Parc de l'Île de Mars

The park known as the Parc Jouvet, on the Champ de Mars of Valence, is the oldest public park in the city, and it was opened on 13 August 1905. The Champ de Mars is a terraced esplanade above the left bank of the Rhône, on the western side of the old centre, and it forms one of the best viewpoints of the town. The old parade ground where soldiers once drilled, it was laid out as a promenade with rows of trees, and the garden next to it was designed in the early twentieth century as a public park at a time when many French towns created green spaces for their residents. Despite the name Île de Mars sometimes given to it, the park lies on the esplanade, not on an island.

The terrace is the main attraction. From the edge of the Champ de Mars you look across the broad Rhône to the opposite bank, where the wooded hills of the Ardèche rise, and the ruins of the castle of Crussol stand on a ridge. To the east, on clear days, the cliffs of the Vercors can be seen above the city, and the light over the river at the end of the afternoon makes the setting a favourite for walkers. The Rhône here is wide and fast, carrying boats and the barges of the river traffic, and the old stone quay is a place to stop. A small bandstand on the esplanade is named after the illustrator Raymond Peynet, whose lovers, the sweet couple in a hat and scarf, became a symbol of the town, and it adds to the feeling of a quiet, old-fashioned garden.

The park itself is a classic example of the style of its time, with lawns, flower beds, mature trees, winding paths and a pond, which give shade and a restful atmosphere. It is a place where local people come to walk, jog, play with children and sit on benches, and in summer it is often used for concerts and events. The paths are accessible, and there are playgrounds and a café. There is no entrance fee and no opening hours, since it is a public space, and the best times for a visit are in the morning and at sunset.

The park is in the centre of town and close to the main sights. Valence has Roman and Renaissance origins, and the Cathédrale Saint-Apollinaire, an eleventh-century Romanesque church, stands on the terrace at the southern end of the old town. The Maison des Têtes, a Renaissance house with carved heads on its façade, the Place Gambetta, the Théâtre de Valence and the Colline de la Croix are other places to see. Napoleon Bonaparte served as a young artillery officer in Valence in 1785 and 1786, and the town retains the memory of his stay. The Rhône cycle route passes along the river, and the Parc de l'Île de Mars is a leafy corner by the water.

The park suits walkers, families and anyone who enjoys a river view.