Valence

Valence exists for two thousand years now and is famous for its academic traditions which started in 1452. It is said the King Louis XI founded the university in the city. Even up to this day, universities continue to flourish especially the music schools.

The Mediterranean and city of Paris serve as boundaries of Valence. This location is also the reason for its fame. The main tourist attraction in the city is a cathedral, the St. Apollinaire, which is the iota of the town. Its vicinity is filled with lintels, religious relics, monuments, and chapels. Meanwhile, the oldest cotes near the cathedral are famous because historical personages such as Napoleon and Rabelais passed that way.

If you think that museums are a nuisance, then check out the 8,000 footwear collections in the Museum of the Chaussure. The collections range from ancient to present designs and showcases cultural exhibits. Also visit the Palace named after Cheval, a postman who created out of his stone collections a massive palace right in his garden.

History has it that the Romans called the city as Valentia in 2 B.C. The driving forces behind its economy are textiles, jewelries, textile products, munitions, and metal products. As a matter of fact, the ancient gunpowder factory is situated in this city.