ViaRhôna: which way and when to ride

The best month for ViaRhôna is October: 77% of days were dry with highs of 10–30 °C. In October the wind barely favours either direction — on average 1.0 km/h along the route (ERA5 2006–2025, daytime 9:00–18:00).

How it works ↓

ERA5 2006–2025 · OpenStreetMap · Methodology and sources

765 kmLength

September–October (peak October)Best months

eitherBetter direction in the best month

1.0 km/hAverage tailwind in the best month

77%Dry days with 10–30 °C

June · 59%Best summer month

Start: Saint-Gingolph · Finish: Sète · Route geometry: OpenStreetMap / Waymarked Trails

Weather by month

Good days

Month	Good days	Rain days ≥ 1 mm	Rain, mm	Avg high	Days ≥ 30 °C	Days < 10 °C	Daylight, h
January	28%	22%	86	8 °C	0%	67%	9.1 †
February	45%	20%	68	10 °C	0%	48%	10.3 †
March	64%	22%	84	13 °C	0%	23%	11.8
April	72%	25%	78	17 °C	0%	7%	13.4
May	68%	30%	106	20 °C	2%	1%	14.8
June	59%	24%	78	25 °C	18%	0%	15.6
July	48%	19%	70	28 °C	36%	0%	15.3
August	52%	17%	72	27 °C	33%	0%	14.1
September	75%	19%	93	23 °C	6%	0%	12.4
October	77%	21%	107	18 °C	0%	4%	10.9 †
November	52%	26%	117	12 °C	0%	33%	9.5 †
December	31%	25%	99	8 °C	0%	60%	8.8 †

Best months are all months within 3 percentage points of the best one. † less than 11 hours of daylight — long stages get tight.

Wind by month

Wind Saint-Gingolph → Sète, km/h

Month	Wind Saint-Gingolph → Sète, km/h	Headwind > 15 km/h, Saint-Gingolph → Sète	Headwind > 15 km/h, Sète → Saint-Gingolph	Better way
January	+2.4	3%	12%	Saint-Gingolph → Sète
February	+1.8	4%	12%	either
March	+1.2	5%	12%	either
April	+0.7	6%	11%	either
May	+0.7	6%	12%	either
June	+0.3	5%	10%	either
July	+0.8	4%	10%	either
August	+0.9	4%	10%	either
September	+1.3	3%	10%	either
October	+1.0	5%	9%	either
November	+1.5	4%	10%	either
December	+1.7	3%	9%	either

On the ViaRhôna (765 km from Saint-Gingolph to Sète) the main enemy in summer is heat, not wind, so the best time is September and October, with 75% and 77% good days. In July, an average of 36% of days along the route reach 30 °C, in August 33%. South and north, however, live by different calendars. On the stage Avignon → Sète, 54% of July days are hot, and the best month there is March (84%). On the first stage, Saint-Gingolph → Valleiry, there are only 6% of such days in July.

Downstream or upstream on the Rhône

On average a tailwind gives you almost nothing: 1.0 km/h towards Sète in October. The difference shows up in strong wind. A headwind above 15 km/h hits a northbound rider in the face in 9–12% of hours, a southbound rider in 3–6%. On the Le Pouzin → Avignon stage, in the best month, a tailwind pushes you south at 4.0 km/h. If you do choose a direction, make it towards Sète. The numbers describe the climate of 2006–2025, not a forecast; check the forecast before setting off.

Stages

The route is split into 6 stages of about 100–150 km between towns; each stage has its own page.

Stage	km	Best month	Tailwind Saint-Gingolph → Sète in October, km/h
1. Saint-Gingolph → Valleiry	106	September	0.0
2. Valleiry → Montalieu	132	September	−0.4
3. Montalieu → Vienne	122	October	−0.9
4. Vienne → Le Pouzin	128	October	+0.9
5. Le Pouzin → Avignon	123	October	+4.0
6. Avignon → Sète	154	March	+1.9

OpenStreetMap · Waymarked Trails

ViaRhôna: which way and when to ride

Weather by month

Wind by month

Downstream or upstream on the Rhône

Stages

Related pages