD;

2480-639: The Alps. From Lyon, the Rhône flows south, in its large valley between the Alps and the Massif Central . At Arles , the Rhône divides into two major arms forming the Camargue delta , both branches flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, the delta being termed the Rhône Fan. The larger arm is called the "Grand Rhône", the smaller the "Petit Rhône". The average annual discharge at Beaucaire is 1,700 m /s (60,000 cu ft/s). The main tributaries of

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2560-813: The Morge and Hermance, the lake is divided by the two countries along its centreline, with the left bank in France. The remainder of the lake is Swiss, including the entire right (north) bank. Here, the tributaries are the Veveyse , the Venoge , the Aubonne , the Morges , among other smaller rivers. Lake Geneva ends in the city of Geneva , where the lake level is controlled by the Le Seujet dam  [ fr ] . The average discharge from Lake Geneva

2640-487: The Rhône are, from source to mouth: The Rhône has been an important highway since the times of the Greeks and Romans . It was the main trade route from the Mediterranean to east-central Gaul . As such, it helped convey Greek cultural influences to the western Hallstatt and the later La Tène cultures. Celtic tribes living near the Rhône included the Seduni , Sequani, Segobriges , Allobroges , Segusiavi , Helvetii , Vocontii and Volcae Arecomici . Navigation

2720-562: The Rhône corridor a major north-south communication axis, linking with the new Roman possessions around the Mediterranean Sea . Many settlements were founded, including Valentia , a Latin name meaning La Vaillante [brave], La Vigoureuse [strong], in the territory of the Segovellaunes  [ fr ] . The town named Valença in Occitan ( Classical norm ), Valènço in literary Provençal and Valinço in local Vivaro-Alpine ( Mistralian norm ). The city of Massalia , long on good terms with Rome, asked it for help against

2800-407: The Rhône drains via the Canal de Savières . Continuing generally westward, the Rhône then receives the waters of the Valserine , enters the reservoir created by the Génissiat Dam , and is then joined by the Ain . Reaching Lyon , the most populous city on its course, the Rhône receives its biggest tributary, the Saône , with an average flow of 473 m /s (16,700 cu ft/s), compared to

2880-486: The Rhône's 600 m /s (21,000 cu ft/s) at this point. From this confluence, the Rhône follows a southward course. Along the Rhône Valley, it is joined on the right (western) bank by the rivers Eyrieux , Ardèche , Cèze , and Gardon coming from the Cévennes mountains ; and on the left bank by the rivers Isère , (with an average discharge of 333 m /s (11,800 cu ft/s)), Drôme , Ouvèze , and Durance (188 m /s (6,600 cu ft/s)) from

2960-421: The Valence plain. We know the decumanus of the city thanks to the discovery of a pavement and a sewer a few metres north of the city hall. The cardo of the urban network was the Via Agrippa that crossed the city in a straight line from the southern gate of the city to the old gate and Tower of Aion, north of the city, which later became "Tourdeon" (now destroyed). It was along the Via Agrippa that

3040-425: The Vatican. Rh%C3%B4ne The Rhône ( / r oʊ n / ROHN , French: [ʁon] ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea ( Gulf of Lion ). At Arles , near its mouth, the river divides into the Great Rhône (French: le Grand Rhône ) and

3120-430: The adjective derived from the river is rhodanien , as in le sillon rhodanien (literally "the furrow of the Rhône"), which is the name of the long, straight Saône and Rhône river valleys, a deep cleft running due south to the Mediterranean and separating the Alps from the Massif Central . Before railroads and highways were developed, the Rhône was an important inland trade and transportation route, connecting

3200-443: The capital of hauling along the towpath , because beside this advantage due to the wind, it was a one-day stop from Lyon, and a crossroads into the mountains. Finally, the rise of the Rhône was particularly difficult at Valence, which caused forced stops. Several Valentinois were specialised in the brokerage of haulers. The haulers pulled either a big boat or boat trains, with teams from a few dozen to several hundred men. Each man drew

3280-443: The cities of Arles , Avignon , Valence , Vienne and Lyon to the Mediterranean ports of Fos-sur-Mer , Marseille and Sète . Travelling down the Rhône by barge would take three weeks. By motorized vessel, the trip now takes only three days. The Rhône is classified as a Class V waterway for the 325 km-long (202-mile) section from the mouth of the Saône at Lyon to the sea at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône . Upstream from Lyon,

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3360-427: The city had been the capital of the Segalauni  [ fr ] , and the seat of a celebrated school prior to the Roman conquest. It became a colony under Augustus , and was an important town of Viennensis Prima under Valentinian I . It was the seat of a bishopric perhaps as early as the 4th century. In the 5th century, control of Valentia passed from the Romans to the Alans and other barbarians : in 413,

3440-402: The city: The Bishop and the Count of Valentinois . Economic growth translated into the development of towns, especially on the side of the Rhône: The Rivière (Riperia) said today, less poetically, as "Basse-Ville". The new city, north of the former Pomperi gate and Bourg-Saint-Pierre, formed around the Abbey of Saint-Pierre, which spawned the current commune of Bourg-lès-Valence . Elsewhere, on

3520-434: The control of the city they had won in the fifth century. These bishops were often in conflict with the citizens and the counts of Valentinois and to strengthen their hands against the latter the pope in 1275 united their bishopric with that of Die . The citizens put themselves under the protection of the dauphin , and in 1456 had their rights and privileges confirmed by Louis XI and put on an equal footing with those of

3600-402: The country's total hydroelectric production (20% if the Upper Rhône schemes are added). There have been significant benefits for agriculture throughout the Rhône valley. With the Lower Rhône project completed, CNR turned its attention to the Haut-Rhône (Upper Rhône), and built four hydropower dams in the 1980s: Sault-Brénaz, Brégnier-Cordon, Belley-Brens and Chautagne. It also drew up plans for

3680-460: The current commune of Bourg-lès-Valence ), were found remains of pipes that belonged to the aqueduct that brought water from the source of the Treuil to Valence. All around the current cathedral were discovered fragments of architecture probably belonging to a large temple. The city had entertainment facilities: The city was surrounded by ramparts from the early Roman Empire . This was constructed between 15 BC and 15 AD. In 1869, excavations to

3760-424: The disappearance of the County of Valentinois  [ fr ] , incorporated into the Province of Dauphiné  [ fr ] , the dauphin Louis II de Poitiers-Valentinois  [ fr ] may have imposed homage to the Bishop and Abbot of Saint-Ruf (free abbot, with immunity from Royal taxes and so forth): Valence was therefore incorporated into the province of Dauphiné. On the death of Louis II, who

3840-412: The historical region of Chablais . It then enters Lake Geneva near Le Bouveret , where the water flows west. On the left (south) bank of Lake Geneva, the river Morge joins at the village of Saint-Gingolph , and also marks the French-Swiss border. Westward, the Dranse (unrelated to the Drance) enters the lake with its preserved delta , and then the Hermance marks another French-Swiss border. Between

3920-426: The installation of a new barracks in the Rollin quarter, north of the Roman road. Charles IX passed through the town during his royal tour of France (1564–1566), accompanied by the Court and the nobles of the Kingdom: His brother the Duke of Anjou , Henri de Navarre and the Cardinals of Bourbon and Lorraine . It was in Valence that the saga of Louis Mandrin ended in May 1755, the smuggler who challenged

4000-423: The invasion of Gallia Narbonensis by the Romans , it moved quickly to become the largest crossroad behind Lyon . With its growing importance, Valence gained the status of Roman colony. Over the centuries, the town grew and grew. Today, many vestiges of the Middle Ages , Renaissance , but also from the 17th century, 18th century and 19th century are visible in the city centre. The city is historically attached to

4080-433: The large glaciers of the massifs of Monte Rosa , Dom , and Grand Combin , but also from the steeper slopes of the Bernese Alps to the north, and the Mont Blanc massif to the west. As a result, the Rhône Valley experiences a drier climate than the rest of Switzerland , being sheltered by the three highest ranges of the Alps, making Valais the driest and largest wine region of the country. At Martigny, where it receives

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4160-626: The largest water discharge . The name Rhône continues the Latin Rhodanus name ( Greek Ῥοδανός Rhodanós ) in Greco-Roman geography . The Gaulish name of the river was * Rodonos or * Rotonos (from a PIE root * ret- "to run, roll" frequently found in river names). Names in other languages include German : Rhone [ˈroːnə] ; Walser : Rotten [ˈrotən] ; Italian : Rodano [ˈrɔːdano] ; Arpitan : Rôno [ˈʁono] ; Occitan : Ròse [ˈrɔze, ˈʀɔze] ; and Romansh : Rodan . The Greco-Roman as well as

4240-399: The letters patent for the university on 12 October 1461. In March 1480, the King still supported his preferred university. The dauphin Louis made numerous stays in Valence where, as a sign of allegiance, he donated a gate to the city, the Saunière gate and a few houses nearby. It made for a "delphinal palace", later occupied by the religious order of the Recollects . As Louis XI, he allowed

4320-484: The library trade blossomed. A strategic location in the Rhône Valley, Valence had been militarised since its origin and had 7,100 inhabitants in the 1700s, who bore responsibility for housing soldiers. To reduce this burden a municipal deliberation was offered in 1714: a barracks was constructed in the current Rue Bouffier , a temporary camp which quickly became inadequate to accommodate the 12,000 men and 20,000 horses stationed there. The city invested 190,000 livres for

4400-434: The middle terrace, habitat outside-the-walls was associated with religious foundations: The commandery of the Hospitallers, the Tourdeon gate, the Abbey of Saint-Félix, the Saint-Sulpice gate, the Faventines Templar Commandery, the Benedictine Priory of Saint-Victor in the south near the former Via Agrippa and, perhaps, further to the south, a leprosarium whose memory is retained through the channel of la Maladière. After

4480-407: The name of one of the four gates of Valence, the one which gave access to the south. The city also benefitted from its position at a point of change in the regime of winds in the Rhône Valley: In the Middle Ages, vessels ascended the river only by being hauled to the col, by sweat (by men). North of Valence, the rise could be done under sail (but not always). At the end of the 15th century, it was even

4560-441: The occasion of the International Congresses on Speleology. The voting delegates to the General Assembly are sent by the national scientific societies and associations. At present, the UIS is presided over by a Bureau, which consists of an executive committee of five officers ( President , two Vice Presidents, General Secretary , and Treasurer), who are joined on the Bureau by seven Adjunct Secretaries. Each Bureau member must be from

4640-407: The old provincial divisions. In the region, it was Largentière which called for a Fête de la Fédération on 23 August, Romans-sur-Isère in September, La Voulte gathered 12,000 National Guardsmen to the Champs de l'Étoile on 29 November. Valence invited the surrounding communities on 31 January and brought together 16,000 guards of 293 communes. The region had other celebrations of federation in

4720-428: The posthouse, a cashmere of India (offered to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament), a compass and a powder spoon (available at the Museum of Valence in 1862). He also met the future Cardinal Spina , who would negotiate on behalf of Pope Pius VII in the Concordat of 1801, on the same day. After the convening of the Estates-General , agitation and anxiety grew until the storming of the Bastille , news of which reached

4800-438: The reconstructed Gaulish name is masculine, as is French le Rhône . This form survives in the Spanish/Portuguese and Italian namesakes, el/o Ródano and il Rodano , respectively. German has adopted the French name but given it the feminine gender, die Rhone . The original German adoption of the Latin name was also masculine, der Rotten ; it survives only in the Upper Valais ( dialectal Rottu ). In French,

4880-643: The region around 20 July, causing hope but also increasing concerns of a reactionary plot of aristocrats. The Great Fear arose in the region of a rumor, and spread by degrees, at a blistering pace according to local networks, putting all the villages in motion for their defence. Once the peak of fear passed, a latent anxiety remained, the village communities realised that in an emergency, they were in fact isolated and practically reduced to their own devices. National guards were formed quickly, including in Valence, but communities found it insufficient, and they constituted local federations of mutual assistance, bypassing

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4960-468: The rest of Dauphiné , the bishops consenting to recognize the suzerainty of the dauphin. In the 16th century Valence became the centre of Protestantism for the province in 1563. The town was fortified by King Francis I . It became the seat of a celebrated university in the middle of the 15th century; but the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 struck a fatal blow at its industry, commerce and population. The conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar made

5040-443: The riverside towns and land from flooding. Some progress was made in deepening the navigation channel and constructing scouring walls, but World War II brought such work to a halt. In 1942, following the collapse of Vichy France , Italian military forces occupied southeastern France up to the eastern banks of the Rhône, as part of the Italian Fascist regime's expansionist agenda. In 1948, the French government started construction of

5120-514: The seventeen municipalities of the Rhône-Alpes region to be labeled "four flowers" by the Concours des villes et villages fleuris , i.e. the maximum level. The demonym corresponding to Valence is Valentinois , but " Valentinois " also designates a geographical area, and one of the old provinces of France , with its capital Valence having been part of the province of Dauphiné . The word valence comes from Latin valentia , meaning "strength or capacity". Known in Roman times as Valentia Julia ,

5200-403: The south of the old town revealed the existence of a monumental gate defended by two protruding towers. The façade, or at least the pillars which were observed during the excavation, was covered with a large piece of sandstone and adorned with a frieze of military trophies: shields, leggings and breastplates. Houses settled around the city, outside the city walls. The ancient port was perhaps on

5280-416: The stretch below the last lock at Vallabrègues and in the relatively narrow first diversion canal south of Lyon. The 12 locks are operated daily from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. All operation is centrally controlled from one control centre at Châteauneuf. Commercial barges may navigate during the night hours by authorisation. The Rhône begins as the meltwater of the Rhône Glacier in Valais , in

5360-422: The territory of the current commune of Bourg-les-Valence. Numerous tombs were crowded at the exit of the city, along the tracks: Several burial grounds were discovered in the east and south of the ancient city. During the first centuries of the Christian era, Valence became an important road junction on maps and routes, and the late Roman Empire , this city retained its privileged position. However, as early as

5440-401: The then longest ever reigning Roman Catholic Church's 250th Pope Pius VI died here in exile from his Vatican, then within the 754–1798 Papal States, but now within the 1st Republic of France's created 1798–1799 Roman Republic. After some political intrigue covering more than two years, it will not be until December 24, 1801, that the then late pope's body will finally leave Valence and return to

5520-412: The upper river used barques du Rhône , sailing barges, 30 by 3.5 metres (98 by 11 ft), with a 75-tonne (165,000 lb) capacity. As many as 50 to 80 horses were employed to haul trains of five to seven craft upstream. Goods would be transshipped at Arles into 23-metre (75 ft) sailing barges called allèges d'Arles for the final run down to the Mediterranean. The first experimental steam boat

5600-443: The urban area ( unité urbaine ). The city is divided into four cantons . Located in the heart of the Rhone corridor , Valence is often referred to as "the door to the South of France ", the local saying à Valence le Midi commence ("at Valence the Midi begins") pays tribute to the city's southern culture. Between Vercors and Provence , its geographical location attracts many tourists. Axes of transport and communications are

5680-506: The urban network. The rural inhabitants settled on small hills of the plain, giving rise to a large number of villages: Montoison , Montmeyran , Montélier , Montvendre , Montéléger , etc. Around 800, a new Cathedral of Saint-Estève (of St. Stephen) was built instead of the baptistery , with a choir that was oriented to the west. It was constructed symmetrically to the Evangelist Church. It housed numerous relics: Those of saints Apollinaire, Cyprien, Corneille, Félix, Fortunat, Achillée and

5760-484: The valley which bears its name and runs initially in a westerly direction about thirty kilometers to Leuk , then southwest about fifty kilometers to Martigny . Down as far as Brig , the Rhône is a torrent; it then becomes a great mountain river running southwest through a glacial valley. Between Brig and Martigny , it collects waters mostly from the valleys of the Pennine Alps to the south, whose rivers originate from

5840-518: The waters of the Drance on its left bank, the Rhône makes a sharp turn towards the north. Heading toward Lake Geneva ( French : Le Léman ), the valley narrows near Saint-Maurice , a feature that has long given the Rhône valley strategic importance for the control of the Alpine passes. The Rhône then marks the boundary between the cantons of Valais (left bank) and Vaud (right bank), separating two parts of

5920-528: The wheel of Valence marked the end of his actions, but also the beginning of a legend, as the man had marked the minds of his contemporaries. Napoleon Bonaparte was assigned in the city from 1785 to 1786 in the La Fère artillery regiment. He made many future visits. He would indeed return repeatedly to Valence. It included crossing the city on 12 October 1799, during the return of the expedition to Egypt, and offered to his former landlady who came to welcome him at

6000-713: The winter and spring, culminating in the Fête de la Fédération of 14 July 1790, celebrated in Paris and simultaneously in 250 cities in France, including Valence. The university disappeared in 1792 to be reborn at the end of the 20th century. It is now in the 21st Century part of the Community Grenoble Alpes University . This community played another role during the final years of the French Revolution. On August 29, 1799, six weeks after his arrival at this community,

6080-433: Was built at Lyon by Jouffroy d'Abbans in 1783. Regular services were not started until 1829 and they continued until 1952. Steam passenger vessels 80 to 100 metres (260–330 ft) long made up to 20 km/h (11 kn) and could do the downstream run from Lyon to Arles in a day. Cargo was hauled in bateau-anguilles , boats 157 by 6.35 metres (515.1 by 20.8 ft) with paddle wheels amidships, and bateaux crabes ,

6160-404: Was difficult, as the river suffered from fierce currents, shallows, floods in spring and early summer when the ice was melting, and droughts in late summer. Until the 19th century, passengers travelled in coches d'eau (water coaches) drawn by men or horses, or under sail. Most travelled with a painted cross covered with religious symbols as protection against the hazards of the journey. Trade on

6240-546: Was sent by Rome to stop the Cimbri and the Teutons , had established his camp not far from the confluence of the Rhône and the Isère. The excavations on the upper part of the plateau of Lautagne (2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) south of the centre of Valence) revealed the presence of devices of a defensive nature dating from the 1st century BC: Thus the foundation of the city could have come from

6320-724: Was slain by his brother Gundobad . Chilperic's daughter Clotilde married Clovis , the King of the Franks , in 493. Clovis's son Childebert I attacked the Burgundians in 534, adding their territory to the Frankish Kingdom . The city then fell successively under the power of the Franks , the Arabs of Spain, the sovereigns of Arles , the emperors of Germany, the counts of Valentinois , the counts of Toulouse , as well as its own bishops, who struggled to retain

6400-520: Was the last count, the Valentinois was sold in 1419 by his heirs, his daughter Louise de Poitiers (widow of Humbert VII de Thoire  [ fr ] and Villars) and close relatives to Charles, dauphin and King of France ( Charles VII ). The County of Valentinois was attached to the Crown of France  [ fr ] in 1424. The second half of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century were

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