Discover Pont-D’ain: Weekly Market, River and Heritage

These include the Saturday weekly market, hiking and mountain biking across several types of landscape, water activities on the Ain, and places with historical significance. Whether you want to focus on visiting the market, outdoor activities or local history, you can weigh up these options as you plan your trip.

Saturday weekly market

The Pont-D’ain weekly market takes place on Saturdays under the market hall from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is held throughout the year. This makes Saturday morning a clearly defined time slot if you would like to include a market visit in your stay. Vendors include, among others, bakers, poultry sellers, charcuterie vendors, fishmongers, cheesemongers, and fruit and vegetable sellers. The selection covers several food categories. Times and the mix of vendors may change, so check the current market hours before your visit.

Hiking, mountain biking and a circular trail

Pont-D’ain offers opportunities for hiking and mountain biking along the river, across the plain and in the higher parts of the municipality. The different types of landscape can help you choose an activity based on its surroundings.

A tourism description updated in January 2020 gives the circular trail “le Tour du Mont Olivet” as 9.8 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of about three hours and 187 metres of elevation gain; the route is intended for discovering the local heritage. You can consider the distance, approximate walking time and elevation gain as separate points of reference when planning your outing. Check local trail conditions before setting off.

Water activities and fishing

L’Esquimaude offers trips from Pont-D’ain down the Ain by canoe, kayak, solo stand-up paddleboard or group Big Sup, continuing as far as the first rapids of the Rhône. Distances of 5, 7, 13, 22 and 32 kilometres are listed for several water routes. Other departure points besides Pont-D’ain are also available, so check the starting point of each route when choosing one. Check in advance for current departures and available routes, as the offer and seasonal availability may change.

Fishing is another option: several types of fishing permit are available in Pont-D’ain. Permit rules and purchasing options may change, so check which conditions apply to your planned fishing trip beforehand.

Local heritage

The “Chapel of the Catherinette” dates from 1845 and replaced earlier buildings associated with the château. Visiting options may vary; if visiting the chapel is an important part of your plans, check the current arrangements in advance.

You can explore the riverbanks at Quai Justin Reymond. Raft operators used to stop there before the dams were built. Pont-D’ain thus offers two distinct historical points of interest: the former buildings associated with the château and the raft operators on the river.

Practical information

There is a carpool parking area on Rue du 1er septembre 1944 with two electric vehicle charging stations. If you plan to use a charging station, check its availability beforehand, as this may change.

Discover more destinations: Blyes, Châtillon-la-Palud, Thoissey, Saint-Vulbas, Cleyzieu, Buellas, Simandre-sur-Suran, Belley

For the broader travel overview: Ain.