Discover Clonas-sur-Varèze

Clonas-sur-Varèze offers a range of points of interest for your stay, including archaeological remains beneath the present-day town centre, sacred art and a hillside location on the banks of the Rhône. You can focus on the Villa de Licinius, sacred art or the Le Plateau de Louze walking route. If you are looking for a hotel in Clonas-sur-Varèze, this personal focus can be a useful starting point for planning your trip.

Landscape and walking route

The town is situated on a west-facing hillside. To the east, the slope connects the Plateau de Louze at an elevation of 250 metres with the alluvial plain on the left bank of the Rhône at 160 metres. This makes its location a transition between a higher plateau and a lower plain. There is a 90-metre difference between the two stated elevations, adding a specific height difference to the west-facing aspect of the hillside. A plateau is a relatively flat area of higher ground; an alluvial plain is a flat landscape along a river. The Le Plateau de Louze walking route starts at Clonas-sur-Varèze Town Hall Square. Check the route information before setting out if you are including the walk in your plans.

Villa de Licinius

Archaeological excavations located the Villa de Licinius beneath the present-day town centre. A wall painting and a large mosaic are displayed in a building constructed by the municipality in 2007. The mosaic of the god Océan dates from the 2nd century AD and was discovered in August 1996. The workshops at Saint-Romain-en-Gal carefully restored it. Today, the Villa’s museum area presents the mosaic and the excavated archaeological remains to the public. The mosaic was created long before it was discovered.

Visits and events

The Villa’s cultural and educational programme includes self-guided and guided visits, concerts as part of “Allées chantent”, and educational workshops for primary schools, collèges and lycées. The specific programme may vary; check dates in advance if a particular event or type of visit is important to your stay.

Sacred art

Sacred cultural objects also form part of the town’s character. The painting “Sainte Marguerite” depicts the standing saint against a rocky landscape, with a dragon at her feet; it has been listed as a movable cultural object since 14 June 2007. The ciborium in the sacristy of the Église Sainte-Marguerite has also been listed as a movable cultural object since the same date. The painting is notable for its subject, while the ciborium is distinguished by its connection to the sacristy of the Église Sainte-Marguerite.

The municipality, the Association Janus and village associations celebrated the 30th anniversary of the mosaic’s discovery with a Gallo-Roman festival.

Discover more destinations: Vizille, Bilieu, Uriage-Les-Bains, Beaurepaire, Saint-Étienne-De-Saint-Geoirs, Nivolas-Vermelle, Tullins, Le Pont-De-Beauvoisin

For the broader travel overview: Isere.