Valois’ tower

The Valois tower

A stop on the Vienne audio-guided tour, the quai Jean Jaures runs along the Rhone and offers a fine view of the other bank. Opposite stands the Valois tower, in the commune of Sainte-Colombe.

A border between two kingdoms

On the other side of the river lie Saint-Romain-en-Gal and Sainte-Colombe, in the Rhone department. The Valois tower was built in the fourteenth century, by order of King Philip VI of Valois, hence its name. Sainte-Colombe was then attached to the Kingdom of France, while Vienne still belonged to the Holy Roman Empire until 1450: this border village had to be fortified.

What to see

Nearly thirty metres high, the tower is the only remnant of the wall that once separated the two towns. Do cross the Rhone by the footbridge to get closer and stroll through the commune of Sainte-Colombe, which has kept its charm over time.

Practical information

The Valois tower is in Sainte-Colombe, on the right bank of the Rhone, opposite Vienne. It can be viewed freely from the quays or more closely by crossing the footbridge.

Who had the Valois tower built ?

King Philip VI of Valois, in the fourteenth century, to defend the border village of Sainte-Colombe.

What is the tower a remnant of ?

Of the wall that once separated Sainte-Colombe, on the French side, from Vienne, then in the Holy Roman Empire.