The best traffic-free bike rides around Saint-Romain-De-Jalionas

In January 1847, an inquiry was opened into projects towards Geneva, Besançon, Dôle-Châlons. In 1850, the Lyon Chamber of Commerce and Industry adopted the project for a rail link from Lyon to Chambéry via Saint Genis sur Guiers. Applications to operate this line were rejected until 1877. The works lasted 4 years, financed in part by Belgian capital. The inauguration took place on October 9, 1881, and the first train ran on October 30. The line started from the Gare de l'Est (Avenue Félix Faure) and ended at Sablonnières. It had 16 stations and 3 stops over a distance of 72 Kms. Passenger traffic increased from 4 daily round trips in 1897 to 8 in 1935. A passenger took 40 minutes on the 6:35 AM train to get from Lyon to Pont de Chéruy and 34 minutes to return to Lyon on the 7:23 PM train. Despite everything, the line was closed to passengers in December 1938, then reopened from September 1939 to December 31, 1947. VFD (Voie Ferrée du Dauphiné) coaches took over the service between Crémieu and Lyon; Freight traffic supplied the main industries (Grammont in Pont de Chéruy and Vicat in Bouvesse) as well as the various industrial zones. The network served 70 private sidings. At its peak in 1935, 1,000,000 tons transited this line. The decision by the cement works to no longer use the rail in 1978 was to deal it a "fatal" blow. In 1980, in its last year, 540,244 tons (including 150,130 of scrap metal) were still transported. In 2001, CoUrLy (Community of Urban Areas of Lyon) and the General Council of the Rhône adopted a decision to reactivate passenger traffic on part of the route of the Eastern line. The objective is to connect Lyon to Saint Exupéry airport.

Shaky section in the rails of the Eastern Lyon Railway

Beautiful little town, quite touristy, but worth the detour

Beautiful stone village and World Heritage Market Hall

The Bienassis fortified house, built by the Vallin family at the end of the 14th century, was organized around an enclosed courtyard and included a pavilion surrounded by watchtower turrets. The current building was completed in 1897 for Casimir Gournet, who wanted to give the old feudal residence the appearance of a medieval castle. Alphonse de Lamartine made several stays in Bienassis with his friend Nicolas Prosper Guichard, between 1804 and 1808. The castle, built of limestone rubble, consists of an L-shaped building covered with a long-pitched roof covered with mechanical tiles extended to the south by a high quadrangular tower with a porch in the work. The north wing has four levels of elevation: three cellars on the basement floor, a square floor and an attic floor. The tower rises on three levels: a ground floor with ribbed vaults and two square floors, the buildings are crowned with false machicolation. The corner turrets are covered with conical slate roofs. The stained glass windows of the ground floor living room are decorated with two bust-length women and two bust-length men in rondels. The coat of arms of the Joubert de Montlevon family can be found on one of the windows of the first living room on the ground floor. In the library, two shields with scrolling scroll motifs, a shield decorated with three female heads, a shield decorated with a passing griffin, and a shield decorated with two hammers with the initials C G for Casimir Gournet adorn the windows. Source: Châteaux de France

Magnificent and immense pond, dominated by Château Saint-Julien, also called Château Saint-Jullin.

This 19th century wash house is remarkable for its size and the quality of its workmanship. Located on the side of the road, it measures more than 11 m. long and shelters a vast basin fed by the waters of the Amby. Its imposing framework supports a slate roof. This washhouse was built in 1873 by Pierre Chatelard, mason, Pierre Marin, master stonemason and Benoît Reynaud, carpenter. Source: balconies of Dauphiné Tourisme

Optevoz has been occupied since the Bronze Age. In the 19th century, limestone mining and agriculture were the main activities. At this time, the village became a place of stay for many painters seduced by the light and the landscapes (in particular the Vanne d'Optevoz represented in numerous paintings). Source: Optevoz website