Valance was a 1st Century Roman colony known as Velentia and laid out in a geometrical ‘checkerboard’ plan. Over the centuries, the city spread to the banks of the Rhône River, but sadly, there are few remains to illustrate the a richness which once rivalled that of Vienne and Arles, further south.
Valance was a 'frontier' city from the 9th - 14th Centuries, the Rhône River forming the border between the German Holy Roman Empire and that of France. It remained under the authority of the Bishop’s and the Counts of the Valentinois until it became part of France in 1446. It was also the meeting point for culture and languages, ’langue d’oïl’ and the 'langue d’oc'.
A cable ferry took trade across the Rhône from the 11th Century until it was replaced by a bridge in the 18th Century. The Frederic Mistral Bridge was built in 1967.
The Cathedral Saint-Apollinaire is at the heart of a large religious complex and the Bishops palace has a Fine-Arts Museum and cloisters. In the Place des Clercs is the town's first theatre, used for both theatrical performances and executions.
For more tourist information and history, see Premier Pages (Wine Regions, Places of Interest)